Growatt SPF 5000 ES Will not start with PV power

[Jim Lee]

I have 4 Growatt SPF 5000 ES inverters, 30 - 395W panels and 30Kwh of LiFe 48V batteries. At first when I start up my system 1 of my 4 inverters would not start up with PV power as it should . They all do start up when the inverter is turned on and seem to work correctly. After about 3 week I noticed 3 of my 4 inverters now would not start up with PV power. The problem with this is the ones that will not start with PV power also will not work as the host inverter. No matter which one I set up as host (I do start it first) the system will switch the host to the only inverter that starts with PV. Growatt has stated through Signature Solar that an Inverter update would fix the problem. All 4 inverters were updated with the help of SS, however, the problem still exist with the same 3 inverters. I'm worried about what will happen if the 4th inverter develops the same problem. Has anyone had this problem and if so how did you get it fixed. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[azazelpy]

Your pv VOC reach 150v, if not the inverter no gonna start using the array

 

[Jim Lee]

Your pv VOC reach 150v, if not the inverter no gonna start using the array

I can see the PV voltage and at early sunrise my PV volts are about 220v.

 

[mesia]

I can see the PV voltage and at early sunrise my PV volts are about 220v.

You need tham amps as well to start.

 

[timselectric]

I can see the PV voltage and at early sunrise my PV volts are about 220v.

That's probably VOC. If the MPPT pulls it down below the minimum starting voltage, it won't start.

 

[hazim]

Hello.

It's several months old thread, but I have same problem with 3 parrallel Growatt SPF 5000ES inverters. Each inverter is connected to 8 series Longi 545W panels. So total are 24 panels and 3 inverters. We have 3 parralleled 5kwh LiFePo4 batteries, as the system is used at day time more than night, so this storage is enough.

The same problem, why the inverters do not startup from PV as they used to when they were new?!

 

[LydMekk]

1st. menu parameter set to SBU? If not do it.

 

[Vigo]

I think one of my 2 does this as well, or has done ot intermittently. And it didn’t do it in the beginning but began within the first couple months if i remember correctly.

It hasn’t been an issue for me since i leave both inverters on pretty much 24/7, although i am thinking about changing that at some loint and already would have of the internal settings supported it (ie the inverters werent forced to share every single setting when in parallel).

So it seems it’s definitely ‘a thing growatt spf5000’s do’. Only thing i can suggest is try fully ‘cycling’ the units and see what changes. When they are in parallel you not only have to disconnect them from battery and solar, but also from the small current sharing cables to get them to fully ‘go dark’, at least in my experience. I only suggest this because i know one of my units has hadthis issue in the past, but it doesnt now (!) so maybe that was what fixed it….?

 

[hazim]

Dear I even have this same issue happens with different systems which have only one inverter (SPF 5000ES too), so it is not limited to parallel inverters systems. It also happened after several months from installation.
BTW changing setting 1 to SBU didn't solve the problem.

 

[lns]

@Jim Lee , did you ever get this issue resolved?
I'm seeing similar issue