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Rated AC power
Write the required kilowatts, a range, or “supplier to confirm.” Note whether the figure is at a stated temperature or power factor. Do not copy a neighboring class because the name sounds close.
Question-led planner
Use this equipment planner to decide which facts a solar inverter supplier must answer. CurrentWorks Procurement does not size the array. The planner only keeps configuration, interface, and approval questions visible so the RFQ is comparable.
Match requirements to the exact model and document revision.
Use the same units and separate the spare quantity.
Align currency, freight, accessories, warranty, and exclusions.
Record missing files and who must review each answer.
Ask for the current datasheet, dimensional drawing, installation manual, claimed safety-listing record, and efficiency test basis for the quoted model. A family brochure does not settle these questions.
01
Write the required kilowatts, a range, or “supplier to confirm.” Note whether the figure is at a stated temperature or power factor. Do not copy a neighboring class because the name sounds close.
02
Record the engineer’s array voltage and current requirements, or mark them open. Ask the supplier for maximum DC voltage and operating and short-circuit current limits per MPPT. Compare the exact-model limits with the array; module data alone cannot establish inverter suitability.
03
State independent MPPT channels separately from string inputs per channel. Record whether the site service is single-phase or three-phase. A change in either field is a deviation, even when AC power is similar.
04
Name the grid voltage and the communication protocol the monitoring stack already speaks, such as a site-standard protocol the engineer specifies. If the protocol is unknown, say unknown. Grid-forming behavior, where relevant, is a yes, no, or open question, not a feature this page awards.
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Units, systems, or a project lot. US destination. Requested window. Separate spare inverters from the base quantity so lead time is not blended.
Central or string conversion can suit a block that wants fewer cabinets. Module-level conversion can suit shade or per-module monitoring. Write the site condition and let the supplier quote that path. AC-coupled storage can suit a retrofit with separate controls. DC-coupled storage can change the conversion steps on a new build. If neither storage path is in scope, the planner should say storage is out of the inverter line.
A buyer who ranks only the lowest unit price can miss freight, taxes, accessories, documentation, and warranty. A buyer who ranks delivered scope first can see those gaps before award. Bring both views to the same sheet. An optional budget needs a currency and a per-unit or whole-order basis. Premium, mid-range, budget-friendly, or not yet decided describes how you want options presented. It is not a score the supplier has earned.
Ask for the datasheet, the outline drawing, and any safety-listing file that applies to the destination. A UL or ETL record, when the supplier offers one, must name the model. ISO 9001 evidence, when offered, is a quality-system document for that supplier, not a credential of CurrentWorks Procurement. Unresolved interconnection, code, and structural reviews stay on the open list.
An illustrative draft might request 150 kW rated AC power, a 550-1100 V operating DC window, 10 independent MPPT channels, 480 V three-phase, and 20 units for Dallas delivery. It is not a validated configuration or available product. Leave maximum DC voltage, operating and short-circuit current limits per MPPT, strings per channel, enclosure rating, and temperature derating open for the proposed-model datasheet. Efficiency needs its test basis. Ask the supplier to name the actual communication interface, protocol, and firmware; a generic monitoring claim is insufficient.
Create one comparison row per requirement with the requested value, supplier answer, manufacturer and model, document revision, deviation, and reviewer. For any sample or pilot, agree the equipment configuration, environmental conditions, method, and acceptance criteria with qualified parties before scheduling it. Record the result and unresolved items; this planner contains no test results. A file bearing the right family name is insufficient if its model or revision differs.
The Department of Energy inverter overview explains architecture and grid-service context. It does not approve a supplier. Project interconnection, structural checks, safe installation, and final compatibility remain with qualified reviewers.
When the sheet is filled as far as you can, send it to the desk or start from an inquiry label. The procurement note uses the same field names if a colleague needs the longer checklist.
The planner is finished when every blank is either a value or an explicit “confirm on the quoted model.” Send that sheet with quantity and destination. Factory quotations come back for comparison. They are not issued by this page.
Eligibility applies to qualified business buyers and is confirmed after we review your product, quantity, destination, and sourcing requirements.