xtrorion
New Member
Ok, perhaps this is a little dramatic, but only a little. Here is a picture of my install. I am not a solar expert, but I have read a lot, and do have a electrical wiring background.
Background
Firmware version: 79.63
The inverters have been running well since installation back in March without any major issues. We had about 4 MWH of power going through since installation.
I started to noticed that the max rate of charge would change on its own, and I could not change it back, it would look like it saved, but when you go back into the setting, it would be the same, then when I rebooted the devices, sometimes it would take a couple of tries for them to start correctly. (no faults ever shown). I called this issue in to Signature Solar and was advised to try and upgrading to the newest firmware which i planned to do once it was out "in the wild" for a while, so I could see what issues were reported (was actually planning to do that this last weekend but then this happened). Then we started to see when the unit would go back to grid mode when the batteries would go low, power would go of and back on seeming at random, but I think it was when the MPPT chargers were starting (but not 100% on timing). Some time ago after seeing this behavior I got to thinking about that fact that these were connected via wireless to WatchPower, and these connect to a server in Wuhan China, I did not like that idea. So I disconnected the wireless and started using SolarAssistant (very nice by the way).
On July 27th, The inverters had switched to utility during the night due to SOC as they should, however did not switch back to battery even after the SOC exceeded the threshold set, so I came home from work to investigate...and I saw the setting 01 was now set to USB (which I did not change) and could not set it back to SBU which is where it has always been set. I also notice that the Max charge rate had again been set back to 20 amps and I could not change it either. I did not look at any other settings at that time. So I switched all my loads off (via master breaker and they were not switched back on after restart of the inverter either), and then shut down the inverters. (loads off, inverter power off, utility power off, PV off, EG4 batteries power off (at the batteries)) ...then performed a the restart procedure, which is turn on power at the batteries using soft start in the battery, followed by the remaining batteries, then invert, then Utility, then PV. When they booted up, inverter 1 threw a fault I have never seen before code 32. I shut them down again, and restarted them....they both came up in fault with no code just red light bars on, I when to tap the enter button on inverter 1, and when I did...BOOM!!!!!
There was a bright Flash and very loud BOOM from inverter 1....The utility feed breaker (60 amps) was tripped...and I quickly turned off PV and batteries....I then called Signature Solar to open a case
As directed, I did try powering them back on using just a single battery to take the pictures and readings requested, but there was another softer pop from inverter 1 and they both just turn off...I did see a new fault F09, but then tried again, and they both just shut off, no fault this time. Inverter 1 did still show 2P1 and inverter 2 showed 2P2...I provided pictures of the requested measurements, and let them know that I was NOT going to provide utility power to these again.....they are fried.
Though the initial response from Signature Solar was as expected, 45 minutes on hold to get someone that took down my information and then got a email with the info they needed. The follow up has been absent. I called again, and was told I have to follow their process, which I have, providing a list of pictures and measurements reading where i could...but it is now 9 days, and I have not been contacted...Can someone tell me how I can get movement from Signature Solar on this? As you can see, I have spent quite a bit of cash with these folks and would like to get these units replaced or credit to move to somethings else. Though these have generally worked, there have been these constant odd issues that come up, and in this case I am thinking these things took themselves out. You cannot have setting randomly change and not expect major issues.
Current status of inverters
So I have played with these a bit more - using battery power only, Inverter 1 just comes on, then shuts back down. I wanted to take the cover off to see what blew, but was afraid this would give SS a reason not to honor the warranty. I assume it was a large capacitor but it was very loud for that and there was a bight flash.
Inverter 2 comes on with Battery. I tried for 4 nights in a row to get the settings to change from split phase to stand alone, but I could not change any of the settings. (you have to do this in a short amount of time or it would shut down as it cannot communicate with the master unit as expected). But it would not change. Then the last night, I was magically able to change it when it started up (?) It was nothing I did differently, it just worked this time after startup. I put it into stand alone mode, and was then able to also change other settings and fully boot it up. The unit was inverting and even still charges the battery from solar. When utility power is turned on (no loads connected), I hear a soft popcorn sound coming out of the inverter and it goes into error P05. I also noticed there is no communication via USB to my PI - It could have fried the PI USB, but the error is USB over volt, and cannot connect. Don't know on that one yet.
Not really sure where to go from here.
(correction was on the date it happened)
Background
Firmware version: 79.63
The inverters have been running well since installation back in March without any major issues. We had about 4 MWH of power going through since installation.
I started to noticed that the max rate of charge would change on its own, and I could not change it back, it would look like it saved, but when you go back into the setting, it would be the same, then when I rebooted the devices, sometimes it would take a couple of tries for them to start correctly. (no faults ever shown). I called this issue in to Signature Solar and was advised to try and upgrading to the newest firmware which i planned to do once it was out "in the wild" for a while, so I could see what issues were reported (was actually planning to do that this last weekend but then this happened). Then we started to see when the unit would go back to grid mode when the batteries would go low, power would go of and back on seeming at random, but I think it was when the MPPT chargers were starting (but not 100% on timing). Some time ago after seeing this behavior I got to thinking about that fact that these were connected via wireless to WatchPower, and these connect to a server in Wuhan China, I did not like that idea. So I disconnected the wireless and started using SolarAssistant (very nice by the way).
On July 27th, The inverters had switched to utility during the night due to SOC as they should, however did not switch back to battery even after the SOC exceeded the threshold set, so I came home from work to investigate...and I saw the setting 01 was now set to USB (which I did not change) and could not set it back to SBU which is where it has always been set. I also notice that the Max charge rate had again been set back to 20 amps and I could not change it either. I did not look at any other settings at that time. So I switched all my loads off (via master breaker and they were not switched back on after restart of the inverter either), and then shut down the inverters. (loads off, inverter power off, utility power off, PV off, EG4 batteries power off (at the batteries)) ...then performed a the restart procedure, which is turn on power at the batteries using soft start in the battery, followed by the remaining batteries, then invert, then Utility, then PV. When they booted up, inverter 1 threw a fault I have never seen before code 32. I shut them down again, and restarted them....they both came up in fault with no code just red light bars on, I when to tap the enter button on inverter 1, and when I did...BOOM!!!!!
There was a bright Flash and very loud BOOM from inverter 1....The utility feed breaker (60 amps) was tripped...and I quickly turned off PV and batteries....I then called Signature Solar to open a case
As directed, I did try powering them back on using just a single battery to take the pictures and readings requested, but there was another softer pop from inverter 1 and they both just turn off...I did see a new fault F09, but then tried again, and they both just shut off, no fault this time. Inverter 1 did still show 2P1 and inverter 2 showed 2P2...I provided pictures of the requested measurements, and let them know that I was NOT going to provide utility power to these again.....they are fried.
Though the initial response from Signature Solar was as expected, 45 minutes on hold to get someone that took down my information and then got a email with the info they needed. The follow up has been absent. I called again, and was told I have to follow their process, which I have, providing a list of pictures and measurements reading where i could...but it is now 9 days, and I have not been contacted...Can someone tell me how I can get movement from Signature Solar on this? As you can see, I have spent quite a bit of cash with these folks and would like to get these units replaced or credit to move to somethings else. Though these have generally worked, there have been these constant odd issues that come up, and in this case I am thinking these things took themselves out. You cannot have setting randomly change and not expect major issues.
Current status of inverters
So I have played with these a bit more - using battery power only, Inverter 1 just comes on, then shuts back down. I wanted to take the cover off to see what blew, but was afraid this would give SS a reason not to honor the warranty. I assume it was a large capacitor but it was very loud for that and there was a bight flash.
Inverter 2 comes on with Battery. I tried for 4 nights in a row to get the settings to change from split phase to stand alone, but I could not change any of the settings. (you have to do this in a short amount of time or it would shut down as it cannot communicate with the master unit as expected). But it would not change. Then the last night, I was magically able to change it when it started up (?) It was nothing I did differently, it just worked this time after startup. I put it into stand alone mode, and was then able to also change other settings and fully boot it up. The unit was inverting and even still charges the battery from solar. When utility power is turned on (no loads connected), I hear a soft popcorn sound coming out of the inverter and it goes into error P05. I also noticed there is no communication via USB to my PI - It could have fried the PI USB, but the error is USB over volt, and cannot connect. Don't know on that one yet.
Not really sure where to go from here.
(correction was on the date it happened)
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