Customer application 20 April 2022

Wiring inverters - safely, quickly, and easily with a lever

The roofs of many homes are already adorned with photovoltaic systems. But to ensure that the electricity generated from solar power also finds its way to your sockets, you need an inverter. To make the connection as safe, quick, and easy as possible for the installer, Fronius uses the lever connection technology from WAGO for its GEN24 Plus inverter generation – currently making it one of a kind on the solar inverter market.

The German Design Award, Intersolar Award, Red Dot Design Award, Plus X Award - these are just some of the accolades the inverter manufacturer Fronius has received for its GEN24 Plus hybrid inverter. If there were a prize for the easiest inverter installation, this would probably also be on display in the Fronius trophy cabinet – thanks in part to the combination of push-in spring connection and the globally self-explanatory WAGO lever technology, which makes both ferrules and tools entirely superfluous when installing the GEN24 Plus. A feature that is presently unique on the global inverter market.

WAGO PCB Connectors with Lever:

Intuitive and fast: tool-free wiring thanks to lever technology
Tight and safe: stable fit of the PCB connector
Convenient and easy: wiring by hand in hard-to-reach places

Unmatched convenience coupled with unbeatable quality

This innovative connection technology is made possible by WAGO PCB plug connectors, specifically the WAGO Multi Connection System MCS MAXI 6 from the 831 series. “This tool-free wiring of all types of conductor by means of a lever is intuitively usable anywhere in the world, saves the installer a great deal of time on site, and gives them peace of mind,” says Markus Rieder, Global Head of Sales for the Business Unit Solar Energy at Fronius International. This not only simplifies the installation of this durable hybrid inverter for DC and AC connections, but also its servicing requirements. In addition to lever operation, these high-quality WAGO PCB plug connectors with levers withstand a wide variety of environmental conditions in the field: from the desert to 4000 meters above sea level, wherever the Fronius inverters are installed.

But what sounds simple now is the result of almost four years of joint development work. In addition to the 831 series plug connectors, the WAGO solution also includes further modifications – such as factory coding of the terminal points to prevent mis-mating, and factory printing to further increase the convenience of the field connection.

Maximum safety with minimum space requirement

A special central locking device was also developed for this Fronius inverter to protect the PCB plug connectors from inadvertent disconnection, in particular because the unit is especially space-saving. “In order to keep our GEN24 Plus as compact as possible, the locking device could not take up any additional space,” says Markus Rieder. This is why the WAGO central locking device came into being. It offers maximum safety with minimum space requirements, and is therefore especially suitable for applications in which plug connectors are located directly next to each other on the front of a device – as is the case with the Fronius GEN24 Plus. This is because it delivers compact locking without any added grid width.

In addition to the tool-free connection via lever, the installer in the field enjoys an added benefit thanks to the central locking device: it can be operated with one hand, intuitively, quickly and easily, thanks to the clear color coding and the tool-free, automatic latching with an audible and tangible signal when engaged. The safe and simple operability and haptics have been closely coordinated with Fronius and designed according to the company’s wishes. “My and our goal at Fronius is to focus even more closely on customer proximity and to offer installers practical and customized solutions,” says Markus Rieder.

In the GEN24 Plus hybrid inverter from Fronius, the PCB connectors of the WAGO Multi Connection System MCS MAXI 6 831 Series allow convenient wiring by hand.

Safety you can see - thanks to levers! A quick glance and the installer of the GEN24 Plus hybrid inverter from Fronius knows whether the terminal point is open or closed - regardless of whether it is the Primo GEN24 Plus (left) or the Symo GEN24 Plus (right).

Intuitive conductor connection - worldwide! The push-in CAGE CLAMP^© connection technology and lever technology of the WAGO PCB connectors make it possible - whether on the Primo GEN24 Plus (left) or the Symo GEN24 Plus (right).

Common mindset delivers the best results

“In four years of mutual development work, we have been impressed by WAGO’s commitment. We are united by the fact that we are family-run companies, while we also have a shared focus on the reliability and high quality promise of our products,” says Markus Rieder on the successful collaboration. This is yet another reason why the Fronius GEN24 Plus is a versatile hybrid inverter. With integrated a backup power function, it represents the most flexible solution for the supply of solar energy: be it for photovoltaics, storage, backup power, heat, or e-mobility. As an all-in-one hybrid inverter, it impresses with tried-and-tested features, complemented by smart innovations – as well as the proven WAGO push-in spring connection and lever technologies.