Solar Edge - an installer's blog

[Hedges]

Came across the following blog.
It includes the company's installed system numbers and failure rates for SolarEdge, Fronius, Enphase.
Also, information on limitations and best use of optimizers.

SolarEdge Inverter and Optimiser Review

It’s been a couple of years since I first wrote this SolarEdge inverter review. It started out nice. We installed over 3000 SolarEdge optimisers, and I had a tour of the SolarEdge HQ in Israel and had…

www.mcelectrical.com.au

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Came across the following blog.
It includes the company's installed system numbers and failure rates for SolarEdge, Fronius, Enphase.
Also, information on limitations and best use of optimizers.

SolarEdge Inverter and Optimiser Review

It’s been a couple of years since I first wrote this SolarEdge inverter review. It started out nice. We installed over 3000 SolarEdge optimisers, and I had a tour of the SolarEdge HQ in Israel and had…

www.mcelectrical.com.au

Do others feel that solaredge has this high of a failure rate?

 

[XO4001]

In about 4 years 4 or 5 optimizers dead from 48 pieces and 3 inverters.
edit: decommissioned sept 2021

 

[400bird]

That article or blog or whatever is dated 4 years old. I'm sure Solar Edge has updated the hardware in the last 4 years. So failure profile would only apply to older systems or equipment.

 

[Hedges]

That article or blog or whatever is dated 4 years old. I'm sure Solar Edge has updated the hardware in the last 4 years. So failure profile would only apply to older systems or equipment.

Oh, ye of so much faith!

One of his points was that many people didn't know theirs had failed.

Do others feel that solaredge has this high of a failure rate?

eBay, "For parts or not working"

41 Solar Edge (many, seller says storage lot, can't test.)

Solaredge for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Solaredge at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

2 Enphase

Enphase inverter for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Enphase inverter at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

3 SMA

Sma Inverter for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Sma Inverter at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

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5 Fronius

Fronius Inverter for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Fronius Inverter at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

1 Outback

Outback Inverter for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Outback Inverter at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

1 Trace (very few listings of any kind)

Trace Inverter for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Trace Inverter at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

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1 Schneider

Schneider Inverter for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Schneider Inverter at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

 

[400bird]

Oh, ye of so much faith!

One of his points was that many people didn't know theirs had failed.

Ah, I definitely missed that point.

I've got installer access, so I can see the details others might be missing.
I'm pretty sure one of my optimizers is failing at high output (half output compared to the rest of the string).
So I moved it to a different panel to verify.
But, output is too low in the fall/winter, so no results until next spring.


I don't like the look of all those Solar Edge inverters up on eBay combined with the 27% failure rate reported in that blog. Something seems odd. No company could survive a 27% failure rate in 3-5 years. That would likely mean multiple replacements for every inverter for the 10-20 year warranty they offer.


Did you look through the Schneider inverter picture? Someone didn't torque their fasteners!

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Ah, I definitely missed that point.

I've got installer access, so I can see the details others might be missing.
I'm pretty sure one of my optimizers is failing at high output (half output compared to the rest of the string).
So I moved it to a different panel to verify.
But, output is too low in the fall/winter, so no results until next spring.


I don't like the look of all those Solar Edge inverters up on eBay combined with the 27% failure rate reported in that blog. Something seems odd. No company could survive a 27% failure rate in 3-5 years. That would likely mean multiple replacements for every inverter for the 10-20 year warranty they offer.


Did you look through the Schneider inverter picture? Someone didn't torque their fasteners!
View attachment 122878

How old is your solaredge system?

 

[400bird]

How old is your solaredge system?

2018 install
No verified failures yet.

20 optimizers in 2018
I just added 4 more last month.

 

[BlueMarblePA]

2018 install
No verified failures yet.

20 optimizers in 2018
I just added 4 more last month.

I am debating installation of 34 used panels with p320 optimizers and 7.6kw solaredge inverter. But the reported failure rate is surprising me

 

[Hedges]

I don't believe optimizers provide any performance benefit in many situations.
If PV string is too high voltage for inverter, they serve to drop voltage. Two strings in parallel could be an alternate.
They provide RSD, required by code.
I'm not certain whether SolarEdge works, or not, with just a plain PV string.

If you wanted a compliant system without optimizers, a different brand directly supporting RSD modules (or microinverters) would probably be easier than trying to do SolarEdge without optimizers.

I'm pretty sure one of my optimizers is failing at high output (half output compared to the rest of the string).
So I moved it to a different panel to verify.
But, output is too low in the fall/winter, so no results until next spring.

Half; does that match array configuration? Or do your panels have three diode-bypassed section?


As I contemplate a new system, I'm thinking an inverter which has Arc-fault protection and shuts down RSD in the event of arc would be best. I don't know if those functions work together for inverters that support both. (Walmart fires continued to occur even after system was switched off, so I'm thinking RSD could prevent fires.)

 

[400bird]

I am debating installation of 34 used panels with p320 optimizers and 7.6kw solaredge inverter. But the reported failure rate is surprising me

If you've already got them, not much to loose.
Are you installing on the roof and need RSD?

What are the other options? Buy something new like 34 Enphase micro inverters?

If your installing this yourself, just make sure you note the serial number/install location for each optimizer so you can locate each when it fails.

I don't believe optimizers provide any performance benefit in many situations.

Probably true.
One interesting thing they allow is to parallel two different length strings.
Originally, I had a string of 12 and a second string of 8.
I just added 4 more panels to the 8s string to bring it up to 12. The great part of the optimizers is that I didn't need to stress the panel specs trying to match the original.

I'm not certain whether SolarEdge works, or not, with just a plain PV string.

I'm not sure what your asking, but I'm pretty sure the inverter requires optimizers.

Half; does that match array configuration? Or do your panels have three diode-bypassed section?

It was a single panel in the middle of the string producing less watts. It had no effect on the other panels in either string.

If it is a panel failure, without the optimizers, I'd have spent significantly more time finding it and it would have effected the entire string.

Maybe it was down by 1/3 not half. I'll need to go back in the logs.
The panels are half cut 60/120 cell panels.
In checking the spec sheet it shows 4 bypass diodes. I didn't even know 4 was a thing...

But, it's been working fine for months now. The production only drops out on some combination of high output or high temps. I'm not sure what causes it, but all of October was fine.

 

[CaptainUnderpants]

My installation is 4 years old with the newer HD Wave inverter. 26 optimizers. No failures. The installation is by the beach in SoCal so roof temps aren't that bad and the inverter is outside in the shade so it doesn't get cooked. Curious if excess heat is a source of increased failures?

 

[BlueMarblePA]

If you've already got them, not much to loose.
Are you installing on the roof and need RSD?

What are the other options? Buy something new like 34 Enphase micro inverters?

If your installing this yourself, just make sure you note the serial number/install location for each optimizer so you can locate each when it fails.


Probably true.
One interesting thing they allow is to parallel two different length strings.
Originally, I had a string of 12 and a second string of 8.
I just added 4 more panels to the 8s string to bring it up to 12. The great part of the optimizers is that I didn't need to stress the panel specs trying to match the original.

I'm not sure what your asking, but I'm pretty sure the inverter requires optimizers.

It was a single panel in the middle of the string producing less watts. It had no effect on the other panels in either string.

If it is a panel failure, without the optimizers, I'd have spent significantly more time finding it and it would have effected the entire string.

Maybe it was down by 1/3 not half. I'll need to go back in the logs.
The panels are half cut 60/120 cell panels.
In checking the spec sheet it shows 4 bypass diodes. I didn't even know 4 was a thing...

But, it's been working fine for months now. The production only drops out on some combination of high output or high temps. I'm not sure what causes it, but all of October was fine.

I have not paid for installation yet. One installer recommends placing all the panels with solaredge DC optimizers to the solaredge 7.6kw inverter into the Gen in of a Solark 15k. He also recommends additional DC PV inputs.

The other installer recommends using tigo optimizers into the DC input of the solark 15k and skipping the solaredge inverter.

I bought the 34 panels with optimizers and solaredge inverter for a good price and am trying to make sure I make the right decision regarding using the solaredge or not

 

[Hedges]

I just picked up some stuff (leftover panel mounting hardware) from a guy in Southern California, who had been a PV installer.
He was seeing too many SolarEdge failures. Don't know the vintage, but they were sending him lots of replacements.
The one extra extra he had was square, not a tall rectangle. New model, I think?

I'm not sure what your asking, but I'm pretty sure the inverter requires optimizers.

It was a single panel in the middle of the string producing less watts. It had no effect on the other panels in either string.

If it is a panel failure, without the optimizers, I'd have spent significantly more time finding it and it would have effected the entire string.

Maybe it was down by 1/3 not half. I'll need to go back in the logs.
The panels are half cut 60/120 cell panels.
In checking the spec sheet it shows 4 bypass diodes. I didn't even know 4 was a thing...

I was wondering if the 1/2 or 1/3 power was a shorted bypass diode. Is partial power (off MPPT) a failure mode for the optimizers?
If a diode shorted in a panel, string output would only decrease by that fraction. But you wouldn't see which one by query.
If the panel was outputting low Imp (like the Sharp I worked on), that would drag down the entire string.

 

[400bird]

I was wondering if the 1/2 or 1/3 power was a shorted bypass diode.

Same question here. But why would a failed diode only present at high output or high temps?
It's been working fine for months now that the sun is lower and temps are cooler.

Is partial power (off MPPT) a failure mode for the optimizers?

Dunno, I haven't found anything in my non-existent research.

If a diode shorted in a panel, string output would only decrease by that fraction. But you wouldn't see which one by query.
If the panel was outputting low Imp (like the Sharp I worked on), that would drag down the entire string.

It wouldn't drag down the string with functioning optimizers.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

Hi folks, thanks for having me. If I'm in the wrong spot with this, please help me find the right spot. I'm pretty much in the dark on my system but it looks like time for me to figure it out. I have 72 Peimar panels on my garage roof. Each one has a SolarEdge optimizer on it and it appears as though there are four strings that feed into two SolarEdge inverters. System was installed in early 2016 and has worked fairly well, outside of the lightening strike that took out a board or two. Back in the spring, one of the optimizers seems to have quit working but I was clueless on why one panel was dark. It took about six months but the installing company gave me a quote of $1550 to repair it. I declined their offer since I'd never get that back in electricity.

After talking to a couple of more knowledgeable friends and watching a couple of YouTube videos, I decided to give it a go myself. Pulled the panel and optimizer, tested both and the optimizer was not making any power but the panel was. I got two optimizers off of fleabay but I suspect that they may be counterfeits, as they don't have any tags on them but they do have SolarEdge cast into the bodies. The only tags are on the outside of the boxes. I tested one, it was making power and I installed it and paired the inverter. That panel is still showing dark but I'm wondering if it's not making power but the system can't identify it. Any help on what to do with this? Thanks for any help.

 

[XO4001]

Hi folks, thanks for having me. If I'm in the wrong

First you have a warranty of 25 years on the optimizers
If you contact SE support they will issue a new one at no cost
To make it show up you need to put the serial number in the string letting the inverter know that there is a new kid in town.
Its a long time ago since I did this, SE support will help you get it done.
Good luck

 

[kendive]

Do others feel that solaredge has this high of a failure rate?

Yes all of our local installers in Florida will not touch solar edge anymore. Too many complaints and failures.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

First you have a warranty of 25 years on the optimizers
If you contact SE support they will issue a new one at no cost
To make it show up you need to put the serial number in the string letting the inverter know that there is a new kid in town.
Its a long time ago since I did this, SE support will help you get it done.
Good luck

Thanks, I'll give that a shot next week. Their website does say that, now that I look at it. I knew that $1550 for the repair was out of line and on top of it, they guy told me that my warranty was only 5 years. I don't know what that guy was thinking but when all is said and done, I'll write the company owner, who installed the system himself.

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Yes all of our local installers in Florida will not touch solar edge anymore. Too many complaints and failures.

Ugh. I am really hoping simply to install my used system. My local installer says his main problem is inverter failures which he says is easy to replace, and only occasional optimizer failures.