[RE-wrenches] Sunny Island: Reliability / Error Codes

[William Miller]

Friends:

 

It was only recently that I started working on Sunny Island systems.  I have
inherited two systems from installers that have flaked out and/or could not
resolve problems.   Both systems are operating unreliably for a number of
reasons.

 

Both systems suffered from chronic generator starting issues.  We have been
able to separate out those issues and what remains is some serious questions
about the inherent reliability of these inverters.  

 

What is equally troubling is the response I have received from SMA tech
support.  It started with being questioned on the quality of my workmanship
without any evidence to support the claims.  SMA does not provide any BOS
components so in addition to it being difficult to integrate these systems,
tech support has no experience with bypass options and DC OCPD components
manufactured by others.

 

We have experienced unexplained outages, some with cryptic error codes, some
without any error indications, just AC output voltage disappearing or going
very low (60 to 80 volts).

 

It is my impression that SMA tech support is now guessing at what is going
on.  I have been told to "check connections"  and wiggle things in order to
diagnose an anti-islanding error in an off-grid installation.  I have also
been told that a generator shut down that occurred 6.5 minutes prior to the
problem caused the ant-islanding problem.  I receive responses that just
don't appear to be well thought out.  Anyone else experience any of these
problems?

 

We have also been told that the transfer relay is prone to "sticking" and we
have to power the units down and "tap" on the relays.

 

Have any of you experienced similar inexplicable problems?

 

I have gained some expertise in analyzing the card data.  One can easily
open event and failure files. The log files are trickier.  There is a new
record created every minute with about 130 fields.  You can import them into
a spreadsheet and browse around for trends and deviations from the norm.  I
am writing macros to reveal and hide columns as needed and to generator
graphs.

 

Below is a list of some of the error codes we have experienced that no one
will explain to us.  I am hoping someone can tell me what they mean and what
may cause them.  Both systems are off-grid with Sunny Boy mini-grid systems
and generators.

 

 

E110   Error Shutdown  Shutting down due to error (Probably due to error
described in prior code)

 

F117   AC Current Limit (short circuit control active for too long)

 

E118 Autostart (I guess tries to start but can't due to persistent error)

 

F141   Inverter Voltage Low (why?)

 

W159  Voltage on Output AC1 Slave (we were told this is the sticky transfer
relay)

 

W315  External Voltage Low

 

W331  Grid/generator disconnected due to anti-islanding

 

W351  Disconnected from external source due to extended short circuit (short
circuit in what?  How long?  Corrective action?)

 

F710   Autostart meter elapses

 

W738  Gen Sync Loss

 

Thanks,

 

William Miller

 

 

 

 

Gradient Cap_mini
Lic 773985
millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/> 
805-438-5600

 

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