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System Not Producing, Anything I Can Do?

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#21
Bigriver said:
I just unplugged my black gateway and the data in my Solar Edge account stopped updating. I obviously don’t know the details of the data sharing going on, but it is definitely happening and I think I can conclusively say that is the pathway, at least for my system.
Click to expand...
The little black box from Tesla that used to be called the Tesla Gateway (confusingly) is connected via Zigbee wireless protocol (802.15) to your inverter. That black box acts as a gateway, forwarding your inverter data directly to Tesla. Tesla then forwards the data on to SolarEdge so if you have a SolarEdge account setup you can also see the data in their dashboard. But the data in setups like this passes through Tesla first before going to SolarEdge.
It’s kludgy. There have been cases where something gets screwed up on the Tesla data center side of things that prevents the data from going to SolarEdge. If your SolarEdge inverter is setup with Ethernet or it’s own onboard WiFi (not usually done in Tesla installs) then the data goes straight to SolarEdge but not Tesla.
 
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#23
@sorka is right on. If the inverter still has power, you want to log into it peer to peer with your phone and the QR code on the side. From there you can view logs. Call SolarEdge support and share what is in the logs with them. They may also be able to see the logs info on their side of the data from your inverter has been reaching SolarEdge and populating the dashboard.
 
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#24
jhn_ said:
@sorka is right on. If the inverter still has power, you want to log into it peer to peer with your phone and the QR code on the side. From there you can view logs. Call SolarEdge support and share what is in the logs with them. They may also be able to see the logs info on their side of the data from your inverter has been reaching SolarEdge and populating the dashboard.
Click to expand...

Also if you call SE directly and they determine remotely that your inverter has failed, they will generate and RMA that you can pass onto Tesla who will then order the replacement from SE without Tesla first sending a tech out. It can save a huge amount of time. That said, this is just based on what I've seen other do in this forum to get faster replacements. Don't rely on Tesla to get the ball rolling. Call SE directly and get it figured out first.
 
#25
I think I remember reading that you have to ask Tesla to provide access to SE. This is what I get when I go to SE and try to create an account. Maybe this in't the "right" site?

I remember at one point I installed the "PWRview Installer" app on my Android phone and that let me see something about my inverter but not any actual energy data. When I tried to use it the other day I could see the inverter WiFi AP and connect to it but when using the app it couldn't connect to the AP for some reason. Maybe that's another sign of something wrong with my inverter.


1627138967337.png
 
#26
jhn_ said:
Tesla then forwards the data on to SolarEdge so if you have a SolarEdge account setup you can also see the data in their dashboard. But the data in setups like this passes through Tesla first before going to SolarEdge.
Click to expand...
Does this happen automatically or do you have to request Tesla to forward the data to SE? Maybe I'm thinking of when you want to connect to the inverter via ethernet and when you do this you have to ask Tesla to let you deal with SE directly and at that point the Tesla app wouldn't be getting any data anymore. I liked the fact that connecting directly to the inverter does provide you more detailed information about your system which is why I was always considering doing this but just never go around to pulling an ethernet cable to the inverter.
 
#27
You can get the same data either way as long as you have asked Tesla to give you a login to your SolarEdge dashboard. I know that seems backwards, but Tesla as the installer has control over the accounts that can log into your inverter and the SolarEdge account data it contains. Tesla of course would prefer for their customers to just use their app. But if you call Tesla Energy Support and ask to be added as a user to your SolarEdge dashboard they will do it. Then you can use the SolarEdge app or their website to view your inverter data.

The data will be the same level of detail regardless of if it comes from your inverter over Ethernet, WiFi, Zigbee, etc.

The only thing that would give you more control over your inverter and possibly more data would be to convince Tesla when they give you access in the above mentioned steps, the you ask for your SolarEdge access to be an installer account instead of a regular account, and they do that for you. One or two people on the forums have gotten lucky and been able to get installer accounts that have full control, but it’s not something That is normal or to be expected.

The error logs are what you really want to see it sounds like. And those are available without doing anything described above. To view those just download the official SolarEdge app to your phone. Launch it and go to Inverter Status in the app’s menu. Scan the QR code on the side of your inverter on the next screen in the app. Then go to error logs in the site menu.

That is all I did and then called SolarEdge tech support and forwarded them a screenshot of the error to have them ship me a replacement inverter in only a few days. I do think they logged in and verified the error remotely as well.
 
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#30
OK, I got the app connected and downloaded a total of 9 errors, most are from last year:

  • 07/18/20: 3xB: No Country
  • 07/18/20: 3x2 Inverter Communication Error
  • 07/18/20: 3xA7: Country Mismatch
  • 07/18/20: 3x6E: Meter Commination Error
  • 10/14/20: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 10/27/20: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 01/18/21: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 03/18/21: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 07/25/21: 18xB7: Vcap21 Surge

The unit wasn't even installed until October last year so I'm not sure what all those errors are back in July. I was actually expecting to see an error from last Monday (7/19) since that's when the system stopped producing.

I don't see other useful information in the app that would help me debug the system so I guess I'll try to call SE tomorrow morning and see what they say.
 
#31
GeorgeIoak said:
OK, I got the app connected and downloaded a total of 9 errors, most are from last year:

  • 07/18/20: 3xB: No Country
  • 07/18/20: 3x2 Inverter Communication Error
  • 07/18/20: 3xA7: Country Mismatch
  • 07/18/20: 3x6E: Meter Commination Error
  • 10/14/20: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 10/27/20: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 01/18/21: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 03/18/21: 3xB5: Meter - L1 CT is disconnected
  • 07/25/21: 18xB7: Vcap21 Surge

The unit wasn't even installed until October last year so I'm not sure what all those errors are back in July. I was actually expecting to see an error from last Monday (7/19) since that's when the system stopped producing.

I don't see other useful information in the app that would help me debug the system so I guess I'll try to call SE tomorrow morning and see what they say.
Click to expand...
L1 CT is disconnected is interesting. If CT means Current Transducer it means a device that measures the current flow is not connected and might read zero or other inaccurate values regardless of whether the inverter was operating properly or not.
 
#33
I thought that was interesting as well until I remembered that the disconnect meter is clearing showing zero energy produced. What's odd to me is that this log has a clear error/problem yet the I haven't seen the RED LED on since I power cycled the system back on Wednesday.

I read of some people leaving the system completely off for a long time to be sure the caps discharged but at this point I'd rather not try to revive this inverter (which I think is a very low chance). There's clearly something wrong going on and the inverter should be replaced. I'd love to open it up and debug the hardware but I'm not about to mess with anything.
 
#34
jhn_ said:
That last error on 7/25 is a dead inverter. SolarEdge will replace it under warranty. “18xB7: Vcap21 Surge”
Click to expand...
That exactly what I found cruising the internet. I'll call them tomorrow morning since anything online tells you to contact your installer.

It's just sad that Tesla couldn't proactively communicate with the inverter to access this log and tell me. Then they could come on their scheduled visit with a replacement inverter and get me up and running the same day.

Based on my past experience with Tesla I'm not impressed at all. When I had my system installed I assumed that they had installed energy monitors in my main breaker panel and I couldn't understand why I wasn't seeing my house energy consumption. I even opened up the panel only to find nothing installed yet they had to send a tech out to tell my oh we can't install a monitoring system because of your panel type.

With the help of this forum hopefully I'll be able to get back producing with a new inverter later this week.

When you call SE directly and get a RMA do they send the inverter to your house and do you have to tell Tesla about the RMA and let them handle it?
 
#35
jhn_ said:
That last error on 7/25 is a dead inverter. SolarEdge will replace it under warranty. “18xB7: Vcap21 Surge” is exactly what I had happen three months ago. Call SolarEdge support. They are super nice and helpful.
Click to expand...
Can @jhn_ and perhaps others add their experience with the inverter going out? (Who has to service/authorize etc. the replacement? How long does it take? etc.) I've pretty much decided to set up my system with micro-inverters vs. the central string inverter, since the system still works after individual component failures. But it would be good to hear what happens when a SolarEdge inverter dies.
 
#36
@Enginerd There is a whole thread on it here:

teslamotorsclub.com

SolarEdge WaveHD inverter error “18xB5 Vcap11 Surge” meaning?

So about five months in since install on a bright sunny morning and my solar stopped producing. ☹️ Quick check connected locally to the SolarEdge WaveHD inverter shows error “18xB5 Vcap11 Surge” and the inverter seems to rebooting itself every few minutes. Manual reboot didn’t change anything...
teslamotorsclub.com teslamotorsclub.com
 
#37
GeorgeIoak said:
When you call SE directly and get a RMA do they send the inverter to your house and do you have to tell Tesla about the RMA and let them handle it?
Click to expand...
Specifically ask for it to be shipped to you. And the. Separately call Tesla and tell them you have the replacement inverter and you just need a tech to come out and install it. Otherwise if Tesla will try to send a tech out to “diagnose” the issue which you’ve already done with Solaredge and that could take a few weeks in turn around on Tesla’s part. Same for shipping it to Tesla, quicker to do it to you.
 
#38
jhn_ said:
Specifically ask for it to be shipped to you. And the. Separately call Tesla and tell them you have the replacement inverter and you just need a tech to come out and install it. Otherwise if Tesla will try to send a tech out to “diagnose” the issue which you’ve already done with Solaredge and that could take a few weeks in turn around on Tesla’s part. Same for shipping it to Tesla, quicker to do it to you.
Click to expand...
Would SE ship this to a homeowner? Not the impress I got from SE when I talked to them, but, may have asked the wrong questions
 
#40
Ugh...
So the app lets you go to SE web site and it has a nice pop up that asks you to go through looking at the LEDs to check the status. For some reason this hard failure doesn't turn the RED LED on so their walk through support thinks you are good to go. I was able to force the app to open a support case which I figured I'd do to try to get things started. BTW, why have a QR code that you can scan but not have your app take advantage of that and instead have to try and read the small print and manually enter the serial number?!

So I found the phone number on SE's web site and just called and wouldn't you know it, "we're sorry but we're experiencing phone problems..."

Stay tuned while the fun continues...
 
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