Enphase IQ7A micro inverter problem

[Donnyscabin]

I installed 40 panels and IQ7A enphase inverters in 2020. We had a thunderstorm and 6 inverters quit working. I contacted the monitoring company and they told me I had an event (storm) and they wouldn't cover them under warranty. I had to buy 6 more inverters to correct the problem. They told me to put a surge protector at the combiner box. I bought a midnite surge protector and installed it in the combiner box on a separate 2 pole breaker. We had a power outage a couple weeks ago caused from a car hitting a power pole and knocking the power out for the area. It tripped the 100 amp main breaker in the combiner box. The surge protector didn't trip. Now 14 of my inverters are not working, what am I doing wrong. It's going to cost me another $2,400 to replace them. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[fromport]

We had a power outage a couple weeks ago caused from a car hitting a power pole and knocking the power out for the area. It tripped the 100 amp main breaker in the combiner box.

The breaker will protect the wire from crazy currents that might burn up the wire.
Under normal conditions, this will never happen.
The fact it did trigger means that (imo) something very extraordinary happened. Like the 10-16kV lines hitting the 240V split phase line while the power pole went down. That would mean much more devices connected to the mains (TV's/computers etc) would be down in the neighborhood where it happened. I would ask with some neighbors for that. If that is confirmed, you and the other neighbors should file a claim with the car insurance of the person who took down the power pole.
Just guessing here, but that would be one of the only things that would explain that many micro inverters going boom _and_ the 100 amp breaker triggering imo.

 

[AntronX]

Double post, should stick to one thread: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/enphase-iq7a-inverters-keep-going-bad.74691

 

[newbostonconst]

No need to post in multiple sections of this forum...

 

[Donnyscabin]

Double post, should stick to one thread: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/enphase-iq7a-inverters-keep-going-bad.74691

Sorry, so what happened to the post with the replies on it.

 

[AntronX]

Sorry, so what happened to the post with the replies on it.

I reported this thread to the mods as double post but they nuked the other thread lol. I guess we can start over. Post those 3 pictures again and a picture of breaker panel without cover to see how you wired that surge arrester. What model # is that arrester ?

 

[fromport]

I reported this thread to the mods as double post but they nuked the other thread lol. I guess we can start over. Post those 3 pictures again and a picture of breaker panel without cover to see how you wired that surge arrester. What model # is that arrester ?

:-(
I had given a technical response in the other thread.
There is not one yet in this thread. I am not going to remake my posting.
Not a good call from whoever removed the other thread.

 

[AntronX]

:-(

I am sorry <ducks head>. Tried to play wanna be mod, lol.

 

[fromport]

I am sorry <ducks head>. Tried to play wanna be mod, lol.

You said you reported this thread to be removed, right ? nothing you did is questionable.

 

[400bird]

I don't have any answers but, maybe I can help summon the lost post?

I had given a technical response in the other thread.
There is not one yet in this thread. I am not going to remake my posting.
Not a good call from whoever removed the other thread.

@upnorthandpersonal
@Supervstech

Either way, I'm subscribed and hopeful to learn something here.

 

[AntronX]

If I recall old post was about making sure meter panel has 2 ground rods 6 feet apart and to check if they are securely connected to ground point in the meter panel.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

It's post #2 in this thread now.

 

[Supervstech]

:-(
I had given a technical response in the other thread.
There is not one yet in this thread. I am not going to remake my posting.
Not a good call from whoever removed the other thread.

When? The server was migrated to a new system recently, and several posts during the transfer got lost...

 

[AntronX]

When?

Today 1 - 2pm est.

 

[fromport]

When? The server was migrated to a new system recently, and several posts during the transfer got lost...

Reply was given today, long after the server migration.
All fixed now! Thanks to @upnorthandpersonal

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

When? The server was migrated to a new system recently, and several posts during the transfer got lost...

I merged the duplicate thread and missed a post...

 

[solar8484]

The surge protector didn't trip.

Most surge protectors are designed to trigger for lightning strikes which typically cause very short and very high voltage spikes (>400V). That's won't help protecting the micros as they can only handle <300V? The fact that the main breaker tripped suggests the likely overvoltage condition was in effect for a while ... long enough to fry the micros. You may want to add an overvoltage protection relay with appropriate current rating to the PV circuit to trip instantly at ~290V.