Solar Aurora inverter issue

Newby from Tasmania. After replacing failed Zetter a/c relay following 031, a quick, cheap and simple operation, there is now an intermittent 013 fault indicating Wrong Mode. Sometimes inverter operates for hours without failure sometimes only a few seconds. During the automatic restart sequences voltage and frequency show as in range.
Has anyone any clue as to what could be causing this intermittent 013 fault?
The inverter is a PVI-5000-OUTD operating 2 strings and is a few months out of warranty.

Just found this old thread not sure if it is of any help.

Aurora 3600 inverter giving "E013" Wrong input setting

Chaps, I've just installed our first Power One Aurora 3600 inverter with two strings (7 & 8 Romag 235's). When I turn everything on the inverter gives an error code 013. The manual has this down as "Wrong input setting". I guess it thinks there should be 1 not 2 strings. Have been looking...

www.electriciansforums.net

Hi

westward10 said:

Just found this old thread not sure if it is of any help.

Aurora 3600 inverter giving "E013" Wrong input setting

Chaps, I've just installed our first Power One Aurora 3600 inverter with two strings (7 & 8 Romag 235's). When I turn everything on the inverter gives an error code 013. The manual has this down as "Wrong input setting". I guess it thinks there should be 1 not 2 strings. Have been looking...

www.electriciansforums.net

Click to expand...

Hi westward10. Thanks for the info. I had also found this thread but this is for a problem arrising at time of initial installation and isn't applicable in this case as the inverter has been functioning without fault for over 5 years. This fault 013 has occurred after replacement of a failed a/c Zetter relay causing the common Aurora fault 031. The confusing situation is that the current problem is intermittent. Yesterday the inverter generated 22kw whereas an adjacent 10 year old identical 5kw p/v system with a faultless Zantrex 5kw generated 35kw

My error I misread 031 for 013. There is plenty online about the 031 code, it would appear to indicate an internal hardware failure with most recommending total replacement.

westward10 said:

My error I misread 031 for 013. There is plenty online about the 031 code, it would appear to indicate an internal hardware failure with most recommending total replacement.

Click to expand...

Hi westward10
Good to hear back from you. Like you, I also was foolishly muddled by the two similar error codes. The common 031 error is for a failure of 1 of the 4 Zettler a/c relays. This, from my experience, is caused by the solder around the steel pin from the main body of the relay melting and resulting in a dry joint. (see attachments). In this particular case the steel pin had completely burned away and 2 other relays had evidence of the same pins overheating. I suspect this maybe because the solder doesn't adhere very well to steel & that a copper wire from the bronze holding the contact point would be a better design.
My mistake was after replacing the faulty relay, I soon after had a 013 error and mistook it for 031 and subsequently replaced the other relays (5 Zettler
AX2150W-1AE-12DEFT $6.60 for 5 relays, post free huayi-components on eBay - https://www.ebay.com/usr/huayi-components, see attachment) The 013 fault naturally was unchanged still causing the frequent restarts with approximately 30% loss of production.
Next week yet another Aurora PVI-3600-OUTD with a 031 fault. I gather whole inverters are frequenly ----ed out for the sake of a <$2.00 per relay & < an hour's repair! The problem I feel is with a design issue of the Zettler relay. The printed circuit board has provision for at least 3 alternative relays, a pity the Zettler relay was chosen!
Cheers, have a great day, Roger