[RE-wrenches] XW Pro Firmware 2.04 melting devices

Sat Apr 27 09:08:32 PDT 2024

Might want to get him to buy a voltmeter and safety glasses.  Pretty 
dangerous for anyone to do an EQ without a second set of eyes😉

Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
"we go where powerlines don't"
    [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3]  [2]
e-mail  offgridsolar at sti.net
text 209 813 0060

On 2024-04-26 5:26 pm, Eric Smiley via RE-wrenches wrote:

> I postpone firmware updates now.
> 
> I had a Conext SW inverter that stopped equalizing after a firmware 
> update . The client thought they were equalizing and the inverter said 
> it was equalizing but the voltage never went above bulk during 
> equalizing.
> 
> I miss the dumb inverters.
> 
> Eric Smiley (he/him) - Design Manager
> 250.703.6004
> eric at vecoop.ca
> 888.386.0116
> 3-4997 Polkey Rd, Duncan BC, V9L 6W3
> viridiansolar.ca [1]
> 
> Viridian Solar honours the ancestral grounds on which we live and 
> provide services, recognising that these lands are unceded Indigenous 
> territory. We are steadfast in our commitment to reconciliation and 
> acknowledge the rich history and traditions that characterise this land 
> that we all consider home.
> 
> On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 at 16:59, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches 
> <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
> 
>> Following up on the issue I reported earlier this week. Schneider has 
>> finally admitted there are flaws in 2.04 firmware.
>> 
>> "I'm sorry to hear about your issues with generator interaction with 
>> the XWPro inverter. Investigation of this issue has found that certain 
>> generators will exhibit unstable ac output under certain conditions of 
>> charger power and load level. We are confident that we can roll out a 
>> firmware fix to address this issue in the coming weeks (or sooner). 
>> Meanwhile we recommend using firmware version 1.11 on sites which use 
>> generators. "
>> 
>> I downgraded the firmware today for a client who lives nearby and was 
>> experiencing extreme power quality issues while generator running. 
>> Testing the power quality before and after confirms that firmware 1.11 
>> does resolve the issue.
>> 
>> I may well leave off-grid clients reliant on backup generators on 1.11 
>> unless there is a compelling reason for the newest. The one feature I 
>> have been requesting for a couple years now is to re-enable generator 
>> charging on AC1, which the XWPro currently does not support. We have 
>> many off-grid clients with dual generators on XW6048's who lost that 
>> functionality when upgrading to XWPros.
>> 
>> Kevin
>> 
>> From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> On 
>> Behalf Of Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches
>> Sent: April-25-24 10:25 AM
>> To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>> Cc: Kevin Pegg <kpegg at energyalternatives.ca>
>> Subject: [RE-wrenches] XW Pro Firmware 2.04 melting devices
>> 
>> Hi Wrenches,
>> 
>> Curious if anyone else has seen this issue.
>> 
>> New XW Pro off-grid system installed Dec 2023. Pretty standard config 
>> for us, XW Pro, 5 kW PV, 50 kWh UnigyII battery, 8 kW high quality 
>> diesel generator. This system ran fine all winter long - powering 
>> customer's big RV they were living in while the house is built, Shop, 
>> computer controlled outdoor wood boiler, domestic loads + 3 person 
>> construction crew. Gen ran daily on auto start as we don't get much 
>> sun Dec - Feb. No issues reported.
>> 
>> Couple weeks back I did a new system check up. All performing well, 
>> happy client. Part of that service I upgraded the XW firmware from 
>> 1.09 to 2.04, and insight from 1.16 to 1.18. Gave the system a quick 
>> check, ran gen. Lots of sun now, batteries full so didn't do a long 
>> generator test. Yes I set the region codes for off-grid.
>> 
>> A week later, while I was out of town and it was not so sunny so gen 
>> running, client and their electrician called me in a panic. Two smoke 
>> detectors had literally melted, as well as several dimmable LED 
>> fixtures all failed. Electrician replaced the burned up devices, only 
>> to have the same thing repeat a few days later. Talking with them it 
>> was only when the generator was running there were issues. Told them 
>> to lock out gen and I will get there when I can.
>> 
>> Once back I attended site, fired up gen, and could hear the inverter 
>> sounding terrible during gen charging. Lights flickering bad, and I 
>> personally verified the smoke detectors beeping and getting warm and 
>> the house smelled like burned plastic. I hooked up my power quality 
>> analyser and could see the THD gradually building to over 36%. Gen 
>> voltage was at 125/250V a bit high, so adjusted that, but no change. 
>> By reducing the charge rate on the XW Pro to 50% was able to get the 
>> THD down around 12% and less light flicker. But it's still too high. 
>> Image attached shows THD with gen on original programing, then at 
>> reduced charge rate.
>> 
>> Have now gone from a happy client to a pissed off client threatening 
>> legal action for endangering their lives & a bill from the 
>> electrician. Ugh. Having a hard time explaining this to the client why 
>> a system previously working fine went sideways so badly. Old guy 
>> blames the "darned computer stuff" and he's not wrong with that 
>> opinion.
>> 
>> At another site, similar config but larger system with dual XW's that 
>> I upgraded to 2.04 firmware remotely few days ago and now the two 
>> inverters are literally fighting each other under generator charge - 
>> one load building to +6 kW and one (minus)6 kW.
>> 
>> Sure makes me reluctant to upgrade firmware on systems that are 
>> working fine.
>> 
>> Any suggestions?
>> 
>> Kevin
>> 
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Links:
------
[1] 
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://viridiansolar.ca&source=gmail-html&ust=1702155901939000&usg=AOvVaw3SHpXB-WRSlzWmjpz4htqG
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[3] https://offgridsolar1.com/
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