SPR-4000x Inverter Problem?

[rmamd]

Hi Folks, I have a Sunpower 4000x inverter that alternately displays "External Shutdown" and "Inverter Offline" in the LCD display. When I cycle thru the displays, the Array Voltage reads 330V, but 0.0 A. It's a bright sunny day, and all the wiring and interconnects are good. Doesn't the inverter need to draw the current in? Do you see this as a problem in the inverter? No other error messages appear. Thanks - wasn't sure where the best place to post this question....

[newenergy]

I've never had this problem. I would, check connections, voltage and polarity, fuses, and then call SMA if those were all ok.

If the DC is connected correctly and you are getting enough voltage it should turn on. If the AC weren't connected correctly, you'd get another error, but check those voltages anyway. Maybe the AC voltages are out of range? Are you sure there are no other error messages coming up?

[Mike90250]

What is the minimum DC input voltage for the inverter ?

[newenergy]

for the 4000US, the start voltage is 285V and the tracking voltage is 250V-480V (at 240V AC)

[chevy87tough]

spr-4000x

Hello. I have a SunPower spr-4000x inverter. It says off line on the led display. There are no error codes. The green and red less are not on. There is 290vdc and 235vac. The fuses are good. I did purchase the unit used and was assured it worked. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks, Rich.

[newenergy]

Check your polarity. You are checking the voltages on the inverter terminals? 290v is awfully close to the start voltage. Check it out when there is enough light, but it's cooler outside and the voltage will be higher - though maybe that will be hard now that it's summer.

[chevy87tough]

Check your polarity. You are checking the voltages on the inverter terminals? 290v is awfully close to the start voltage. Check it out when there is enough light, but it's cooler outside and the voltage will be higher - though maybe that will be hard now that it's summer.

Hey thank you very much. I'm going to order a few more panels and see what happens. Thanks again.

[chevy87tough]

spr-4000x problem

Hi, I double checked all myconnections and polarity and everything seems correct. So I bought and installed 2 more panels, I now have 355 vdc and it still says off-line, It doesn't make any sense to me. Does anyone else have any ideas? Thanks everyone.

[Mike90250]

For the inverter to go on-line, it needs a low impedance connection to the grid, at 60.000Hz, and the grid has to be stable for 5 minutes before it will go on line. Some inverters show a count-down till connection, some don't.

Get the MANUAL for your inverter, they should be online.

[chevy87tough]

spr-4000x problem

Ok. My sunpower spr-4000x still reads OFFLINE with no error codes,

Heres what I have. 237vac at the inverter, I even checked the voltage at the entrance and they are the same 237vac. (110 on one leg and 117 on the other leg) I have 355vdc at the inverter using 8ga copper stranded wire fron the panels to the inverter.
My panels are monocrystalline panels totaling 1705 watts.

What it looks like to me is, it's not seeing the voltage from the panels. there is no error codes, it just says OFFLINE.
I did check both fuses and they are good.

Do you think it matters what brand of panels you use?

Thanks,
Rich

[Mike90250]

panel brand does not matter. If you give it the right inputs, you will get output, from a working system. download the manual, and see how to read all the segments of the display, it's got to say more than just OFFLINE

[CTSOLAR]

If this the same inverter as the SMA 4000US then you have one leg (110v) very close to the trip limit of 108v. I recently had a problem with my inverter tripping out from high line voltage. The legs were hitting 130v. The trip limit is 129.6. A call to the POCO solved the problem. Tyhe re-tapped the ple transformer to get me back to 120v. The SMA manual has all the limits listed towards the end.

[chevy87tough]

when you turn the inverter on it says: power region 4000W NA-240V (next) Flash = 02.04 ROM = 02.02 (next) VH = 261 V1 = 214 Fh = 60.4 F1 = 59.4 (next) Inverter Off-Line.

Next I wait for about 5 or 6 minutes and it continues to say Inverter Off-Line.

Next I tap on the inverter and the back ground light iluminates, (next tap) System Today 0W 0.000KWH (next tap) System lifetime 19769KWH (next tap) time online today 00:00:00

The next tap starts all over again with System Today 0W 0.000KWH

I called National Grid and they sent someone out and found one of the terminals in my meter box had gotten hot and lost some of it tention, He said it was 3v's different on either side of the of the meter on 1 leg. I'm going to have the box replaced hopefully this weekend and we'll se what happens.

I just want to thank you guys for helping me out.

[chevy87tough]

Update: That didn't work. I have a steady 114/115vac on each leg now and it still saying offline.



Anyone want to buy a sunpower spr-4000x inverter?

[Mike90250]

when you turn the inverter on it says: power region 4000W NA-240V (next) Flash = 02.04 ROM = 02.02 (next) VH = 261 V1 = 214 Fh = 60.4 F1 = 59.4 (next) Inverter Off-Line.

Next I wait for about 5 or 6 minutes and it continues to say Inverter Off-Line.

Next I tap on the inverter and the back ground light iluminates, (next tap) System Today 0W 0.000KWH (next tap) System lifetime 19769KWH (next tap) time online today 00:00:00

The next tap starts all over again with System Today 0W 0.000KWH

This seems like a re-brnded Xantrex GT series, where you rap the display to toggle it. Get (download) a Xantrex GT 4.0 manual, and it should explain what the displays mean.