In my experience tightening the fuse holder and cleaning the contacts didn't help but a 30 minute burn in did the trick. No problems since. SMA tech support said this has be a common problem for them in humid environments.
Dana Dana Brandt Ecotech Energy Systems, LLC www.ecotechenergy.com d...@ecotechenergy.com 360.510.0433 On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 7:28 AM, Wayne Irwin <wa...@pureenergysolar.com>wrote: > We have had the same issue with the SMA GFDI err. To fix the problem, > before commissioning we remove the fuse, squeeze the GFDI fuse holder a > little tighter and clean the contact ends of the fuse. Fires right up. > > Wayne Irwin EE > Pure Energy Solar International Inc. > State Licensed Solar Contractor > License # CVC56695 > wa...@pureenergysolar.com <pureenergyso...@hotmail.com> > http://pureenergysolar.com <http://pureenergysolar.net> > 352 377-6527 Office > 352 336-3299 Fax > 352 316-1637 Cell > > The content of this message is Pure Energy Solar Confidential. If you are > not the intended recipient and have received this message in error, any use > or distribution is prohibited. Please notify me immediately by reply e-mail > and delete this message from your computer system. Thank you. > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > From: atru...@gmail.com > Date: Wed, 2 Dec 2009 21:17:54 -0500 > To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] PV Powered vs SMA > > > > Last I used a PVP was in 2005 and we had multiple failures. I've never had > an SMA fail but there has been a disconcerting glitch on some units lately, > where the inverter displays a GFDI fuse error for about a 1/2 hour after > commissioning, and then kicks in. Still the best dependabilty and fit and > finish of any of the major inverters in my humble opinion. > > To me its Ford vs. BMW. America makes some damn fine equipment but when it > comes to precision engineering and lifetime performance I would argue that > the Germans have an edge on the rest of the world right now. > > > Andrew Truitt > Standard Solar Inc. > > > > On Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 9:29 AM, Drake Chamberlin < > drake.chamber...@redwoodalliance.org> wrote: > > In the past I have seen a lot of issues with PVP inverters. There was a > period, when I was subcontracting, where a half dozen or more of the units > had to be replaced within a short time. Although I like many features of > PVP, I've avoided them since. Have others found these units to be reliable > or problematic? > > > > At 07:30 PM 12/1/2009, you wrote: > > Nice thread... inverter pros/cons is something I spend a fair amount of > time > pondering, since they are the weak link in the grid-direct installation. > > Overall, I like them both (PVP and SMA). > > Performance: On page 44 of the Dec/Jan issue of SolarPro, there is a list > of > specifications for grid-direct inverters. Current PVP and SMA inverters > have > similar CEC weighted efficiency ratings. Some of the older PVP inverter > models (1100, 2000, 2800, 3000) have slightly lower efficiency. > > Reliability: I like that the PVP inverters have no moving parts, whereas > the > SMA inverters use a fan to assist with the cooling. PV Powered does a lot > of > marketing around their reliability efforts, for whatever that's worth. > > Customer Service: I have not needed to utilize PV Powered customer service. > I've found SMA customer service techs to be easy to reach and > knowledgeable. > > Other issues: I like that PV Powered inverters are made in the USA. I also > find the hardware and manuals to be easier to work with, most likely > because > they're produced in the USA for our market. The PVP inverters ship with a > full-size mounting template which comes in handy, especially when planning > the rough-in wiring and support framing during new construction. > > I have a preference for the PVP inverters, and use SMA occasionally if it's > a better design fit. I agree with Wayne Irwin's comment about the > durability > of the inverters with the heavy transformer designs, as opposed to the > newer > "light-weight" designs (including the newest SMA products). I just feel > that > in the long run, lower counts for electronic components is a good thing. > I'm > not an expert on component reliability, but I know from my somewhat limited > experience that capacitors dry up and transistors are susceptible to a > variety of failure modes. The fewer of these things, the better. Also from > a > reliability standpoint, I prefer to put inverters inside in a well > ventilated area, if possible. My gut feeling is that over the long haul, > any > inverter will be better off in a location that is protected from moisture > and large ambient temperature swings. > > -Hans > ________________________________ > > From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > [ > mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org<re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org>] > On Behalf Of Keith Cronin > Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 1:04 PM > To: RE-Wrenches > Subject: [RE-wrenches] PV Powered vs SMA > > > Hi colleagues > > Do any of you have a preference, PV Powered vs SMA in the residential > space- > 2k-5k grid tie inverter zone? > > Comments on performance/reliability/customer service etc? > > Any feedback on their monitoring vs SMA's webbox? > > Thanks > > Keith > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > Drake Chamberlin > Athens Electric > OH License 44810 > CO License 3773 > NABCEP TM Certified PV Installer > Office - 740-448-7328 > Mobile - 740-856-9648 > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > > > -- > "Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer fusion > to fission. And it just so happens that there's an enormous fusion reactor > safely banked a few million miles from us. It delivers more than we could > ever use in just about 8 minutes. And it's wireless!" > > ~William McDonough > > > ------------------------------ > Windows LiveT Hotmail is faster and more secure than ever. Learn > more.<http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/hotmail_bl1/hotmail_bl1.aspx?ocid=PID23879::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-ww:WM_IMHM_1:092009> > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > >
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