Trace 4024 display scrambles and set keys disable until power cycled.

This is totally wierd. My display occasionally and with no apparant reason will simply scramble, and I can't reset setpoints or reach menus as the keys give no response. The uit still delivers power, and it is apparant that the setpoints function as last set. If I recycle power givng it a few minutes to drop all power, it then comes back up with only black little boxes in the display across the top, and does not deliver any power or allow charging through it. If I wait for what seems very random periods sometimes as short as a few hours, sometimes a full day, it has up until now, reset and I can once again reach menues and reset.

The time period between scramble drops seems to be reducing, so I have to figure it out fast. Im in the high mountain of Montana, and we are already seeing sign of winter coming. I dont want to be dealing with this in snow some time. Thanks for any help in advance.

Zac

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Trace 4024 display scrambles and set keys disable until power cycled.

    Welcome to the forum Zac.

    You probably don't want to hear this but ... it's a very old inverter and the safest thing to do is replace it with a new one. It's getting really difficult to find parts and service for these, and the fact is the symptoms sound like some component on the display/logic board has gone out of spec, most likely a capacitor used to stabilize Voltage at some point. If one has gone, others will not be far behind.

    So you are probably looking at shipping it out for repair, and what will you do for power in the mean time? Even if you decide to take it apart yourself; power is down until you fix it (if you can). How much of a problem will that be for you?

    Perhaps some of the other forum members have more cheerful suggestions for you.
  • teneagles
    teneagles Registered Users Posts: 4
    Re: Trace 4024 display scrambles and set keys disable until power cycled.

    Well, as I said, I live way out, so I have a redundant 12 setup as well from before I went 24. I simply throw 2 switches and I running on it, which is how I am operating as we speak. A little more time of swapping over the feeds from my panels to the other battery bank bus bars and a switch change in my charge controller, and I'm off and running full 12 again including passive battery charging. So if I have to send it out, I can limp along. But the real question is, if I have to at all. Since I had it do this the last time (about the 5th time it had happened), I was in my busy season at work and couldn't get time to deal with it. So I let let it run a month scrambled. No juice production or charging issues could be ascertained other than the display/dead key issues.

    Another issue is that though the unit was bought in new 2008 ans thus is years old, it has only been in actual use since last July. It was in storage for years as the cabin was being hand built and had a 12v system during the construction period. For the circuitry to fail in a years time of operation seems less than likely to me.

    Is it possible that the error is on the circuitry of the removable face-pad itself? I ask because if it was deeper in the circuitry than that, I can't see how the operation of the set-point memory and logic circuitry wouldn't be scrambled when the rest was, and that would certainly cause the operations to fail, in the same manner as when I reset the power. Once the global settings are lost, it doesn't see the incoming AC from a generator at all, and once it does finally give the screen again correctly, all set-points for AC IN have to be reset manually. I would think if the set-point memory and logic were on the same circuitry as the display/keypad, if a component regulating voltage was intermittently failing, both sides would fail at the same time and the machine would brick as if it had been reset by power cycling. Since only one side fails to operate, isn't it possible a change-out of the panel would be enough?

    Thank for the quick response by the way, I really appreciated that.

    Zac
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Trace 4024 display scrambles and set keys disable until power cycled.

    The unit is functioning so the problem is definitely in the display/interface section. It can take a long time to figure out just what it is. It could be as simple as a bad connection on a ribbon cable, for example.

    I recall Rogue having some defective displays once (promptly fixed). Could be a similar issue. If you're comfortable with taking it apart and having a look for the obvious signs (burnt spots, corrosion, bad solder points) you may as well. It's not like you have a lot to lose at this point, eh?

    But yes electronic components do fail over time even when not in use. It's just that they fail faster when used, and faster still if abused. Storage in high temps, for example, will not do them any good at all!
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Trace 4024 display scrambles and set keys disable until power cycled.

    Pull the lcd/kepad connectors and push them back on... Perhaps some oxidation on the contacts.

    Take out the lcd keypad circuit board (s) and use a good magnifying glass and light... Look for poor/cracked solder joints.

    Make sure you do the inspection on a static free surface.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    Re: Trace 4024 display scrambles and set keys disable until power cycled.
    teneagles wrote: »
    Is it possible that the error is on the circuitry of the removable face-pad itself?

    More than likely moisture got in it from sitting around and damaged it. That's called the ICM. I would call this guy - he probably has one in stock, or a good used one:

    http://www.phantompowerservices.com/

    Edit:
    BTW - I had one SW Plus 4024 that got ants in it once and it did pretty much the same thing. I just replaced the ICM.

    --
    Chris
  • teneagles
    teneagles Registered Users Posts: 4
    Re: Trace 4024 display scrambles and set keys disable until power cycled.

    I tried this url and it wouldnt load. Is there a direct listing for his company somewhere else?


    Z