lighting fried inverter

mikebudbrad
mikebudbrad Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
On about the 1st of May a lighting storm came through. I'm off grid and my Scheider context sw 4024 quit working. It shows fault F1 AC Output Under Voltage. Can this be fixed or do I need to start shopping for a new inverter? Tried to contact Scheider by phone but I guess they have a new policy of only doing e-mail for resident customers. Still haven't heard anything. Any help would be appreciated.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,641 admin
    #2
    I am not the expert here on this stuff... Suggestions.

    If this is your main/only source of power, buying a second (new or used) inverter to get up and running--And review your use of surge suppressors on both AC and DC side of your power system. As well as lightning grounding (a pretty complex subject in itself).

    Then look at repairing the broken unit and keeping it as a spare.

    In general, losing the AC Inverter output is probably the most common result of a nearby lightning strike.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,917 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2019 #3
    Did you fill out the e-mail request? If so they will respond. Do you still have warranty? The CSW can tell if it was destroyed by lightning and as Bill said you best get a spare.
    General stuff adding on to Bill, do you you have surge protection installed on DC in from array, the 24V buss, your Ac loads?

    I hate it when this happens.....Good Luck!

    Oh yea, what have you tried doing? Remove DC from solar and inverter for a couple minutes and restart? Your AC loads could have been damaged, try running with load panel off?
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • mikebudbrad
    mikebudbrad Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭
    #4
    I did make a request to Schneider. But do like the idea of getting a new one and having a spare. Living off grid it’s good to have spares. Thanks for your feedback.
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Having lost both an inverter and charge controller to lightning in the past I learned the importance of surge protection devices, SPD. The clamping voltage of  the SPD's is important  when selecting what is to be used, install ones with a voltage close to but above operating voltage, example on the DC side I used 175V for my MPPT and 75V for PWM. Same goes for the AC side, for 230V output of the inverter I used 255V, this will be th UC voltage value of the device.

    Since installation of the correct SPD's I've lost two of them, both DC but the equipment survived, the cost of which was a fraction of the devices protected, proper installation is important, as is location, disconnecting during a storm is another safeguard but not always possible.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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