[RE-wrenches] Outback Grid Problems

[Randy Brooks]

Ray,

Is the inverter in a ventilated space?  We had a similar problem with  
older OutBacks in an unventilated shed.  OutBack sent us upgraded  
inverters and we vented the shed and have had no problems since.

Good luck,

Randy Brooks
Brooks Solar, Inc.
Solar Power for People
140 Columbia View
Chelan, WA  98816
509-682-9646
Randy at BrooksSolar.com
www.BrooksSolar.com

On Mar 30, 2010, at 11:54 AM, R Ray Walters wrote:

> I considered that there could be something happening due to the  
> grid, as this guy is way out on the end of the line going into his  
> own utility transformer.
> But then the inverter should show a fault light, and it should try  
> back again, once the grid voltage drops.
> Instead it initiates a full charge cycle and will not connect till  
> the next day.
>
> R. Walters
> ray at solarray.com
> Solar Engineer
>
>
>
>
> On Mar 30, 2010, at 10:57 AM, Brian Teitelbaum wrote:
>
>> HI Ray,
>>
>> Have you checked the grid voltage to see if there is variation  
>> during the day which would be enough to kick the inverters out of  
>> connection?
>>
>> Brian Teitelbaum
>> AEE Solar
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re- 
>> wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of R Ray Walters
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9:43 AM
>> To: RE-wrenches
>> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Outback Grid Problems
>>
>> We currently have a Grid Tie system with a pair of Outback  
>> inverters that are regularly dropping out of sell mode, and  
>> letting the arrays spend all day charging the battery bank.
>> It seems to do this several times a week, and the customer is  
>> losing substantial production, and gassing the batteries too much.
>> It will reset itself the next day, or the customer resets it by  
>> turning off the inverters manually.
>> The system is 24 v, with an old array of 1800 watts running  
>> through 2 FM60s, and a new array of 2800 watts running through  
>> another pair of FM60s.
>> The battery bank is HUP about 4100 Ah @ 24 v (3 strings of 1375 Ah  
>> each) Big battery, I know, but the customer is an electrical  
>> engineer, who wanted maximum storage capacity.
>>
>> Outback tech support has not resolved the issue, and this has  
>> turned into several service calls, and customer frustration.
>> We've tried running the controllers through the HUB, and also  
>> independently, and that doesn't make a difference.
>> I have numerous Outback GT installs dating back to 2003, and have  
>> never had a problem like this.
>> Any help or advice would as always be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thank you in advance fellow Wrenches,
>>
>> R. Walters
>> ray at solarray.com
>> Solar Engineer
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>>
>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>
>> Options & settings:
>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches- 
>> re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List rules & etiquette:
>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>>
>> Check out participant bios:
>> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>>
>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>
>> Options & settings:
>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches- 
>> re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List rules & etiquette:
>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>>
>> Check out participant bios:
>> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Options & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re- 
> wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20100330/ec149a35/attachment-0003.html>