With the increased interest in renewable energy sources across the globe, the interest in solar systems has also shot up at amazing rates. Last week we have mentioned basic knowledge about solar inverter, continuing from that, this week we are going to discuss about some common problems take place on solar inverter and possible troubleshooting of those.

Common problems and troubleshooting of solar inverter:

Defective inverters can lead to significant production losses. Whilst the modules are responsible for generating electricity, the inverters are responsible for converting and feeding the power to the grid. Good performance by inverters is therefore very important. Based on our experience, we have listed below common problems with inverters:

Faulty installation of the inverters:

A possibly obvious, yet very common problem with inverters is that they have been installed incorrectly. That's why installing an inverter or solar inverter requires a professional people who is expert on it. Yet, hiring a professional installer won't be perfect way to go as the manual provided by the manufacturer also should be accordingly to install the inverters properly and get desired outcome.

Overheating:

Inverters are made up of various electronic equipments and therefore sensitive to temperatures. High temperatures will lead to various adverse effect and a significant reduction in production. This can even result in a production failure if the maximum operating temperature is reached. Considering this, it is very important to install the inverter in a well ventilated place. Apart from that, it is highly advisable to regularly check the cooling during the operational period and to establish that the cooling or ventilation system is actually operating correctly. Also installing and cleaning dust filters, removing undergrowth that impedes airflow can also helps to prevent the solar inverter from overheating.

Isolation fault:

This fault occurs as a result of a short-circuit between various parts of the circuit and the inverter will then report an “isolation alarm”. The short-circuit is usually the result of a combination of moisture and damage to the sleeve on the cabling, faulty installation, poor connection of the DC cables to the panel, or moisture in the connection part of the PV module. This problem can be found more often in areas with high humidity and or close to the sea.

In the event of isolation fault, the inverter usually stop working or continue to work at the minimum "required" isolation level. As a result, in each of the cases the inverter doesn't work in full efficiency and capacity. To avoid this problem, it is mandatory to ensure DC cables are of highest quality and installed correctly. Also, by selecting the inverter with proper level of IP protection can give safety on this issue.

Inverter doesn't restart after a grid fault:

If the inverter doesn't restart itself a professional team have to investigate the issue. It is therefore not just the brand of the inverter that is important, but also the quality of the components used as well as the use of a good 24/7 monitoring system in order to detect faults as quickly as possible. If this is not organized properly, all PV modules connected to the inverter will be unable to deliver power until the fault has been discovered and an professional team has rectified the fault. This is a problem that particularly occurs in areas where the grid connection is not always stable.

MPPT module:

Modern inverters operate on the basis of the MPPT technique. Multiple rows of PV modules are connected together in series (called “strings”). The strings are then jointly connected to an inverter. However, not all strings produce the same amount of power as a result of many factors such as shading, different positioning, fault in a panel, etc. The strings deliver different voltages and the difference between the strings in this regard varies continuously. The algorithm in the MMPT module is designed in such a way that the inverter always uses the most optimum supply voltage despite these differences in strings. This always maximizes the amount of electricity produced. It is therefore important that the working order of the MPPT module is established, and that it is working well. This can be done by carrying out a number of performance tests during the start-up of the solar park.

Reverse polarity connection:

When a reverse polarity connection takes place, usually the inverters turned off in order to prevent from damaging the system, which results production loss. To avoid this scenario, needs to check the connection of the battery and connect the battery with inverter in correct order.

Excessively high reading on battery voltage:

High voltage readings of the battery could mean problems with the controller. Check by disconnecting the battery from the positive terminal and leave the photovoltaic array disconnected. The charging light on the controller shouldn’t be lit. Go to the solar panel terminal and measure the voltage from the charge controller. If the light lights up then this indicates the controller may be damaged. By replacing the damaged or faulty controller can overcome this situation. Even after replacing the controller doesn't solve this problem then need to contact with the manufacturer at the earliest.

EverExceed has more than a decade of experience in solar industry. Based on the vast knowledge, EverExceed select the best, high quality, high reliability products to manufacture solar systems. Also with the expertise, the quality, after-sale service of EverExceed can make you stress free. If you want to know more about EverExceed Inverter solution contact EverExceed today. Our team is experienced enough to provide you best solution for your needs.