SW4024 Repair

markbwv
markbwv Registered Users Posts: 1
Hello all,
Brand new to the forum, of course because Im having a problem ;-)

I have an off grid home/cabin that has become a non full time residence. 1400watts of PV, small wind generator (400w), 1100ah battery bank, ouback and trace charge controllers, and an older SW4024 (grid tie with the LCD display, menu tree, generator controls, etc). Two years ago the SW4024 failed with "input relay failure" on the error menu. With no time to deal with it I replaced it with a Schnieder Conext SW4024. Now just under the warranty (two years) the Conext has tanked. Schnieder is sending a replacement and RGA and shipping lables for the Conext but they have informed me they are out of stock until October. This means three months with no juice.

My question is, is it realistic to think that simply replacing the input relay in the old 4024 will resurect that inverter? Do I ship it a few states away rolling the dice as to whether they will honestly repair or scrap the inverter? Or do I buy a spare inverter to get me through until the October ship date comes around?

I am very capable of disassembling and replacing the relay on the 4024 but I can only imagine it may not be that easy or may not even be the relay? It was making a somewhat loud buzzing sound (not loud but much louder than it ever had before) prior to failing). I would be more than willing to risk the cost of the relay and some time in an attempt to repair it as opposed to a couple hundred in freight both ways plus the repair cost.

Just asking in the event that anyone has any input.

Thankfully this residence is no longer full time but Id like to get a solution quickly so we can use the place.

Any input is appreciated.

Mark

Comments

  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    Hi Mark,

    I have no personal experience with this issue on the venerable SW and SW+ Trace/Xantrex inverters. But they DO seem to have a rep of having Transfer Relays weld contacts. But doubt that welding would cause a buzzing sound.

    Wonder is possibly the Relay Driver has developed a problem. Perhaps an old electrolytic capacitor in the relay driver power supply has died, or something similar. Believe that these relays have a speed-up circuit that bangs on the relay fairly hard -- perhaps driving it at twice (or more) the rated coil voltage for 50 milliseconds or so, to make it operate faster (a guess) ... do not know.

    Gotta love Schneider, and their long supply chain from China, and their great design engineering and quality control!!

    Believe that those relays are fairly commonly-available ... something like a Deltrol (?) 3PDT, or something ... probably a 24 V DC coil, mabe 12 VDC ...

    On this Forum some years ago, there was some mention of replacing these relays, and the configuration, although, you can probably fairly easily tell this info.

    FWIW, Good Luck, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,731 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    I have stopped stocking spare SW's for my clients as they are all up to XW's now or Outback. I have an SW 2524 and an SW4548 I am willing to part with. Drop me an e-mail if you are interested.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net