Inverter repair

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Grid Tie and Grid Interactive Systems #1
My first post.
I have 10 SunSine 300 AC/PV modules purchased over the last 10 years from the local utility as part of a pilot program that's since been abandoned.
Now two are dead and I've been told it's likely the inverters have malfunctioned. Each panel has its own inverter.
These panels were manufactured by Ascension Technology out of Massachusetts on ASE-300-DG frames that are currently used in production by Schott Solar. Ascension is out of business.
Replacement inverters are no longer available, so my questions are, can the inverters I've got be repaired? and does anyone know of someone who might perform such a service?
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Inverter repair

    it might not be worth the cost to fix the inverters, but the pvs may be worth saving and putting them to use with dc output rather than ac. either that or sell them. if you are looking to replace them with individually invertered pvs there was one that was just recently made available, but i forgot by who so maybe somebody can jog my memory on it for you.
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  • n3qik
    n3qik Solar Expert Posts: 741 ✭✭
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    Re: Inverter repair

    This maybe it.
    http://www.enphaseenergy.com/Products/Products.php
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  • Roderick
    Roderick Solar Expert Posts: 253 ✭✭
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    Re: Inverter repair

    AC modules, huh? I guess this means they each have their own grid-interactive microinverter in them?

    I know a little about switching power supplies, and inverters are not that different from them. If you can open it, look to see if anything is obviously burned. If you see a torroid (donut-shaped thing with wire wrapped around it) that looks burned, that could be a sign that one or more of the switching transistors got stuck on, and burned out. In such a case, if you can still read the number on the transistor, you might be able to buy a suitable replacement, if you're electronics-oriented. Another plus is that you have known good inverters, too, so could compare their operation.

    One more thing, which I should have mentioned first. Look for a little fuse in there. It might be a glass thing, or might be some other thing soldered onto the PC board. Look for a designator like "F1". If that's open, try replacing it.

    You could try taking a picture of the guts of this thing and posting it here, maybe someone would have an insight. There are some here that used to work for inverter manufacturers.

    If nothing looks blatantly bad inside, it could be a digital problem (some little microcontroller). I'd give up at that point.
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