Tigo arc fault/ ground fault with SMA US-41 inverter

Rio_cascadecoast

I have a SMA branded system with Tigo TS4-R-O. It was installed around 2021. I bought these Tigo because SMA said that this was the work around to keep the secure power supply working and still have rapid shutdown. I will say from the  this system was a nightmare. It was a non stop problem. I finally found a few burnt out Tigo TS4-R-O a few months after the install. I replaced them and the system seemed to be working fine. I am right on the ocean in Oregon, so lots of fog and condensation. This Spring the system started throwing up Ground fault and Arc fault codes. I talked with SMA and I went through the entire system pulled all the panels and checked all the Tigos. I did find one burnt out Tigo. I checked all wiring and connections. I do put noalox gell in all my connections. I was hoping that this was the end of it. Unfortunately any time there is fog or moisture in the air I am getting ground fault codes or arc fault codes. I am pretty sure it is the Tigo. I have a few other systems right on the ocean that don't have Tigo and they are working fine. 

I have called SMA and they say to check my connections and wires. They said that fog can cause these problems. 

They advised me to disconnect one string to see if the problem was on one string or another. I will try that. 

I will say I have not installed another SMA inverter after this. They seemed to be caught with the new rapid shutdown with out a good solution. I am assuming that is why they stopped using Tigo? 


My questions?


Does anyone else have these problems with Tigo? 


I am wondering if there are other Tigo that are malfunctioning that I could not see by a visual inspection. 


Do you think if the inverter is clearing the code as soon as the sun warms up the roof that it is just a nuisance trip?

Do you think it would be worth changing these out to the new Sunspect rapid shut down system. When they are available again of course. 
https://www.solar-electric.com/sma-jms-f-sunspec-rapid-shutdown.html?gclid=CjwKCAjws7WkBhBFEiwAIi168wWoksj4WWo3bwiNWVzcy1fmsFkC8C5K-gygu8AEFwutOI4qNUsQRxoCQvcQAvD_BwE

I am wondering if installers have had good luck with the Sunspect. I really loved SMA and the secure power supply option. I am so disappointed with this situation. 

What I had received from SMA about secure power supply 6/5/2020

Currently, the only product configuration that supports this feature is:

 

-Sunny Boy XX –US-41 (any Sunny Boy -41 size)

-SMA Rooftop Communication Kit – P2 (most recent version, includes Gateway Interface Board and Gateway)

-TS4-R-O/S

 

We no longer stock the products and have discontinued them due to several factors; however, there is a firmware update available, and a wiring schematic which makes the Secure Power Supply functional with the above configuration.  A number of distributors have TS4-R-S/O inventory, and SMA Rooftop Comm Kit inventory.

Dave Angelini

Hopefully someone else will have wider experience.  My $.02 is the 2 times I had to implement RS, they were off grid for a client who had Ignored my pleas to not use the roof and avoid the RS.  In the end we installed the set-up below and got it to work fairly well. The inspection was done and during the following year the system started tripping. The owner abandoned the Tigo system and all was fine.

The other system RS was abandoned also with no issues. Just did not want to go up on the roof again.

The good thing was the Schneider electronics had a nice dual pole 600vdc disco that was used.

I am sorry to hear of the secure power supply. I always thought that was a hit for SMA. Good Luck.

Rio_cascadecoast

Thanks Dave, my electricians are not allowing me to abandon the rapid shut dow system with tigo as they are worried about liability. I am assuming then that the tigo was the problem on your system? Do your remember which model they had?