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The SolarMax S series: Reliability for 100 years


More than 160,000 SolarMax S series string inverters have been installed all over the world in the past five years – more than 99 percent have worked perfectly ever since.

Biel, 22. November 2012: The SolarMax S series string inverters rank among the classic products produced by the Swiss inverter manufacturer Sputnik Engineering. Since 2008, more than 160,000 devices have been installed in solar power plants all over the world and have been reliably feeding-in alternating current into the public grids.

The single-phase inverters work at a proven reliability of 99 percent, because only one percent of the devices require repair work each year. In such cases, SolarMax customers are normally provided with a replacement device within a period of two working days. The low malfunction rates of the installed devices results in a MTBF value of 100 years for the SolarMax S series. The MTBF value (Mean Time Between Failures) is the expected operating time between two consecutive failures – subject to ideal installation conditions (inside installation, clean/dry environment).

“The MTBF value is only a statistical measure for the malfunction rate and only to a certain degree allows conclusions regarding the operating time of the inverters to be reached, but it nevertheless demonstrates the potential of solar technology,” explains Hans-Georg Schweikardt, head of product management with Sputnik Engineering. “The MTBF value of the S series is calculated on the basis of the devices installed on site and both the plant and the grid operator are provided with continuous output performance and, thus, high reliability in terms of grid feed-in.”

For more than 20 years, SolarMax has been developing and producing transformerless inverters of the highest Swiss quality. Combined with comprehensive product maintenance and product optimisation, this long-standing know-how creates the prerequisites for the permanent reliability of the SolarMax S series.

Moreover, the single-phase string inverters are exceptionally small, easy to handle and powerful. The inverters can be installed very quickly and can be easily upgraded. High-quality workmanship and an intelligent cooling concept guarantee safe operation. An integrated data logger ensures simple and location-independent monitoring of the SolarMax S series.

About SolarMax
Sputnik Engineering AG, a Swiss company, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of grid-connected solar inverters. Under the name SolarMax the company develops, produces and sells inverters for every system – from photovoltaic plants on single-family homes whose kilowatt output is modest, to the solar power plants whose output is measured in megawatts. The inverter is a key component of the solar plant, transforming the generated direct current into grid-compliant alternating current. 20 years of experience are not only reflected in the Swiss quality, highest efficiency, reliability, and durability of the SolarMax products, but also in the way Sputnik offers its customers excellent international support in the field of after sales, comprehensive warranty services, and intelligent solutions for system monitoring.

SolarMax is positioned internationally and currently has approx. 360 employees. The company headquarters are located in Switzerland (Biel), products are sold and distributed via the branches in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, China, Belgium, United Kingdom, Greece, Bulgaria and Australia.

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