Jump to content

Mecer Inverter will not restart


Kawaman

Recommended Posts

Hi There,

Yesterday I arrived home from work and my wife told me she accidentally bumped the two circuit breakers Main and Supply to the Mecer Inverter removing some plastic containers out of the cupboard where the DB is situated.

She immediatley switched them back on, but the Inverter remained non functional and no power to the house.

My batteries have been removed and sent back to the Agents Deltec for examination and desulphation checks as the batteries are still under warranty. So the inverter was set to "Utility source only" and the Solar Panels switched off.

My question to the Forum, because the Power was switched off accidentally, the Inverter set to Utility only, is  it possible the Inverter lost the program settings and was unable to restart due to no batteries and no Solar to back it up?

There is power Utility to the Inverter but no return. I have removed the Inverter to take it to the Mecer Agents, I'm hoping there is something simple I could do prior me doing so.

Mecer Inverter model SOL-I-AX-5M

Barcode 92931506104569

Thank in advance

 

Edited by Kawaman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Normally the Axpert/Mecer require power connected to the battery input to start up. If I remember correctly, you are actually supposed to switch off both AC IN as well as loads before powering on the inverter.

If you do not have batteries available at the moment, then you might be stuck. I do not know if the inverter will power on when PV is available but no batteries.

Maybe @Coulomb has any magic tricks up his sleeve for this case?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Kawaman said:

My question to the Forum, because the Power was switched off accidentally, the Inverter set to Utility only, is  it possible the Inverter lost the program settings and was unable to restart due to no batteries and no Solar to back it up?

I don't believe it would have lost the settings. I didn't even know you could do what I think you did. I assume you removed the battery with the power on and possibly PV connected. I believe that you might have lost power anyway at sunset. Though maybe the utility charger can operate the electronics without the battery connected. If this is what you did, I would not recommend it.

To connect the loads to AC-in (I assume that you don't have a bypass switch, manual or contactor), I'd guess that you could use a DC power supply to "bootstrap" it. But you'd need at least about 36V from memory, and most hobby power supplies are 30V max. I have a dual 30V power supply, so I can start an Axpert with the two supplies in series.

But again, I don't recommend running the unit at all without a battery. Later models can run without a battery, but I think that they had to change the design to achieve that. I suspect that this model (same as mine I believe) could get unstable and do weird things, possibly bad things, without a battery. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Coulomb and GVC, 

Before I disconnected the battery bank I went into WatchPower and set "Charger Source priority" to Utility. "Output Source priority" Utility. 

Then Switched off the Battery Bank at the Fuse Box then the Solar Panels Circuit Breaker off. 

The Inverter stayed on removed the batteries and dropped them off at the Agents,, this was last week Tuesday, the accidental trip happened yesterday afternoon. 

Your thoughts? Possibly lost it's settings? 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is indeed strange behavior. If I switch off the battery and PV supply my inverter switches off, even though the inverter switch is on. I reckon that your inverter stayed on by some or other weird circumstance and when your wife bumped the CB board it eventually switched it off. It will not switch on until you reconnect your batteries. Do you not have a "change-over" switch to either select Utility or inverter supply?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi GVC, 

No I don't, but I am having a change over switch box made to use a generator at night should load shedding exceed my battery life. (using 8 Deltec lead acid batteries) 

You maybe correct in what you are saying, all it needed was the Secondary power source. I will still take the Inverter to Mecer for a check over (piece of mind) 

My thought is, the Inverter probably thought it was load shedding and no back up power to continue and powered off. Although Utility was restored, the Inverter remained off due to no secondary power source. 

Just hope that is the case. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi @GVC @Coulomb,

Just received my Inverter and they found nothing wrong with it at all.

They did however explain to me that, with me changing the Power sources all to Utility prior me disconnecting the batteries, the Inverter will stay on, PROVIDED I do not LOSE Utility power eg: Load Shedding or in my case, accidental utility power off, the Inverter had no alternative power to draw from and politely switched itself off. Only to return power when I re-connect the Battery bank..

Makes sense...Right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Kawaman said:

Makes sense...Right?

It makes sense that if it loses utility power, there is nothing to power the processor. So it doesn't really decide to politely switch off, it just loses power and has no choice about it. There may be a bit of grace to it, as it would sense extreme low battery voltage and go to shutdown mode.

What I don't understand is how the processor is getting power without the battery at all. Do you have utility charging turned on perhaps?

Ah, maybe what happens is that if you turn off utility charging, it doesn't really turn off the charging hardware, it just sets the net charge limit to zero amps. With the electronics drawing nearly an amp from the battery, the utility charger (the inverter run in reverse) works to keep the net charge into the battery at zero, i.e. it has to supply that near one amp to the electronics, so that the net current is zero. And it has to do a delicate balancing act; even a few percent error in the charge current will cause the "battery" voltage to ramp up or down quickly without an actual battery there to stabilise it. I get dizzy just thinking about that balancing act.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Coulomb said:

Do you have utility charging turned on perhaps?

HI Coulomb, 

Yes I did, all to Utility. 

Funny enough, when I replaced the old batteries with the ones I have now, I did the same setup on the Inverter so the wife could carry on with her house work, only then no accidental trip of the Main switch or load shedding. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I have a brand new Mecer 5 kw inverter. Fir some strange reason it won’t switch to the solar panels. My settings are at SBU. 
PV voltage is 84 DC.

4 x 12 volts  Batteries in series.

anyone experienced this similar problem on the group?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Wittier Please if you will, upload your Inverter settings, if you are using WatchPower software, take a photo and let us look at your settings and firmware version.

take a photo on the side of your Inverter it will have the Make/Model serial Number etc. for us to look at.

lastly, the type of batteries you have connected, are they Lead Acid/Gel or Lithium. Important to determine the correct firmware to charge the type of batteries you have. Your Solar panel(s), how many do you have and what wattage each, they should be all identical in wattage or one or two may be higher in wattage, they will however lower themselves to the lowest Solar panel wattage.

I'm pretty sure @Coulomb will ask the same questions as he is the professor of Voltronic Expert (Mecer) Inverters.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Wittier said:

Fir some strange reason it won’t switch to the solar panels.

Does the PV icon show on the front panel or removable display?

If so, is it flashing?

Do you perhaps have a high voltage SCC model of inverter? Some have 120 VDC minimum.

Edited by Coulomb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
22 hours ago, ED Botha said:

I inadvertently cross wired my batteries ( Only for a second...

It only takes about a thousandth of a second to blow semiconductors. If you are very lucky, there will be a fuse rated at about 200 A in there that you could replace. But the chances that something blew anyway are high.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi There Cheryl,

What is your issue with Mecer Inverter?

Firstly we require the information that is on the side of your Mecer Inverter, secondly what type of battery or batteries you have, Lead Acid deep cell / Gel deep cell or Lithium.

Lastly we will need the fault code that will show at the top middle of the Mecer Inverter screen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hello. 

Can someone please assist. A Mecer SOL-IX-AX-5P inverter. Can it only switch on with battery power and not mains?

Inverter was connected to 2 x US2000 Pylontech lithium batteries, then System removed to be relocated to another house. Batteries have how discharged and the inverter will not switch on. 

 

Thank you

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Covered by a PM. For curious readers, this model does need a battery to start. Older models ironically can start on mains. 

The problem is likely that the battery BMS has turned off. A long press on the battery's power button may wake it. Otherwise, it will be a hassle getting the battery charged a little before it will allow any discharge. 

Edited by Coulomb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

I have a 5kw Mecer inverter with 4 x 200ah lithium batteries in series. 2 x 450w panels.  During the day the panels charge and eskom takes over when sun goes down. However we used too much power and inverter switched off. Set to switch of at 42v. It only switched back on when sun came up regardless of eskom coming on earlier. Set for charging either through solar or eskom. How do I get the unit to switch on when eskom comes back as it has happened twice now

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@andrecar

Firstly be sure the Inverter is set to "USER" as you will be able to set the inverter values as you wish.

Secondly it would be easier to use the Windows app called WatchPower free download https://watchpower.software.informer.com/  as you will visually see all the value settings clearly (connection cables should be in the box your Inverter came in) use your laptop or Desktop.

Lastly after you have changed the value to "USER" go to "OUTPUT SOURCE PRIORITY" and choose "SBU" Solar Battery Utility" (Utility being Eskom) this informs the Inverter should there be no sun it will revert to Utility if no Utility it will go to Battery. Solar will be first priority then Utility. In the Inverter manual you will see which number to go to if you are forced to use the Inverter's screen.

Hope this helps you

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a mercer 1000va/720w inverter with a discovery dry cell battery. It worked well until is started struggling to switch over/on once the mains switched off. I used the age old 'slap on the side' method which worked and I assumed a cable might be the culprit. I opened up the unit, gave it a clean and checked the wires. Sure enough, fiddling with the wires works, sometimes the wire to the little circuit switch and sometimes the wire to the display. But as soon as I replace the top cover, it slap is requited once more. It is a very bare bones unit and the display has no menu options. I've tested the battery and have it on a smart charger at the moment. Has any issues like this been reported before? Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2023/11/28 at 9:25 AM, Kawaman said:

@andrecar

Firstly be sure the Inverter is set to "USER" as you will be able to set the inverter values as you wish.

Secondly it would be easier to use the Windows app called WatchPower free download https://watchpower.software.informer.com/  as you will visually see all the value settings clearly (connection cables should be in the box your Inverter came in) use your laptop or Desktop.

Lastly after you have changed the value to "USER" go to "OUTPUT SOURCE PRIORITY" and choose "SBU" Solar Battery Utility" (Utility being Eskom) this informs the Inverter should th

On 2023/11/28 at 5:13 AM, andrecar said:

I have a 5kw Mecer inverter with 4 x 200ah lithium batteries in series. 2 x 450w panels.  During the day the panels charge and eskom takes over when sun goes down. However we used too much power and inverter switched off. Set to switch of at 42v. It only switched back on when sun came up regardless of eskom coming on earlier. Set for charging either through solar or eskom. How do I get the unit to switch on when eskom comes back as it has happened twice now

ere be no sun it will revert to Utility if no Utility it will go to Battery. Solar will be first priority then Utility. In the Inverter manual you will see which number to go to if you are forced to use the Inverter's screen.

Hope this helps you

 

After a cut out did you in fact switch the inverter off at the rocker and on again? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Need some help from the experts please!

I have a 5kw Mecer invertor. The batteries are old and the load pulled it to 0%.

When we turned it back on the invertor display keeps on flashing with a tick tock yick tock sound within a second. Keeps doing this without starting up.

 

Is it just the batteries that need to be replaced or something wrong with the invertor? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2023/12/15 at 4:26 AM, Jaco Brits said:

Need some help from the experts please!

I have a 5kw Mecer invertor. The batteries are old and the load pulled it to 0%.

When we turned it back on the invertor display keeps on flashing with a tick tock yick tock sound within a second. Keeps doing this without starting up.

 

Is it just the batteries that need to be replaced or something wrong with the invertor? 

If the batteries are lead acid have them 1 by one just charged for a 15min or so from a 12V battery charger before re-connecting them. The inverter is looking for a battery to operate. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...