Axpert 5KVA 4KW inverter repaired...

[KnottyBuoy]

Recently, when i did the last part of my install, running and installing the grid feed cabling, i noticed that one of my inverters actually puts power on the grid feed connector when the inverter is turned on and no grid power is applied.  I disconnected this one out of the curciut and  the other 4 inverters worked perfectly fine. 

This one went in for repairs and a few days later (today) it came back to me.  

The repairer replaced the controller board and at first glance all seemed in order.  However.... It is never that simple.  The first thing i did with power up (DC batteries only) was to check the settings match the other inverters.  This is where things started turning out strange.   I could match all the program settings except for program 28.  Here is where you tell the inverter to operate in parallel mode.  It just will not change from SIG to PAL.  So then i thought OK... Must be because i did not have the comms cables plugged in.  However, doing that, the system tripped with error 71 (firmware mismatch - hence my post in the Firmware section). 

It is pretty much a chicken or egg type situation.  

I am not even 100% sure that plugging in the parrallel cable will allow me to change Program 28 to PAL, but lets see what the suppliers say.  I do have a sneaky suspision that the inverter is not quite fixed.  I will take baby steps and match the firmware levels first.... 

 

[viper_za]

32 minutes ago, KnottyBuoy said:

I could match all the program settings except for program 28.

What you need to do is, turn off all AC breakers of the inverter.
Then only have the batteries connected.
Turn off the switch at the bottom of the inverter.
The screen will still work change the option to PAL and esc the menu.
Turn on the switch at the bottom and check if the option changed

[KnottyBuoy]

1 minute ago, viper_za said:

What you need to do is, turn off all AC breakers of the inverter.
Then only have the batteries connected.
Turn off the switch at the bottom of the inverter.
The screen will still work change the option to PAL and esc the menu.
Turn on the switch at the bottom and check if the option changed

Thanks Viper.  I will do this in the morning before i head off to work.... Still have to get the firmware levels aligned... Task for tomorrow as well.  

[viper_za]

1 minute ago, KnottyBuoy said:

Thanks Viper.  I will do this in the morning before i head off to work.... Still have to get the firmware levels aligned... Task for tomorrow as well.  

It's a pleasure, I actually read this last week in the parallel guide.
Was wondering why mine could not change to SIG.
Tried this and it worked.
The switch at the bottom puts the inverter in "standby" mode as far as I understood and this is the only time the setting can be changed.

[KnottyBuoy]

@viper_za I managed to get the inverter into parallel mode - thanks again,  however, in paralelle mode the initial issue came back.  As soon as I power on the inverter it energizes the grid input connector with 230V ac....    

So the baby is back in for open heart surgery.  

[viper_za]

1 hour ago, KnottyBuoy said:

@viper_za I managed to get the inverter into parallel mode - thanks again,  however, in paralelle mode the initial issue came back.  As soon as I power on the inverter it energizes the grid input connector with 230V ac....    

So the baby is back in for open heart surgery.  

I did read up somewhere that neutral and live mixup can cause issues when in parallel mode and not necessarliy in single mode.
Will look up where I saw that but only home later tonight

[maxo]

Hi to all

My name is Maks and I'm new member here, so few words about my problem:

I have Axpert 5 kVA 48V inverter installed and in operation several years (actually 3,5 years) and since today there was not problem with it . I have 3 kWpp panels on roof installed and connected  to the inverter and inverter operates only off-grid - means charge only the household  units and not in parallel mode with the utility . I have installed 4 batteries  200Ah connected in series to have 48V system.
What is the problem: The inverter suddenly not recognized the solar panels (there's no solar panel indication on LCD screen), the voltage and current are zero.

I have checked solar panel connection to the inverter, there of coarse is the voltage present (more than 100V of coarse), so my final conclusion is- there is the malfunction in electronics of the inverter. I have  tried all known to do ( off the grid power supply, off the battery supply, waiting for longer period without any connection of power supply (grid and solar and battery off), and after powering on again, nothing was changed. The solar supply is not recognized, all the rest funcions are Ok and works (utility bypass, battery charging from utility, battery operating and output power to the house , etc).

So , there is another problem, here in Slovenia we do not have any service wich deals with the Axpert servicing.

Meanwhile, I'm delaing with electronics, so I need at least service manuals for help and recognize the parts which are possibly dead in the inverter - I assume there is the problem in the DC inverter-charger stage, but before the disconneting the unit from house operation, I need to prepared in advance.

 

Finally , please for help, if mybe somebody could proceed the service manuls - file, which is avaliable on POWER forum page , but unfortunatelly I canot download, because I'm newbie on this forum.

Please reply and help.

maxo

[Guest]

Welcome @maxo The man to speak to is @Chris Hobson

He will be here momentarily.

[maxo]

Thanks Terrible Triplett.

Hope, like you mentioned, Chris could help me,

i mean time I got notification from plonkster member, he concluded probably the SCC - solar charge controller is fault, but I'm still looking for service manuals anyway, this is only possible way look's to me at this moment, to go further to electronice service repair center with the manuals, otherwise I could expect only big eyes fro the service guys here.

P.S.: there's no any error message on the screen, also red fault LED is off, there's no sound beeeps -alarm at all, but it is enabled in software setup and beeps are active whene change of setup is in action, so strange, but the fact is - there is no any sign for solar panels.

Mybe somebody could help with the service manuals

 

Thank's anway

 

maxo

[SilverNodashi]

On 7/5/2016 at 9:40 PM, KnottyBuoy said:

Recently, when i did the last part of my install, running and installing the grid feed cabling, i noticed that one of my inverters actually puts power on the grid feed connector when the inverter is turned on and no grid power is applied.  I disconnected this one out of the curciut and  the other 4 inverters worked perfectly fine. 

This one went in for repairs and a few days later (today) it came back to me.  

The repairer replaced the controller board and at first glance all seemed in order.  However.... It is never that simple.  The first thing i did with power up (DC batteries only) was to check the settings match the other inverters.  This is where things started turning out strange.   I could match all the program settings except for program 28.  Here is where you tell the inverter to operate in parallel mode.  It just will not change from SIG to PAL.  So then i thought OK... Must be because i did not have the comms cables plugged in.  However, doing that, the system tripped with error 71 (firmware mismatch - hence my post in the Firmware section). 

It is pretty much a chicken or egg type situation.  

I am not even 100% sure that plugging in the parrallel cable will allow me to change Program 28 to PAL, but lets see what the suppliers say.  I do have a sneaky suspision that the inverter is not quite fixed.  I will take baby steps and match the firmware levels first.... 

 

I haven't read the other thread yet, but you need to get all the inverters onto the same version firmware for the parallel connection to work successfully. 

[PurePower]

On 2016/07/06 at 2:26 PM, KnottyBuoy said:

@viper_za I managed to get the inverter into parallel mode - thanks again,  however, in paralelle mode the initial issue came back.  As soon as I power on the inverter it energizes the grid input connector with 230V ac....    

So the baby is back in for open heart surgery.  

Hey bud, I have the exact same issue today. Did you manage to resolve it? And do you know what the actual issue was?