SolarEdge inverters failings

[afsar]

Hi guys, first post so please go easy on me.

I had a 4Kw solaredge system installed few years ago, all was well until pigeons started nesting under the panels and starting big mess. For years they grew in numbers. I got a roofer who installed black wiremesh (he called it hedgehogs, the stuff which is used in gutters to keep leaves and other debris) underneath which was total waste of time and money. Once roofer took money he was never to be seen again.

Few day after dodgy roofer's ill attempt to put wiremesh my SolarEdge inverter started playing up and it will show DC overvoltage error and randomly stop working (producing 0 watts despite full sun). My installer (which has gone bust now, another story) did a favour after a diagnosis with SolarEdge offered a replacement inverter. Once brand new in sealed box replacement inverter was installed it was fine for a day and half and with different error it stopped working too!

Now SolarEdge after another diagnosis said replacement inverter is faulty too and a new replacement inverter is being sent out again. SolarEdge engineer was quite confident that it is the problem and replacement will fix it. Has anyone seen this before here? My panels are down pretty much of of this summer and I am concern problem could be somewhere else.

 

[PEG]

Hi bud,at what stage,did the installer go bust?

Also,has anyone with technical knowledge,physically inspected the panels.and electrically tested them?

 

[afsar]

Hi Peg, This saga started back in April. Inverter died gradually, if it will stop working instantly then could have blamed the roofer who did the work. After around 2 weeks roofer doing his bits inverter will intermittently stop working for part of day. In my observation initially it was like when it was bit cooler it was fine and but as heat increased inverter will cut out. I also observed that if I kept a high load item connected it won't cut out. Since last week of June and all of July so far it has remained totally off.

I am under impression that SolarEdge is quite high tech company and before they send out a new bit of kit they would definetely know for sure it is what is broken. Since their replacement invertor has gone faulty by trust in them has dwindled. They can keep replacing it 10 times but I am also losing on rare sunny days. This year's generation is almost gone anyway.

 

[freddo]

I can't help, but we wired a site of houses that all had solar panels, another company did the solar. When the site was complete about 50% of the solar installs had not generated anything, and the non generating inverters all displayed the same DC over voltage error you have. 8 months on some of the solar meters are still reading 00000.

 

[afsar]

Surprising there is zero level of support of these stuff from installers. Looks like money down the drain. Most PV companies go bust I guess deliberately to avoid warranty issues etc and same guy you will see opening another company doing exactly the same with a different name.

 

[Roger Straker]

I had a 4Kw solar edge system installed in February and 6 weeks later the inverter failed. The installers were not allowed to pick up a replacement, no refund if under warranty, from a wholesalers but had to wait for a replacement to be sent from Hungary.
This came by truck and took 10 days. The system was down for 14 days and now the replacement has failed and yet again the new one has to come from Hungary by road.
The system will have been down for 1 month in 6 which I think is totally unaceptable.
Why a major company like Solaredge does not have a UK stock for warranty work or allow installers to pick up a replacement from wholesalers, you can even buy one on Ebay!!, leaves me almost speechless.
I have to admit that when it works the inverter is very good but that doesn't help if it keeps going wrong. Anybody else been in this ridiculous position?

 

[afsar]

SolarEdge support is worse just behind dodgy builders. Buyers beware if you buying SolarEdge system.

 

[v lowery]

SolarEdge support is worse just behind dodgy builders. Buyers beware if you buying SolarEdge system.

sorry to hear your problems, I have had solar panels 7 years I was advised to up grade because "did I know inverter 5 year warrant" was up and inverter had a life span of 6 years "salesperson never mentioned that" anyway I have the 7 years output and there is no difference between the 7 years yet solar edge say I get 25% more output. so keep a check on your yearly records. ps solar edge support have stopped talking to me.?

 

[tlsambo]

Roger Straker. Solar Edge do allow you to replace with any like for like inverter, you don't have to wait for stock as I've done this. I do agree that they should also hold stock locally, otherwise the installer has to front the cash for the replacement.

V Lowery, sounds like you've been caught by the recent popular 'BS' about Solar Edge. Inverters should last between 10-15 years, the sales people who are calling are guessing at your current inverter's warranty and the 25% figure is your broadband selling technique of 'up to 25%'.

Solar Edge can, in certain circumstances increase your yield, it can also decrease it under certain circumstances too!

 

[v lowery]

Roger Straker. Solar Edge do allow you to replace with any like for like inverter, you don't have to wait for stock as I've done this. I do agree that they should also hold stock locally, otherwise the installer has to front the cash for the replacement.

V Lowery, sounds like you've been caught by the recent popular 'BS' about Solar Edge. Inverters should last between 10-15 years, the sales people who are calling are guessing at your current inverter's warranty and the 25% figure is your broadband selling technique of 'up to 25%'.

Solar Edge can, in certain circumstances increase your yield, it can also decrease it under certain circumstances too!

thanks for that, "old age does not make you wiser"

 

[dusty42]

We've just had solar edge installed. The company who did it is refusing to provide login details to the web user interface.

We have not paid yet. I have asked for the details just because I would like to verify it is working before making payment. Obviously they have been on the roof and lifted every panel - yet we have no real way to verify it is working properly. We can tell it is doing something from the generation meter, but that's about all as the inverter has no display.

Does anyone know if this is normal? To me it seems like asking someone to pay for a car without hearing it running.. am I being unreasonable? I offered to pay half if they would then provide the login details, and we'd pay the second half after verifying all panels were working.. but they refused.

They also tried to tell me verious lies, like it was 'law' that we pay first, and that it was solar edge 'policy'. But they backed away from these claims when I called the BS. They are supposedly a solar edge recommended partner..

Should I just pay them? Sorry - don't mean to hijack thread!

As said above I don't think there is any guarantee or improved performance with SE, but the fire shutdown and individual panel monitoring are kind of worthwhile - if you can actually access!

 

[v lowery]

We've just had solar edge installed. The company who did it is refusing to provide login details to the web user interface.

We have not paid yet. I have asked for the details just because I would like to verify it is working before making payment. Obviously they have been on the roof and lifted every panel - yet we have no real way to verify it is working properly. We can tell it is doing something from the generation meter, but that's about all as the inverter has no display.

Does anyone know if this is normal? To me it seems like asking someone to pay for a car without hearing it running.. am I being unreasonable? I offered to pay half if they would then provide the login details, and we'd pay the second half after verifying all panels were working.. but they refused.

They also tried to tell me verious lies, like it was 'law' that we pay first, and that it was solar edge 'policy'. But they backed away from these claims when I called the BS. They are supposedly a solar edge recommended partner..

Should I just pay them? Sorry - don't mean to hijack thread!

As said above I don't think there is any guarantee or improved performance with SE, but the fire shutdown and individual panel monitoring are kind of worthwhile - if you can actually access!

 

[v lowery]

when I had upgrade to solaredge I had to wait 6 weeks before I got the online data, when I did get on line I had to phone solaredge because I have 16 panels and only 15 were showing on there site. turns out nobody had checked how my panels I had, 1 panel was not working. then I changed broadband and lost site online "never told this would happen" anyway the whole system shut down for 16 days then restarted on its own and nobody knows why. I am taking the installers to court because I was promised 20% to 25%. output , I would have not changed a good system for a system that is no better, all I have done is give them £2600 for nowt.

 

[LeeH]

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[tlsambo]

Dusty 42, one of the great things about Solar Edge is your ability to monitor it! You certainly should be able to see it for yourself so hold out on payment until you get it. All the installer has to do is add your email address to the portal and you'll get an email from Solar Edge. The installer should also tick a box that says you're the system owner. Good to hear that it sounds like you've bought for the monitoring and improved fire/safety aspects. These are good reasons to go for Solar Edge.

V Lowry. Good to hear that someone is standing up to the lies that some installers are telling customers. There's a lot of miss-selling going on regarding Solar Edge and as it's just an inverter upgrade, they are not covered by MCS or RECC which governs the sales process. So you can buy these from an accredited installer but there's no scrutiny regarding their sales process, basically they can be accredited and still tell you a whole load of lies.