Creating an RS485 Bus Connection to SolarEdge
Inverter or Gateway
The RS485 option enables creating a bus of connected devices, consisting of up to 31
slave devices and 1 master device. Using this option, devices are connected to each
other in a bus (chain), via their RS485 connectors. The first and last device in the chain
must be terminated as described in
RS485 Bus Configuration on page 42
RS485 wiring specifications:
Cable type: Min. 3-wire shielded twisted pair (a shielded Ethernet cable (Cat5/5E
STP) may be used)
Wire cross-section area: 0.2- 1 mm²/ 24-18 AWG (a CAT5 cable may be used)
Maximum nodes: 32
Maximum distance between first and last devices: 1 km /3300 ft.
NOTE
If using a cable longer than 10 m/ 33 ft in areas where there is a
risk of induced voltage surges by lightning, it is recommend to
use external surge protection devices. For details refer to:
https://www.solaredge.com/sites/default/files/overvoltage_
If grounded metal conduit are used for routing the communication wires, a
lightning protection device is not required.
If not using surge protection, connect the grounding wire to the first inverter
in the RS485 chain; make sure the grounding wire is not in contact with other
wires. Connect the grounding wire to the grounding bus-bar in the
Connection Unit with Safety Switch.
RS485 Bus Configuration
To connect to the monitoring platform:
1. Designate a single inverter as the connection point between the RS485 bus and the
monitoring platform. This inverter will serve as the master inverter.
2. Connect the master to the monitoring platform via the LAN option (refer to
an Ethernet (LAN) Connection on page 38) or any of the other options.
To configure the RS485 bus:
All devices are configured by default as slaves. To configure the master:
Chapter 6: Professional Installer - Setting Up Communication
42
Smart EV Charger Installation MAN-01-00657-1.0