Dead Inverter (SolarEdge SE7600H)?

[majorfriend]

Hello All,
I'm hoping I can get some advice, I've searched this forum, reddit, the web in general extensively and I think I have found the answer, but I'd love to get some input from someone more knowledgeable than me if anyone is willing.

I have a PV system that has recently stopped producing. System details:
Inverter: SolarEdge SE7600H
Panels: 23 x Canadian Solar CS1Y-400M
Optimizers: 23x SolarEdge Optimizers
Ground Mount, Grid Tied, No Battery

I installed this system myself, with a little help from an electrician to make the final connections, and turned it on in October of 2021. It has producing well since then, but has stopped producing in the last couple weeks.

The inverter goes sits into an Idle status, then goes to grid monitoring, then back to Idle and the cycle starts all over again never going into Production.

All optimizers are communicating.
For awhile I did have an 18xB9 AC/DC IN-Stage Overvoltage error, but this went away and the error showed after production stopped. Now it shows no errors. AC voltage has been sitting around 241-243v

What I have noticed is that DC voltage will sit around ~430v for a bit while in Idle, then voltage drops to ~15v while it is in Grid Monitoring, then it comes back up after Grid Monitoring completes.

I have tried restarting the inverter several times, and repairing the optimizers to the inverter. No luck.

I'm working on getting into the SolarEdge service center to open a ticket, but it won't load (504 error), so I may need to call in.

Any other advice?

Really appreciate the help, this looks like a great community
Thanks!

[darkskies]

Just random guesses/suggestions...

What do the LED show (error, production, comms)? I'm guessing you don't have one with the LCD display.

Is the firmware at the latest revision?

How are you determing the inverter status? SetApp application on phone? Monitoring web site? API?

Are you going here for support - https://www.solaredge.com/us/support (assuming US, I suppose they have similar in other countries)?
I have no problem accessing their support site. Maybe try another browser, clear cache/cookies?

Sure seems like there is a hardware issue with the inverter.


No expertise here, but have been using SolarEdge products for several years.

[majorfriend]

Thanks darkskies,

You are correct, no LCD display.

LED displays a flashing green light, except when grid monitoring is in progress, then both blue and green LEDs are flashing.

Yes, firmware is updated to latest version.

SetApp on my phone is where I am getting information, I don't have the inverter hooked up to the internet.

I'm in the US, and yes that is the site I've been using. I actually just tried again and the site did load for me. I'll get a case opened up now.

One more bit of information, I just went to check the status again and this time have an 18xB7 error (still AC/DC In-Stage Overvoltage). A little bit of googling says one of the optimizers might be the problem, but that seems suspect to me as they are all communicating ok. I will inspect all the connections and wires to be sure, but not sure how far down the optimizer path to investigate.

[darkskies]

Blue light is comm with SolarEdge, so without connection I guess that will not be on.

I don't know if the SetApp will show you more info on the individual modules, but I'm wondering if you could connect the inverter to the internet to get visibility into the modules from the SolarEdge monitoring website. With mine, I can see voltages, current, optimizer voltage, and alerts for individual modules. Wondering if that would help you figure out if there is a problem with one of the optimizers.

Granted with a self install, I guess you have to set yourself up as the "installer" with SolarEdge so that you can access your site from their monitoring portal?

If I get a chance tomorrow, i'll hook up setapp on mine and see what I see for status (granted, I only have owner - read only access).

[majorfriend]

I did go ahead and put in a request for monitoring portal access, and I can use a wifi bridge and ethernet cable to connect if needed.

I can see individual optimizer status on the SetApp, it give me output voltage, input voltage and input current, but only at the time I'm looking at it. No historical numbers.

Generally, they all are sitting around ~35-40v of output and 42-46 input voltage, but current is 0 amps. Seems to be ok since they are all reporting similar values, but I'm not sure what the values should be.

[scrambler]

Basic question, but have you checked continuity of the connection between the panels and the inverter, is case one of them fell apart or blew up?

[darkskies]

From the monitoring site, I can create reports per module, that shows current, energy, module voltage, optimizer voltage, and power over time. I can look at one of those over all modules, or two per module. Here is one module, from today:


Screenshot 2023-08-23 at 8.52.11 PM.pngScreenshot 2023-08-23 at 8.52.55 PM.pngScreenshot 2023-08-23 at 8.53.24 PM.png

I have some shading on this module in the morning. In the layout screen you can look at the power for the modules over each day, in 15 min intervals. For example:

Screenshot 2023-08-23 at 8.58.24 PM.png

[majorfriend]

Thank you both.
Scrambler, yes I did check each optimizer, panel, and connection. All appears to be fine there.

Based on getting the 18xB7 error and this from the chat bot on the SolarEdge site, it would seem that a new inverter is in my future:

"Virtual assistant said :
If you are seeing error 18xB5 through 18xB9 please do the following:
Virtual assistant said :
Please upgrade the inverter's firmware to ensure that the DSPs are '900' or higher
Virtual assistant said :
Reselect the Country Code for whatever grid you are using - US240V etc.
Virtual assistant said :
If the error persists and the inverter does not produce power at all, the inverter will need to be RMA'd."

[darkskies]

, but al least you have a course of action to take. Let us know how you make out.

[scrambler]

If they are going to replace the inverter under warranty based on the diagnostic of a chatbot, why not....

[majorfriend]

Haha, I assume they will have a human reach out, but I haven't heard anything yet. Might need to call in if they don't get back to me in the next few days.

[darkskies]

They're customer service is very slow, in general. I've opened many cases and they take around a week to respond. They also have two (awful) habits on cases. One is that they will USUALLY reply and then close the case, instead of waiting for a confirmation as to whether or not you think the issue is resolved. The other is that for a problem where there is not a resolution, they will apologize and "appreciate" your patience, but will close the case, rather than leaving it open until resolved.

Case in point is the generator integration with the Backup Interface that I've been nagging them for over two years on. After three or four cases of them replying that it works and then closing the case, they will eventually say that it isn't working yet and that it will be available "in the near future", and then close the case. I can't express how poor their customer service is. Once and a while, you'll get a knowledgeable person who will prompt;y fix the issue, but that's typically an outlier.

Fair warning...

[Mike 134]

X2 on Solar Edge having a habit of a reply then calling it "case closed". My issue was corrupted data on the "dashboard page" of the monitoring site showing my small 7.2KW system generating 7MW of power in one month. Yet other tabs such as the layout page showed the correct values. They kept saying it was on my end yet some of their site had the correct values while the dashboard did not. Then one day POOF it all worked as it should and has ever since.

My point squeaky wheel gets the grease don't give up.

[majorfriend]

Thanks for the advice Mike and darkskies, good to know what I'm getting into.

[Calsun]

I would start by checking all the configuration settings to be sure that they are still in place. If they are not correct the inverter can have all manner of problems working. Not at all unusual for electronics to fail early on and that is why a warranty is important.

For future reference I chose to replace my Sunpower inverter (made by Sonny Boy) with a Solis inverter that has support for wifi to my home router. The tech support people at Solis can access the inverter remotely to do troubleshooting. I can check its status with my iPhone which is also handy.