Our mission toward the energy transition: We want to make the installation of PV systems on the roof easier, faster and safer for installers. For this reason, we offer an extensive range of PV combiner boxes, surge protection devices, connectors, tools and components.
The combiner box product family PV Next offers standard variants for DC-side protection of the installation between PV panel and inverter. At the same time, PV strings can be combined in the PV boxes to reduce the amount of cabling required.
Get to know our photovoltaic products for rooftop systems here and find many more tips on photovoltaic installation.
| Product | Product & installation type | Typical application | Type of current | Number of MPP | Voltage | Additional function | Go to product catalogue |
| PV Next | Combiner box (ready-to-connect box) | Single-family house, multi-family house, commercial building, industrial scale | DC | 1-12 | 1100 V | Combination of strings, load-break switch, optionally with cable gland or PV connector | Go to product catalogue |
| PV Next Fireman Switch | Combiner box with auto. emergency shutdown (ready-to-connect box) | Single-family house, multi-family house, commercial building, industrial scale | DC | 1-6 | 1100 V | Automatic disconnection and reconnection in case of an emergency, combination of strings, optionally with cable gland or PV connector | Go to product catalogue |
| PV DC combiner box | Combiner box for systems in the commercial /industrial segment (ready-to-connect box) | Industrial scale | DC | 1-12 | 1500 V | Combination of strings, optionally with monitoring | Go to product catalogue |
| PV Inline | Combiner box for small installation environments | Single-family house, multi-family house; especially retrofitting | DC | 1-2 | 1100 V | PV connector | Go to product catalogue |
| VARITECTOR Lightning and surge protection for photovoltaic systems | Component for mounting rail installation, plug-in modules or monoblock (mounting rail) | All system types (rooftop and ground-mounted systems) | DC | Individual | 600 V, 1000 V, 1500 V | Advanced surge protection for photovoltaic energy generation | Go to product catalogue |
| V-Data | Component for mounting rail installation (mounting rail) | Overvoltage protection for data communication | DC | - | 24 V | Special variants for the most common industrial data systems, like Ethernet, RS 485, RS 232. | Go to product catalogue |
| VARITECTOR AC Lightning and surge protection | Component for mounting rail installation (single arrester (1-4 poles) for mounting rail or ZPA for busbar) | Wherever AC voltage is present, all building types, retrofitting of existing systems | AC | - | 230 V | Comprehensive protection against damage and downtimes | Go to product catalogue |
| AC SPD-Box | Overvoltage protection box for charging boxes (ready-to-connect box) | Protection of the charging box and PV system against overvoltage for cable lengths >10 metres | AC | - | 230 V | Surge protection for data communication | Go to product catalogue |
In our short videos, we focus on the challenges of our customers and present a short and easy solution as well as tips and tricks for the installation of photovoltaics systems on the roof.
You can find more frequently asked questions and more technical details about the installation in our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) .
Not found the right answer? Our team at will be happy to answer your questions individually.
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Surge protection for PV systems is important and needs to be considered during installation in order to protect buildings and systems from damage caused by lightning strikes and surge voltages. In this video, you will learn how to protect photovoltaics systems and buildings from damage in accordance with EN 51643-32.
More information in our factsheet on the topic:
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Quickly determine the right DC surge protection for your PV system: Find out how easy it is in this video.
Here you can find our digital selection guide for PV combiner boxes:
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Cables and installation time can be reduced for many PV systems - with a simple idea. Find out how in our video.
More information in our factsheet on the topic:
In our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), we answer common questions about installing photovoltaic systems on the roof and provide valuable tips and tricks about our PV products. The content focuses on buildings within the European Union (EU).
A PV system on the roof requires an IEC 61439-2-approved GFCI to protect the system against overvoltage. The Combiner box PV Next also offers additional functions, such as the bundling of strings for reduced cabling effort. Depending on the installation type, overvoltage protection Type II or Type I+II is required. You can easily find the right variant using the selection guide on our website.
Learn how to choose the right PV combiner box in our fact sheet
The overvoltage protection inside a PV combiner box (DC side of the installation) is one part of the lightning protection system (LPS) of a building and is mandatory according to EN 51643-32 in the EU and beyond since 2019. It is used to protect your PV system and the electronic inside the house against overvoltages.
You can find detailed information on surge protection for PV systems in our fact sheet
Depending on the kind of photovoltaic installation, a combiner box with fuses is required. According to the IEC 62548:2016, fuses are mandatory if the maximum return current is higher than the return current of the module.
How to correctly dimension and calculate fuses you can learn in our fact sheet
To ensure the return on investment of a PV system, all products from the modules to the inverters and GAKs should have a lifetime of 20 years. The correct selection and design of all components and the subsequent validation of their interaction will result in a long lifetime of the product.
Which components influence the lifetime of combiner boxes you will find in our fact sheet
It is popular to install combiner boxes close to the PV modules to combine strings, which may result in the bundled string having too high currents for the input of the inverter. If the current is distributed evenly to the inputs of the inverter, this prevents too high a current from being fed in.
How this can be implemented in the installation is explained in our fact sheet
In residential installations, the PV modules are often installed on the roof and the string inverters are placed in the basement. An IEC 61439-2 approved combiner box offers the possibility to combine strings and thus save installation time, material and space for cables running through the building.
Examples of installation and which cable cross-sections you need for your strings can be found in our fact sheet
PV systems require a DC load-break switch according to IEC 60364-7-712. These switches can be integrated in string inverters, combiner boxes, fireman switches or similar devices. Until 2018, DIN EN-60947-3 considered only DC switches for 24 V or lower power ratings. Until 2018, DIN EN-60947-3 considered only DC switches for 24 V or lower power ratings.
You can find detailed information on surge protection for PV systems in our fact sheet
Photovoltaic installations are designed for a lifetime of more than 30 years. According to IEC 62548:2016, there is a need for UV-resistant marking in PV installations to ensure the lifetime of markers and stickers.
You can find detailed information on UV resistance in our fact sheet
An emergency shutdown in the event of a fire is specified by the building insurer or the local fire brigade. In this case, the string lines running in the building must be switched off automatically if a fire brigade operation is required. The technical solution is a fireman switch, which is installed at the entry point of the string cables into the building.
You can find more detailed information about the PV Next Fireman Switch in our Fact Sheet .
Are you looking for solutions to increase the efficiency of your photovoltaic installation projects? Here we give you an overview of the right products for reliable protection in commercial and residential buildings. Learn more about our PV combiner boxes for different inverter types.
The best proof of our many years of experience in the development and production of solutions for the photovoltaic industry, are our worldwide reference projects. Whether for rooftop or ground-mounted PV systems, on water or in the desert, our products have been tried and tested and successfully used for many years.
Jan Marrenbach
