New Solax installation, inverter relay keeps entering a permanent cycling self destruct mode

[MrLikerBiker]

Hi,
I've just had a new installation using Solax X1-hybrid-G4 7.Kw and 12 Kwh of Solax battery. It's been running for about 3 months. Approximately about once a month the inverter seems to enter an undefined mode of operation.
This seems to happen overnight when the battery has discharged down to it's 10% cut-off limit and the inverter goes into IdleMode which makes sense because it's not doing anything. Nothing from the PV and nothing from the battery.
Then a bit later (maybe a few hours) something happens and it enters WaitMode which could be at 3:00 or 4:00 (typically) in the morning. When I check the system using the app/web interface I notice that the inverter is "Inactive" despite it being daylight & sunny.
Checking the unit and the internal relay can be heard cycling it's contact at what sounds like about 10Hz. The only way to recover it is to shutdown the entire system and then restart it.

This is worrying. At the very least I am concerned that the relay will eventually wear out. I know that they are fairly robust mechanical devices but they do have a limited life time, typically 100,000 operations for electrical contact. If left unchecked, this can be reached surprisingly quickly at 10 Hz. A solid 24 hours of this would be 864,000 contact cycles. What would happen if it started just after I had gone on holiday ? Apart form this, you just shouldn't be using relays this way.

Below is a link to a video where you can hear the "Doom Click"

New video by Robert Horton

photos.app.goo.gl

This is not a DIY installation. I am happy with the installation company and they are pursuing this with Solax, but Solax seem to be sluggish in dealing with the issue and I wondered if anyone has had a similar experience. Personally I think the inverter is faulty and Solax should just replace it since the Doom Click has happened about once a month since the system became live.

 

[kommando]

My experience of Solax support has overall been good, but they do suffer from a lack of inaction until you provide documentary evidence of the fault, in my case it was screenshots of my data logger show three inverters with only the Solax not curtailing output. This showed the settings they gave me for frequecy shift curtailment was incorrect. In your case a video including sound with all the clicking on the relay plus shots of the DC voltage at the same time should get them moving.

Also be worthwhile checking out the DC connections to make sure all are good and none are high resistance, especially the Solax MC4 connectors provided. I had one of these where the metal insert dropped inside the plastic and so hardly making contact, inverter just sat there waiting.

Also your purchase contract is with the installer, regardless of what Solax say or do the installers are ultimately responsible for their install and will need to replace the inverter if its faulty.

 

[MrLikerBiker]

My experience of Solax support has overall been good, but they do suffer from a lack of inaction until you provide documentary evidence of the fault, in my case it was screenshots of my data logger show three inverters with only the Solax not curtailing output. This showed the settings they gave me for frequecy shift curtailment was incorrect. In your case a video including sound with all the clicking on the relay plus shots of the DC voltage at the same time should get them moving.

Also be worthwhile checking out the DC connections to make sure all are good and none are high resistance, especially the Solax MC4 connectors provided. I had one of these where the metal insert dropped inside the plastic and so hardly making contact, inverter just sat there waiting.

Also your purchase contract is with the installer, regardless of what Solax say or do the installers are ultimately responsible for their install and will need to replace the inverter if its faulty.

Interesting point about the DC voltage, hoping that might be in the logs. Suggested to the installers that we could pre-empt Solax asking about connections etc and check the connectors as they were in the area last week. They did, all was fine.

A neighbour has an identical installation as mine: house design, roof orientation, panel capacity, Solax equipment and installers. Never had a problem. This gives a useful reference point. What luck.

Since I have many years experience working on the hardware and software of multi-point power monitoring equipment, I see myself as helping the installers by providing them with the ammunition of awkward questions to send to Solax

 

[kommando]

If you have the Solax data logger the DC volts will be in the cloud database.

SolaX Power Login

www.solaxcloud.com

Be as helpful as you need to be with the installers but never let them off the hook, legally they are the ones responsible for providing a working installation and at some point need to replace the inverter with or without Solax. Set them a realistic deadline and include 'time is of the essence in this matter' in your written communications.