Deye SUN-5K-G (5 kW) - single-phase grid-tie inverter

Two trackers are the real difference from the smaller models

The SUN-5K-G carries two independent MPPTs rated 13 A each, and it is this, rather than the kilowatts, that sets it apart from the single-tracker three-kilowatt units. Two trackers mean two groups of panels, each with its own orientation, tilt and even module count: the east slope on one input, the west on the other, with neither constraining the other. On a typical dual-pitch roof that arrangement yields 10 to 15 % more energy over a year than the same array forced into one string, and more importantly it flattens the daily curve: east delivers in the morning, west after noon. Up to 6.5 kW of panels can be connected against the 5 kW rating, a deliberate 30 % DC oversizing for winter and overcast weather. Just remember that each tracker accepts one string up to 13 A: paralleling two strings of modern modules into a single input would exceed that current limit.

The sites these 5 kW suit, and what they will never provide

Five grid-tie kilowatts is a solution for a house or business with genuine daytime consumption: a cottage with air conditioners and pumps, a shop with refrigerated cabinets, a small office, a coffee bar, a workshop. A 6.5 kW array at these latitudes yields roughly 6.5 to 7.5 MWh a year, and when most of that energy is consumed on site the bill drops noticeably with nothing to switch. For a house that stands empty during the day the benefit is considerably lower: the surplus goes to the grid at the export rate, so the economics deserve an estimate in advance. What this inverter will never provide under any circumstances is power during an outage: it is grid-tie, supports no battery and shuts down with the grid. At the same rating the hybrid SUN-5K-SG03LP1-EU (item 2050) works without the grid but requires a battery and costs more as a system; choosing between them means choosing between a smaller bill and autonomy.

22.7 A output: no longer an ordinary circuit

Rated output current is 22.7 A at 220 V and 21.7 A at 230 V, with a maximum reaching 25 A. The connection needs a dedicated 4 mm² cable with a 32 A breaker: an ordinary 16 A socket circuit is not even theoretically suitable here. Apparent power of 5.5 kW means that on a clear midday the inverter briefly delivers slightly above its nameplate, a normal mode the design anticipates. Harmonic distortion stays below 3 %, and at five kilowatts that matters: cheap inverters with a dirty waveform at this power can disturb sensitive equipment and generate noticeable interference. The output uses an IP65 connector so sealing survives mounting on an external wall, and the DC isolator is integrated into the housing with no separate DC box required.

A 70 to 500 V window: strings of different length are fine

The MPPT window of 70 to 500 V against a 550 V maximum, with start-up from 80 V, permits something narrow trackers cannot do: the strings on the two inputs may contain different numbers of modules. Say eight panels on one slope and five on the other — for this inverter that is a routine situation, because each tracker finds its own maximum power point independently. That flexibility rescues complex roofs with dormer windows, chimneys and areas shaded by a tree: the array is divided according to the real geometry rather than the inverter's requirements. The low start-up voltage also extends the working day — the unit comes online earlier than models that start at 150 V. The one thing to avoid is mixing panels of different power within one string: there, mismatch still clips the yield down to the weakest module.

Installation: eight kilograms and not a single fan

The 330 by 323 by 190 mm housing weighs 8 kg — slightly larger than the smaller models of the series, yet one person still handles the mounting. Cooling is natural: in a five-kilowatt inverter at 97.5 % efficiency about 125 W turns into heat, which a heatsink dissipates perfectly well, so the design contains no fan at all. Noise does not exceed 35 dB, effectively silence, and the absence of moving parts removes any maintenance need for the whole service life. IP65 protection and humidity tolerance to 100 % non-condensing allow outdoor mounting, with an operating range of -25 to +65 °C and derating above +45 °C. Convection needs 20 cm of free space above and below the housing: inside a closed niche or cabinet the inverter overheats and curtails power exactly at midday, when the array is at its peak.

Monitoring, protection and the paperwork for the network operator

The interfaces match the rest of the series: RS485, RS232, Wi-Fi and LAN built into the housing, plus an LCD 1602 text display and a mobile app with daily and monthly curves. On a five-kilowatt system monitoring has practical value: comparing the two tracker curves shows immediately if one roof slope has begun producing less because of shading, soiling or a failed module. The protection set is standard and complete: earth-fault monitoring, grid monitoring, DC reverse-polarity protection, short-circuit protection and type II surge arresters on both sides. Certification covers IEC/EN 62109-1/2, IEC 61727, IEC 62116, VDE4105, VDE0126, AS4777.2 and CEI 0-21 — precisely the documents the network operator asks for when registering a feed-in arrangement, and for five kilowatts the procedure is the same as for smaller systems. Night-time self-consumption is under one watt and the warranty runs five years.

How it differs from its neighbours in this catalogue

The smaller SUN-3.6K-G (item 2084) and SUN-3K-G (item 2083) have one tracker, lighter 4.8 kg housings and array limits of 4.7 and 3.9 kW respectively: they are the pick when the roof is single and small. The larger SUN-10K-G (item 2068) also has two MPPTs, but rated 26 A with two strings per input, an array of up to 13 kW and 45.5 A of output current — a different level of power installation and a 50 A circuit. Within the series efficiency differences are minimal, so the decision is driven by panel count and roof geometry rather than conversion efficiency. If your array fits within 6.5 kW and the roof has two slopes, this is precisely the right model without paying for the ten-kilowatt unit. And if a battery is ever planned for the system, a grid-tie inverter will have to be replaced: only the SUN-xK-SG hybrid branch can grow that way, and the matter is best settled before the purchase rather than after.

Describe your roof — how many slopes, which orientation and how many panels the area takes — and we will tell you whether this model's two trackers are enough.