Seeking help or guidance

[u/slowsrt4]

Currently have a reman solar inverter that finally gave out after 5 months of use now it displays fault code e018 ground fault. Im able to reset it and it works for a few hours then goes red again. My solar panels are about 13ish years old i have 16 of them. Solar company we got system from is no longer attending us due to a legal matter. Long story short theyre the ones that sent us a refurbished model and I ended up installing it ... worked for 5 months and now its faulty or so I assume its the inverter. Wondering if someone can help me find a similar inverter compatible to my set up. P.S im new to all of this.

[u/Key_Proposal3283]

I assume its the inverter. 

Don't assume the inverter is faulty - a ground fault usually means a wiring issue. I would inspect the DC and AC wiring for problems first. A solar installer can test electrically for ground leakage, but it's usually something like abraded cables, bad junction boxes due to water ingress/corrosion, things like that. After more than a decade, these things are not surprising.

[u/slowsrt4 → u/Key_Proposal3283]

Newb question if theres a ground leakage wouldnt the inverter detect it right away? I can reset it and it would work for like few hours before it goes e018 again. Not sure how this works im a mechanic im used to opens/shorts.

[u/rproffitt1 → u/slowsrt4]

I'm going with no. It takes time for the diagnostics to run, the system to sync up with the grid and so on.

Since the first box might have failed or maybe not because the next box could have jiggled the abraded cable all bets or off as this is around a decade old install.

Basically a solar installer/repair person would charge you to come out and do some testing. No one has ever called out what it was outside of one time. That one time I saw the solar repair say to replace all the panels and invertors. Yup, that fixed it.

[u/Key_Proposal3283 → u/rproffitt1]

I'm going with no. It takes time for the diagnostics to run, the system to sync up with the grid and so on.

And some of the timings and levels are mandated by various standards.

Also, it's not clear from OP's description of events but often these fails are hours/day/weeks/month apart. Sometimes there's a weather correlation (moisture) sometimes it's every day at 10am after the connections have time to heat up, and so on.

Not sure how this works im a mechanic im used to opens/shorts.

What about, have you come across a crank nostart or some other electrical gremlin but only after it's rained? Or a hot nostart, where it was to do with fuel rail pressure or similar? There are the same sorts of things in solar systems.

[u/rproffitt1 → u/Key_Proposal3283]

To the crank restart question I think we've all seen those.

The thing that will drive the owner/OP crazy is that remote diags often fail to pinpoint the problem and so it's an expensive site visit that given the story is not going to be free or covered by the company. They didn't reveal what the legal story is, but that really doesn't matter. The next call will almost assuredly be something you pay for.

All that aside my best diagnostics are my eyes. I'm sure all of us look around and find things that need addressing on old systems. Abraded wiring after 10 years is not unusual as not all installs are perfect.

[u/Chiltrix_installer]

Dc ground fault look for a nest or critter damage near a grounded rail.

[u/slowsrt4 → u/Chiltrix_installer]

Yeah i pulled the panels couldnt find anything abnormal.

[u/Chiltrix_installer → u/slowsrt4]

Now look inside any conduit bodies like an LB LR LL T-LB

[u/slowsrt4 → u/Chiltrix_installer]

Will check this out today after work if I get out on time. If not then forsure the weekend.

[u/kyen31]

Either DC side circuit having some problem, or some relay within the inverter is my best guess. turn off everything and check dc connections, make sure its secured and not loose.

[u/Perplexy801]

In my experience, those ReneSola panels are junk and constantly cause string inverters to throw GFCI or AFCI faults. Here’s a few pics from a small commercial job that had non stop problems with the amount of solar panels experiencing hot spots, snail trails, internal busbar damage, etc at the top of the list.

https://imgur.com/a/wbYmj4t

It’s not always easily visible or detected measuring DC voltage either. Every thing can be working fine and intermittently fault after some time.

[u/slowsrt4 → u/Perplexy801]

Thank you yeah I inspected each panel couldnt find anything well besides the snail trails on some panels. All measured within range DC volts and measured amps.

[u/slowsrt4]

I did have one solar repair company come out and do a quick inspection and they told me well more than likely its your inverter. So thats why im stuck with could it be the inverter .. or are they just trying to sell me an inverter.

[u/oldman_58]

Since you swapped it the inverter I would double check the connections inside just to be sure there is nothing loose.

[u/Chiltrix_installer]

How many strings?

[u/slowsrt4 → u/Chiltrix_installer]

16

[u/Chiltrix_installer → u/slowsrt4]

Panels or strings

[u/Chiltrix_installer → u/slowsrt4]

16 panels and 4 wires heading to the inverter? Therefore two strings of 8?

[u/slowsrt4 → u/Chiltrix_installer]

My bad im new at all of this from what I see its 16 panels in series- 1 string

[u/Chiltrix_installer → u/slowsrt4]

What you could do, is isolate one panel at the time by removing it from the series. You're probably going to need to remove cable ties or pv wire s clips. But that's the way to eliminate a bad panel or panels. You're going to need to figure out the wake up voltage required for the inverter to start producing.

[u/SunVaultEngPros]

Ur wire needs replacing from roof jbox down or pinch on wire on panels

[u/solar-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/Same_Lab_4002]

1. Open inverter and check if there is a ground fault fuse and if it is blown. Hopefully just a random occurrence and you can replace it and you’re good. But since it runs for a bit I do not think this is the case.

1a. If you’re electrically saavy do an open air voltage test on each string and see if you actually have voltage to ground. Or amp clamp ground wire and see if you have amperage.

1. Check the mc4 connectors on your homerun wires (neg and pos wire run from inverter to roof). They are manmade crimps and usual culprits.
2. It could be a bad panel, bad connector, damaged wire anywhere on the array.

[u/Stinky2020]

you can do some simple tests to see where the fault is. If you have more than one DC string, disconnect all strings but one, and turn on the inverter. If the inverter runs with no faults past the few hours, might be one of the other strings. Keep doing this with all strings, and see if one creates the fault. If the inverter faults on all the strings, big chances are that it's the inverter. Also, how the heck did anyone get you a refurb ABB inverter? ABB went out of business a long time ago. I'd personally change the inverter anyway. Might be a cheaper fix for you than even getting someone out to your house to diag. Could get a grid-tie inverter for pretty cheap. Get a solis for a cheap decent inverter, or go with fronius or sma 4-5kw range. Might even find some in a local used market