glitch in Power One 3.6 OUTD power reporting?

[Gavin A]

that's the problem in a nutshell. nobody knows what firmware update is required, even Power-One, who appear to be stuck in the coding cycle I gave in that post.

Here's the installer version of that cycle.

10 Install system
20 find glitch in the data between the inverter and display unit
30 ring Power-One to report the problem
40 Install firmware update
50 find this only solves one part of the problem
60 ring power-one to be told ah yes this is a known fault, we're working on a fix for it and should have it sorted in the next few weeks, we'll put you on a list and get back to you
70 customer rings up to chase progress
80 installer rings power-one to be told we they'd set up a new way of reporting the fault so our customer isn't actually on that list, could we give them the details so they can be added to the new list and they're working on a fix and expect to be sending an engineer round in a few weeks time
90 2 months later customer rings to say they'd had no contact from power-one
100 installer rings power one to be told they thought they'd solved it but actually it didn't work, so they're working on another solution which should be ready in a few weeks
110 Go to 90

We now seem to be stuck in an eternal feedback loop between lines 90>110, and I suspect Power-One engineers are currently wibbling in the corner hoping everyone just forget's about the issue and stops using the remote display units / learns to live with the glitch.

It's all a bit embarrassing really.

 

[Fitstart]

I did get notification of a firmware update for the Aurora Desktop (the remote display) yesterday and have installed it.

Of course that doesn't fix the problem with the actual data glitch which the inverter is sending out and Aurora Communicator is processing and sending up to my site.

Yes, maybe they are hoping we all go away if they forget about it. Maybe time to put a complaint in higher up - letter to the CEO or something.

 

[jonesmabel]

that's the problem in a nutshell. nobody knows what firmware update is required, even Power-One, who appear to be stuck in the coding cycle I gave in that post............

"The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood." (Lou Holtz)

I guess I was not in a good mood when I first read your comment

My system was installed by JoJu and I am pushing them to push Power-One

 

[jonesmabel]

Has anybody heard anything from Power-One with a solution to this problem ?

 

[Gavin A]

they notified one of our customers that the problem was now fixed as they'd sent out an update, unfortunately I installed the update and it doesn't seem to have changed anything.

 

[SibertSolar]

I'm going to look into this and see what I can discover, will report back

 

[IronLiver]

After much badgering and general losing of tempers, Power One did eventually send out a replacement inverter to our customer as they did not have any engineers that they could send out to carry out the firmware update. It was a replacement for the 3.0 OUTD that was giving incorrect yield totals, so the error is not limited to just the 3.6 inverters. The dodgy one was then whisked away by a courier for destruction by controlled explosion!

 

[Gavin A]

update... the update apparently does work, but only for the readings from that point forward. Though the customer has reported that it now seems to be doing something else odd, but I'm not sure what.

 

[SibertSolar]

I think you're right about the update working Gavin, but that Field-Service resources are limited due to ongoing installation commitments. Here's the gist of the feedback I have received, probably pretty much along the lines of what you guys know already:

"...a relatively small qty of PVI units (mainly the 3.6 model) built in 2011 have a glitch that records as an impossible power reading, thus throwing out the energy total. It is frustrating for those who are closely analyzing the data but the core function of the inverter remains intact and the issue does not affect warranty at all. Our solution is to support a field upgrade in the near future. These inverters need a secure laptop and P1 Service Engineer to update..."

I'll try to find out if it's possible for ourselves and/or yourselves to perform the field update but I suspect it needs to fall under P1 Service Dept. remit.

 

[Gavin A]

the problem with that statement is that they emailed our customers directly with a firmware update for the display unit, and then emailed them to tell them that they were now closing their file because the problem was fixed.

and last I heard it there were at least 600 of these problems logged on their system, as they failed to rectify the problem after it was spotted in the first batch of inverters, despite telling us it had been fixed, this resulted in the problem going from only affecting a couple of hundred systems to over 600.

Why they insist on dealing direct with the customers rather than via the installers baffles me, it keeps us entirely out of the loop and peeves the customers off.

 

[SibertSolar]

Hmm, yes - they definitely should work through the installer base, rather than directly with end customers Gavin, would be a lot better I agree.