[RE-wrenches] Inverter output fluctuations

Sun Jul 23 07:40:39 PDT 2023

Jay,
I'm not sure what Schneider has to say, since Tech Support has been
impossible to reach this week (apparently something is wrong with their
phone system) and it was only recently that we determined the cause.  It
should be under warranty, unless there is lightning damage. I will write to
my support contacts and see if they have anything helpful to offer via
email, although I find that form of communication with them to often be
less than satisfactory.
Howie

On Sun, Jul 23, 2023 at 8:54 AM Jay via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> Given that it worked fine for years it would appear that the XW+ has an
> issue.
>
> I don’t see how the SE could cause this.
>
> Is it still under warranty? What does Schneider say about the issue.
>
> Jay
>
>
>
> On Jul 22, 2023, at 10:33 PM, Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches <
> re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>
> 
> Michael, that is my last ditch choice as I will be eating the cost and
> time.  When I installed this setup 4+ years ago, having done a few similar
> installations (although mostly on grid), I had not seen any issue with the
> design, nor heard anyone else suggesting that this design might cause this
> type of issue. And this did not become an issue at this site until a few
> months ago, having operated well until then. As I am now hearing, the XW+
> is not well equipped to handle voltage regulation when dealing with AC
> coupled inverters. I don't really understand why the issue is just now
> showing up, although I suppose it could possibly be due to lightning
> damage. If the only solution is to install a high voltage charge
> controller, so be it.  Unfortunately this won't be an insignificant cost in
> dollars and time, a cost I'm not excited to be affording, particularly
> right now after taking on some substantial losses due to our recent
> historical flooding.  If there was another, less expensive solution, I'd be
> happy to hear about it. Sorry to sound whiny, I'm just not very happy about
> this eventuality...
>
> *Howie **Sun Catcher*
>
>
> *Solar Electric Systems Sales & Service802-272-0004*
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 22, 2023 at 11:49 PM Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches <
> re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>
>> Replacing SE with Conext 600-100😊, Seriously, everything will then play
>> nice together, and it's only a matter of time before the SE has to go.
>>
>> On Sat, Jul 22, 2023 at 4:02 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches <
>> re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>> I was finally able to get to the site with the light pulsating issue.
>>> It turns out it is that it directly corresponds to the AC coupled
>>> SolarEdge HDwave 6kW inverter.  Moreover, the pulsating gets stronger with
>>> higher output of the SolarEdge inverter (as more sun pouches more current
>>> through the inverter). And the hum of the XW+ very noticeably fluctuates in
>>> direct proportion to light fluxuations. It affects all the lights in the
>>> house, regardless of manufacturer, wattage or age. I did not have an
>>> oscilloscope, but looking at the Hz, it does sag very slightly to 59.9 when
>>> the SolarEdge is producing, down from a rock solid 60 Hz when the SE is not
>>> producing. The output voltage does not change at all.  The fluctuations in
>>> both the lights and the inverter hum immediately stops when the SolarEdge
>>> production is shut off. So it is clearly some interaction between the 2
>>> inverters causing this issue.
>>>
>>> Has anyone dealt with this issue before? Does anyone have any
>>> suggestions for dealing with this, short of replacing the SolarEdge with a
>>> Schneider high voltage Charge Controller?
>>> Thanks,
>>> Howie
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jul 3, 2023, 7:09 PM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches
>>> <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I think I would try eliminating things. Turn off the AC coupling for a
>>>> few days and get results. Turn of DC solar and get results. Measure AC
>>>> voltage with a scope or just observe voltage during the flicker. Are all of
>>>> the lights flickering? Are they on dimmers?  Are there any loads failing
>>>> that could be the source? Is the output with-in spec? Rock solid 60 HZ
>>>> right.
>>>>
>>>> Do an AC bypass of XW with the genset and check for flicker symptoms.
>>>>
>>>> Are they on Insight? They really need it for you to monitor.  Are there
>>>> any faults, warnings or events ? Check history.  There are a few settings
>>>> in the old XW+ that could have been glitched by a surge or nearby lightning
>>>> strike.
>>>>
>>>> XW+ could have a damaged FET. Open the unit and do a  visual.
>>>> There would be a smell and transistor fragments on the bottom right
>>>> side of the power bridge. 90% of XW failures have visual evidence.
>>>>
>>>> While you have it open, Check the DSP sensing and control board, both
>>>> LEDs (light-emitting diodes) D24 and D25 are on.
>>>>
>>>> Last thing is a DC power down of the unit and the DC buss for 5
>>>> minutes.  If that does not work, then a reset to factory values.
>>>> This is off an old list I got from Support many years ago and combined
>>>> with my findings over the years. Really rare for this kind of weirdness and
>>>> why it would be getting worse without visual evidence.
>>>>
>>>> Good Luck Howie!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
>>>> "we go where powerlines don't"
>>>> http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/>
>>>> e-mail  offgridsolar at sti.net <offgridsolar at sti.net>
>>>> text 209 813 0060*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 2023-07-03 12:42 pm, Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi All,
>>>> I upgraded an old clients' off-grid system about five years ago to a
>>>> Schneider XW6848+ and 2 Blue Ion 2.0 cabinets (32kWh). When the batteries
>>>> were moving toward full, if the charge rate was on the higher side via
>>>> generator or solar (AC coupled w/SolarEdge 6kW and DC coupled with an FM
>>>> 80), they would start to get pulsating lights similar to symptoms of other
>>>> older inverters when using a generator for charging. The solution for this
>>>> pulsation has usually been to kick back the AC charge amperage just enough
>>>> so the pulsating calmed down to a tolerable inconsequential level.  And
>>>> that worked in this case as well.
>>>> However, a few weeks ago, the pulsating became more noticeable and has
>>>> now become fairly intolerable.  To my knowledge, no settings changes we
>>>> made within the previous year, and these clients would be loath to make any
>>>> changes, so I doubt there were any. More puzzling is the pulsating has
>>>> started to happen at seemingly random times not related to charging.  It
>>>> happens at night or pre-dawn mornings without the generator, or during the
>>>> afternoons with solar charging.  And it is getting progressively worse.
>>>> Anyone have any thoughts on why that would start getting worse now?
>>>> Howie
>>>>
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>>
>> --
>>
>> Michael Morningstar
>>
>>
>> Morningstar Electric
>>
>> PO Box 1494
>>
>> Mount Shasta, CA 96067
>>
>> 530-921-0560
>>
>> mjmorningstar at gmail.com
>>
>>
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