Solar Inverter Showing Vac Fail

lockmc on 30/09/2023 - 13:21

Our solar inverter from lunch time yesterday is showing a fault "Vac fail". It's a Goodwe inverter on an 11Kw system.

Googling this shows suggests that the power grid voltage is over the limit.
My mates a sparky and said this can be normal and it should fix itself, but today it's still showing.

I've tried turning it off and back on again but still erroring.

Anyone else has issues like this?
I'm on the Mornington peninsula. As are getting good weather and more sun than usual but not sure if that's related.

Electrical & Electronics Solar Energy System

Comments

  • Muzeeb on 30/09/2023 - 13:25

    Conditions over the last few days in Victoria have been perfect for solar feed in. Wouldn't surprise me if the network is at maximum capacity and doesn't want your electricity.

    • deme on 30/09/2023 - 18:52
      -2

      That has nothing to do with the inverter

  • lockmc on 30/09/2023 - 13:43
    +1

    Just had a CL with my mate and he thinks it's dropped a phase. It's showing 243/233/117 under "Vcc" on the inverter. Apparently that last number should also be around 230-240.

    Sounds like I'll need to get the installers back.

    • GordonD on 30/09/2023 - 14:35

      Listen to your mate. Its a common problem in good weather - sunny but not too hot - for so much rooftop solar to be being fed into the mains that its up over the voltage limit, and your inverter knows its not allowed to connect and add even more. So the first response it to assume its that, because that's all it usually is, not an actual fault. But it doesn't sound like that if your inverter is showing only 117V on one phase.

    • JimmyF on 30/09/2023 - 14:41
      +2

      It's showing 243/233/117 under "Vcc" on the inverter

      That'll do it….

      You either have a bad phase, but you should be seeing this elsewhere in the house or the inverter has borked it.

      • lockmc on 30/09/2023 - 15:47

        Yeah he asked me if we have anything weird going on power wise in the house and we don't.
        Said it could be a loose wire somewhere on the AC side?

        Will call the installers. Less than a year old so not sure what's gone on!

  • AngoraFish on 01/10/2023 - 12:49

    I have had the same issue with a Goodwe inverter, started when it was about two and a half years old.

    I got the first error last year. The system was offline for a few hours, then went good again for a few weeks. Every few weeks the error came back and each time the system was down for a slightly longer period each time. Earlier this year the system ended up in a permanent error state.

    I also assumed that it might be a voltage issue, perhaps from the solar panels, but when I called the installers they ended up doing a full warranty swap-over of the inverter and the system has been running great since.

  • lockmc on 07/10/2023 - 21:32

    Found the issue guys: https://imgur.com/a/hsMyNPr

    Had a sparky mate have a look.

    What would cause this? Loose wire? My friend said it was loose and it wasn't doubled over.

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