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3 SolarEdge 18XB7 Failures
- Thread starter Leonard1
- Start date
I noticed today that my PV production dropped to 0 yesterday at almost exactly noon on the SE7600 system with (21) 295w panels (6.2 kW DC STC).
I got home to find the breaker tripped, and I reset it. This could be a bad breaker as Solar Edge monitoring does not register any failure codes. We shall see if it trips again.
Both the breaker and the inverter are on an east wall, so they really don't see much of the hottest temperatures of the day.
I got home to find the breaker tripped, and I reset it. This could be a bad breaker as Solar Edge monitoring does not register any failure codes. We shall see if it trips again.
Both the breaker and the inverter are on an east wall, so they really don't see much of the hottest temperatures of the day.
Whoaaaa? You got a 6.2 kW DC system feeding like 5 Powerwalls? Or do you have two systems?
Look at this guy with a DC/AC ratio less than 1.0... Vines needs to find an installer to get him more solar
Whoaaaa? You got a 6.2 kW DC system feeding like 5 Powerwalls? Or do you have two systems?
Look at this guy with a DC/AC ratio less than 1.0... Vines needs to find an installer to get him more solar
This is just a portion of the PV on this system, the other half is a ground mount with 24 LG 310 W modules. I got a deal on the EV charging inverter, and it came in the 7.6 kW size.
My Tesla Solar Panels unit (8.2KW) was installed in Sep-2019, Round Rock, Texas. It no longer generates power (Pac: 0.0) with this message: “Error code 18xB8, HW Error”.
I chatted with Tesla Energy Support, remotely diagnosed, she filed for warranty claim to SolarEdge, don’t exactly date of SE inverter replacement. There two main caveats on this SE hw failure:
1. The liability and durability of SE inverter is poor; and the replacement turn around time is also poor. The solar panels unit owner becomes victim of owning a none-operational unit and have to pay the daily energy used.
2. Tesla have not stepped up on warranty and customers’ satisfaction with quickly replacing the broken SE inverter with Tesla inverter (which is a new design and not available during 2019 installation). Tesla Energy is a middleman between SE and Tesla Energy customers without urgency in mind/process (other words: took your money quickly after completing the installation and no quick resolution when product failed).
I chatted with Tesla Energy Support, remotely diagnosed, she filed for warranty claim to SolarEdge, don’t exactly date of SE inverter replacement. There two main caveats on this SE hw failure:
1. The liability and durability of SE inverter is poor; and the replacement turn around time is also poor. The solar panels unit owner becomes victim of owning a none-operational unit and have to pay the daily energy used.
2. Tesla have not stepped up on warranty and customers’ satisfaction with quickly replacing the broken SE inverter with Tesla inverter (which is a new design and not available during 2019 installation). Tesla Energy is a middleman between SE and Tesla Energy customers without urgency in mind/process (other words: took your money quickly after completing the installation and no quick resolution when product failed).
This is why I almost always suggest microinverters if given the option. The cost has been negligible relative to the total install price, from my own price shopping. The usual debates about shading is just not the real issue. If there are problems/issues, etc, the biggest issue is still losing the main inverter which results in being offline for who knows how long and being at the whim of warranty assistance.
Not much of a choice now unfortunately though. Do come back and share how long your replacement took.
Not much of a choice now unfortunately though. Do come back and share how long your replacement took.
SolarEdge had a lot of issues providing RMA units from 2020 through 2022, but it seems like they have a supply and 2023 replacements have been handled quickly. Hopefully you won't be down for long.
As a Tesla Energy customer with a SE inverter I don't expect that Tesla would replace the unit with anything other than another SE inverter. This is a SE reliability issue and SE is on the hook for the replacement. Now, maybe SolarEdge should step up and work with other certified installers on the replacements versus Tesla. After my failure with 2 years, I immediately bought the extended 20 year warranty because I still could. The $214 cost was worth the piece of mind.
That wouldn't be a quick and easy swap, as your whole system would have to be rewired, and SE optimizers removed from all of the modules.
Well, I’m on my 4th SE inverter. Gets replaced every year since I’ve had my system. Tesla seems to think it’s normal, I ask about it and the install guys just say it happens all the time and that they don’t even know the reliability of their own (Tesla) inverters, which has prevented me from purchasing a Powerwall. I’m not going to buy something that just decides not to work during the most important hottest months of the year while waiting for replacements. I’m sure my new SE inverter will work fine until August, since they usually break around then.
That's crazy, I'm surprised that SolarEdge hasn't investigated further to understand what is causing your multiple failures.
gcsutton
Member
My inverter went out in March and it was 3 weeks to get it back online for this problem, so big improvement over the 3 months it took in 2021.
My case (as details below) will take 2.5 months:
2023-Nov-16: Reported issue to Tesla support.
2023-Nov-30: Tesla scheduled for SE replacement on 2024-Jan-29.
2024-Jan-29: Assume new SE inverter installed.
My problematic SolarEdge inverter model: SE7600H-US.
Update: Tesla rescheduled the SolarEdge inverter replacement to Dec-21-2023 (from Jan-29-2024). The replaced SE inverter works properly and the downtime was about 36 days.
jhn_
Member
charlesj
Active Member
Another reason I like my 17 micros.
I had one go bad a few years ago but had 16 working just fine. Then the replacement went bad not long ago. Still had 16 working.
But it is inconvenient to replace, go up 2nd story roof, lift panel out, unplug cable, install new inverter, place panel and 17 working again. Only a few days, perhaps a week for replacement to appear on porch.
I had one go bad a few years ago but had 16 working just fine. Then the replacement went bad not long ago. Still had 16 working.
But it is inconvenient to replace, go up 2nd story roof, lift panel out, unplug cable, install new inverter, place panel and 17 working again. Only a few days, perhaps a week for replacement to appear on porch.
