Thanks for the appreciation. Theory without practical application is where the armchair theorists reside. These videos are about promoting self reliance. I hope you have you subscribed. Cheers, Andy
Just had the same problem with relays on a Samil inverter,ripped the covers off relays and with a bit of a clean and poke it's working again.Will still order a couple of new ones but with the help of your handy video it's proved what the problem is....Thanks from OZ.
G,day Andy well I broke the top off my relays give the relay contacts a quick rub with 800 grit sand paper and give it a try and its a goer. I have ordered a couple on line so I will install when they arrive. You saved my about $500. Cheers mate
Your welcome mate, hope it goes well, you will need a solder sucker to remove the old ones, hope it goes well, I hope you have subscribed and liked, cheers
The original relays are song chuan 894h-2ah1-f-s, but it is not worth ordering them as they have very small contacts, definately not 12 amps. I found some Finder units, type 40.52. 12v coil at about 180 ohms and double pole single throw ( DPST) normally open. I have replaced one relay with one a 12v coil unit with much bigger contacts and put a resistor in series with the coil to keep it close to 180 ohms to avoid any possible problems with the control processor.
Thanks for your videos Andy. I've used the knowledge gained to repair an Aurora inverter and plan to have a go at some of the other inverters in our junk pile :-)
Thanks for the video, Andy, I just repaired a MacSolar TL 1500 inverter along the same lines (was able to clean up the existing relay contacts with 1200 grit). We'll see how long that lasts! Interestingly, the MacSolar main board looks identical to the EverSolar board, bar a minor revision or so, so I expect it was sourced from the same Chinese factory. May be useful info for others out there. I've ordered a couple of replacement relays, for the next time the contacts die.
Hi, thanks for the comment, the relay contacts are a bit small, see my video on extending inverter life to try to prevent further damage, subscribed? cheers
Ezra, splendid news, another inverter saved, please see my video on extending inverter life, hope you have liked and subscribed. see "About" tab on my channel page, cheers
Thank you very much for your most valuable tip for repairing relay failure. My Omnik 2K -TL grid inverter stops working. check relay fault. it is under warranty, But I repair it my self. Thank your once again.....
Hi Andy I have a growatt and a solar river inverter and they both just sit there with waiting on the screen do u have any idea what could b wrong Regards Rick
Rick, time to go to work, check you have mains power at the unit, and the DC volts are high enough (see inverter label). Then find the relays, remove the covers and clean and adjust the contacts. Cheers
Hi Andy, a great video demonstration there. Keep up the good work! Do you have experience with grid inverter - JFY how to fix it? or do you have any video on JFY inverter?
Hello,thanks for this video! I have a solar inventer Shint 1.5ktl. The inventer does n,t work at all this moment.The solar string is still working when i put it on a other inverter. when there is enough DC Input (350v), and there is 230v AC Output the inventer gives no startup at all.My question? What is defect on this shint 1.5ktl ,are there parts to repair in it,there where never problems and there is nothing defects to see inside?
Seems from web forums that these two relays very often fail in this model inverter Andy :o( Hope you can obtain a couple of good quality replacements from RS or elsewhere .... Cheers, Dave
Dave, I have some from Finder, difficult to find at 12v coil with double pole, single throw. Not looking forward to trying the replacement as it is a double sided board. Might try just stiching them on top and see if that works. Cheers
Yeah, I see what you mean. I looked and found these at RS - Finder part # 50.12.9.012.5000 ...these look like a pretty good direct replacement relay (pin spacing is same) - is this what you have maybe ? Why would you not try and remove the old relays and solder-in the Finder ones, unless the relays you have are not the same pin spacing or something ? You'd have to snip off the two legs which are the NC contacts, and make sure the stubs aren't going to touch tracks on the top of the board of course :o) "Stitching in" a relay is surely a ghastly last resort ???....Just my 2p worth..Cheers, Dave
Dave I took the board out of another of these. It means taking everything out and removing various sub boards. When I put it back together it would not work and came out with Ground and GSI faults that were previously not shown. Maybe if it is dismantled then some for of reset is required? So I am reticent to repeat this process if it is unnecessary. Cheers, Andy
I wouldn't be too keen to remove one of those boards either...! When the bodged relays won't handle any more tweaking you could always cut out most of the component from the top & use the stubs as connexion points for new relays. ;)
HI, I shouldn't worry too much, all you need is a reasonably sized isolation transformer (not an auto) that has an in - out ratio of 2 or 3. A 240 to 110 would do as long as it is a true isolating unit ( separate in and out coils). If your variac puts 120 in you will get about 250 out. High voltage recitiers (400v min) at about 5 amps will be OK. Warning : it's alll dangerous, especially the high voltage DC, so take care, and then a bit more care. Hope that makes sense, cheers, Andy
Andy Reynolds Hi again, yes I well definitely be careful I'm a semi-retired Spark so know it needs respect. With regard to the transformer would a 50VA 415-110v be big enough o do I need to think much bigger I never really got to grips with Transformers as I was a commercial elec as a posed to factory maintenance so didn't really come across them much. So much appreciate your help
Hi, that's a ratio of about 4 : 1,. It will work to get an inverter running, but only with a few watts. If it gets real hot, then there's your answer. Give it a try, cheers
Hi Andy, I realise its a old unit and your post is also a few years old. But I was wondering if you might have tried or know if the unit, TL1500AS, in working condition. Does it actually put out 240 Vac (Australian version) from the AC plug, making it usable to power devices (as in off grid situation) of 240vac products? Or does it require an existing 240vac source input to actually work? Kind regards John.
John, thanks for the question. Yes, all grid inverters need a mains input to make them work, they use the mains signal to run the occilator so the the output in syncronus the voltage and cycles, cheers.
Andy Reynolds Thank you Andy. So it could be possible to use say a 12vdc battery supplied 300watt dc-ac inverter to trick a 1.5kvac in to then be able to use the 1.5kvac inverter power effectively in an off grid style way? Or would the supply voltage from the 1.5kvac inverter likely blow the 300watt inverter once it exceeds the 300watt range? As there would be no grid for the excess to go in too. Just avoiding buying a new inverter from dc-ac if possible.
Hi Andy I have one of these and the screen has gone blank and there is no a/c output so not getting any clues on what is wrong, are these generally repairable by a service guy or do I just hunt down a replacement.
Hi. It could be something simple like a wiring fault, or the AC board fuse. Check that AC is getting as far as the fuse next to the relays. If you are looking for a replacement I would look at a Samil solar river 2.3 or the abb power of a similar size. They both start at a similar DC voltage. All these inverters need to be mounted somewhere cool with good ventilation. See my video on a Samil to SMA comparison. Subscribed? Cheers, Andy
Hi, don't try to remove the old relay as the board is double sides and varnished. See my other video on this inverter: ua-cam.com/video/dlYATJYB6RU/v-deo.html. It show a relay piggybacked on to the original with jumper wires. It's a 12v relay and the resistance of the coil is modified with a resistor to prevent excess current draw from the control board. If you find the data sheet for the original relays that will give the coil resistance. I added a resistor and then made sure the relay pulled in at 12v DC. Cheers
You have to scroll down a bit, but there's a discussion of replacing the relays here: forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2201194 It doesn't discuss removing the cover or sub-boards, but that's not too hard. Getting the main board off after removing all the screws and connectors takes a bit of gentle working around the edges. One trick is the vertical PCB board is attached by a small plastic 90 degree support-that is removeable by squeezing the plug under the main board. Hoping the relays are the only fault. Did you ever find out how to reset the unit if another message occurs after relays replacement? Removing the relays by desoldering was no drama. I installed the relay support to make relay replacement simple plug-out-plug in next time. The original relays are not top-line, so replacement with better quality relays is recommended to get longer life out of them. Cheers!
Hey Andy the bloody thing had a relay fault now it has a isolation fault, what would cause this ? Wiring from the panels or those 2 relays need cleaning again as I am writing on the new relays to turn up from China!!
I had an isolation fault and tracked it down to the panel wiring, I uploaded a video about it if that's any use to you. Also there is my video on extending inverter life. Hope you have liked and subscribed, cheers
I unfortunately have a different fault. Yesterday 07/10/2020 we had three power cuts in quick succession and I think my TL4000 has been spiked, it's now showing VAC Failure. I powered it off overnight and have measured the AC on the motherboard this morning which is presently 237v That matches the voltage on the display so afaik it's within UK range, what I can't do is check the inverter settings. I bet the configs been screwed and its reverted to a non UK setting or a non UK compatible default :( The manual suggest there is a application called 'Easy Config' that can be used to configure these via the USB port, googling such a common term as 'Easy Config' is a hopeless task though The manufacturer has long since disappeared so it looks like I will be buying a replacement Inverter now. I wonder if there is a way via the screen to check if it set to UK G83 or whatever its called?
Hi, that's tough, many inverters show G83 as the screen lights up, but not all of them. There are plenty of used and cheap inverters on Ebay, I quite like the solar rivers. Have you seen my video on extending inverter life and subscribed? cheers
Andy Reynolds Thanks ironically after being dead all day yesterday it came back to life this afternoon Mains voltage hasn’t changed nor has the frequency very odd.
Sir which components are use in solar hybrid inverter for supply excess energy to grid How can we make circuit to convert normal inverter to hybrid solar inverter
Hi, it's quite simple, you use a solar grid inverter. The panels are connected in series and then plugged into the DC input of the solar grid inverter. The inverter is wired into the mains and when the sun shines it puts power into the house wiring and then if you don't use it the surplus goes into the grid, see my book Wind and Solar Electricity. Look at my channel page and see the details under the "about" tab, cheers
Hi. Not sure if you've been asked this yet, but have you had luck with replacing a damaged LCD? As in the unit works fine, but does not output anything to the display...
Hi, the screens simply plug in so are relatively easy to change, you wouldn't want to spend very much as there are plenty of better second hand inverters on Ebay, like an SMA SB. The rule of thumb is always fit a slightly bigger inverter so it is not running at flat out. I suppose I should do a video about this, I hope you have watched the play list on grid inverters, subscribed? cheers
If your display is similar to the one in the video, it is almost certainly based on an HD44780 (or a clone of it). The one in the video has 2 lines with 20 characters each. You can easily find a replacement LCD display almost everywhere.
Hi there, you’ve got a subscriber thanks so much. Are you at all familiar with sunny boy inverters? I’ve got a K1 open error that is continually on. Any idea where to start?
Hi, the only ones I familiar with are the SB 1700 transformer models. Not sure if open error is a relay fault or not. Is AC and DC getting into the inverter, what is the DC voltage and have you done a short circuit test on the panel string? cheers
@@TheInfoworks It’s also a transformer type, but 7kw. It’s getting both AC (230v, I’m from South Africa) and just over 600v DC, how would I do the short circuit test? I’m very limited with my electrical experience. Thanks for the reply.
Jayson, with limited electrical experience I would forget the short circuit test as you would need a DC clamp meter, I suspect you have a relay fault but only experiment would confirm that. I have several videos on various inverters with relay problems, it's a matter of examining the relay contacts and looking for burnt solder joints, cheers
Ashley, if you had an isolator fault on either the AC or DC then power would not be getting into the unit, and so it would not power up. However there is also an isolation fault and this is commonly due to earth leakage from the DC side. I've done a video about this, found in the solar grid inverter playlist. Hope this helps, subscribed? cheers
@@TheInfoworks hi Andy, thank you I will have a look it worked fine after the fix you show for a few week then showed the insulator fault. Is there any other relays that could cause this, I’ll check the other video
@@ashleywaldron5211 Hi, you only need to change the power relays you have already changed. Have you checked your solder joints? Isolation fault is in the panel wiring and is a small drain to earth. High voltage DC is tricky stuff and can leak through cable insulation, that's why solar cable is double insulated, cheers
Hi Andy, I hope you don't mind a question, I have a solar river inverter it doesn't fire up the LCD turns on but no characters the power led blinks on briefly but that's it. I am thinking dc voltage too low so setting up the test jig as you describe here I was about to order a capacitor 450v 30uf cbb60 I thought they were non polarized but it has blue and brown leads is this right? And will a resister be needed too? Many thanks in advance.
Rich, the capacitor is there to smooth the DC after the recifier. I used a non polorised because polarity did not matter but you can use a DC one as long as you get it the right way round. If it's the wrong way it will continue to pass current and warm up (see the capacitor for preventing contact arcs video). You could use a standard motor start capacitor as they are rated for the full voltage of mains which is 330v at the top of the sine wave. Those found in old flourecent light fittings will do and even a 5 uf will help, or 2 in parallel. A 1 meg omh resistor across the cap will slowly dump the charge but not let power through. Hope you have success, be interesting to hear how you get on. Is the mains getting through to the inverter, there is an internal fuse. Cheers, Andy
Andy Reynolds brilliant I shall get it ordered thank you very much for this. At present yes the mains does seem to be getting through (there was no obvious fuse?) But I test various points with the meter and the ac side does seem to be working. The inverter just doesn't want to fire up when dc is applied so after seeing your video of a bench test I figure it can't hurt setting the dc input somewhere between the rated start-up and max to see if this makes a difference. Thank you for taking the time to reply it's very much appreciated.
Hi Andy, quick update. Got all the parts and wired up it gave me enough dc to start up the inverter. I still had no output to the LCD but got a serial(RS232) connection and the faults there show "No Utility" but in the status page it happily shows my AC grid voltage and frequency. So I am quite puzzled, the relay on the DC side clicks on and off after a short while but the one's on the AC side never move. I cannot see an obvious 'glass type fuse' unless it's a surface mount one but seems odd the power software shows there is grid connection and the volts/freq is within it's parameters. Any ideas? I realise it's difficult when you can't see it but you seem very knowledgeable with these devices.
Rich, both of my solar river 2300tl have a ceramic fuse near the relays. If the ac relay is not working I would pop the cover off and see if there a mains voltage on one of the contacts. Also check the relay coil , they are commonly 12 or 24v. I assume you have seen my Solar River relay fix video. cheers, Andy
Andy Reynolds I have certainly seen your video :). I will get the tops popped off and check for ac on the contact. I definitely can't see a ceramic fuse on this unit it is fairly old now though board date is (2009) I think. I did take the control board out to test the LCD in the mean time, I think I may have a short there when I connect 5v and gnd to the vss and vdd pins the 'good' led flicks on then off and the back light comes on (from testing 3 other working 16 pin 16x2 lcd this shouldn't happen) I will have another test of the relay tomorrow as you have suggested though and see what I get. Really appreciate your help
Why a non-polarising capacitor? Surely an electrolytic would be fine, as long as 400V or whatever rating. I assume it's on the DC side of the bridge rectifier?
Hi, yes you are right,and it is on te DC side of the rectifier. II used this one for several reasons, firstly that's the one I had, and secondly the DC polarity is not important with this types of capacitor, cheers
Hi. I used a very small craft saw about 2 inches long, but you could use a dremmel very gently. Remove the top first so you can see what is happening, Subscribed? cheers, Andy
Hi Andy, nice video. Helpful to see the fault inside the unit hooked up and "live". I have (a) disconnected, (b) removed from wall, (c) opened case, (d) removed display & attached vertical PCB, (e) removed connectors (some bit of wiggling/pulling) and (e) removed the main PCBs in order to replace the two relays. Heaps of these units in Australia, & "Relay-Check Fail" very common. Despite frequency (and rather simple fix most of the time), there are few electronics repairers willing to replace the relays-warranty or not. I know how to solder/desolder PCB components, just takes patience and methodological approach. I'd advanced to the main PCB removal to replace the relays before seeing your "quick fix". It's so common a problem, there is a very useful discussion thread RE replacing the relays: forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2201194 I'm also installing relay bases as suggested as I'd like to just pop-out/in replacement relays when they inevitably fail again.
Hi Andy, If I simply use a 220 Volts to 110 Volts step-down transformer connected to the AC and on the 110 Volts end just connect a 25A 400 Volt GBPC2504, which is available on ebay, will it not produce ripple-free dc, suitable for the input of inverter? Just a question :) Thanks
HI. Firstly you need to make sure the transformer is isolation rather than auto so the you get full isolation on the output from the mains, Secondly you need a capacitor to smooth out the ripple. Thirdly you need a method of varying the voltage so that you can check how the MPPT is working, and also you need sufficient volts for the grid inverter to start. Using the 110 volt out limits your testing, but if you use a variac with your transformer the other way round will give varable volts up to 400v DC. Very Dangerous. Cheers
Andy Reynolds thanks Andy, I am fully aware of the danger of high voltage dc, but for testing purpose in my lab, this setup is best, since it's very difficult to find fault when the inveter is mounted on the wall. I need variac, isolation transformer and the capacitor. Do you have specs or models of these parts or even links where I can purchase these. Also will the capacitor need to be connected to the secondary coil output, I.e. 230 volts ac and then into the bridge? cheers
HI. Just a variac with a 240v input that will cope with 250 watts or more. The capacitor of about 20 UF at 400v is acroos the DC output of the rectifier. The capacitor can be either a DC or AC unit. Cheers
Richard, yes high voltage DC is dangerous, it's proof of concept without which learning is difficult. There are no directly exposed terminals where both + and - can be touched easily at the same time, cheers
@@TheInfoworks yeah it is just there are some part in which are blurry, had to see I wanted to copy it myself however I could not without extra research I only put this comment for the viewers because some people really do lack knowledge.
i should watch more of these videos. there so much in the practical approach that my theory learning cannot provide
Thanks for the appreciation. Theory without practical application is where the armchair theorists reside. These videos are about promoting self reliance. I hope you have you subscribed. Cheers, Andy
Just had the same problem with relays on a Samil inverter,ripped the covers off relays and with a bit of a clean and poke it's working again.Will still order a couple of new ones but with the help of your handy video it's proved what the problem is....Thanks from OZ.
Hi. I have piggy backed new relays rather than try to remove the originals. Make sure ther original relay coil is disconnected. Subscribed? Cheers
Your a legend mate. Wish I had you as an apprentice master. A wealth of knowledge and funny as. Thanks for your vid.
Hi, thanks for the appreciation, have you subscribed and checked out my books? Cheers
G,day Andy well I broke the top off my relays give the relay contacts a quick rub with 800 grit sand paper and give it a try and its a goer. I have ordered a couple on line so I will install when they arrive. You saved my about $500. Cheers mate
Your welcome mate, hope it goes well, you will need a solder sucker to remove the old ones, hope it goes well, I hope you have subscribed and liked, cheers
The original relays are song chuan 894h-2ah1-f-s, but it is not worth ordering them as they have very small contacts, definately not 12 amps. I found some Finder units, type 40.52. 12v coil at about 180 ohms and double pole single throw ( DPST) normally open. I have replaced one relay with one a 12v coil unit with much bigger contacts and put a resistor in series with the coil to keep it close to 180 ohms to avoid any possible problems with the control processor.
Thanks for your videos Andy. I've used the knowledge gained to repair an Aurora inverter and plan to have a go at some of the other inverters in our junk pile :-)
Simon, that's grand, I'm always interested in non working inverters, one can learn stuff from them, cheers
Thanks for the video, Andy, I just repaired a MacSolar TL 1500 inverter along the same lines (was able to clean up the existing relay contacts with 1200 grit). We'll see how long that lasts! Interestingly, the MacSolar main board looks identical to the EverSolar board, bar a minor revision or so, so I expect it was sourced from the same Chinese factory. May be useful info for others out there. I've ordered a couple of replacement relays, for the next time the contacts die.
Hi, thanks for the comment, the relay contacts are a bit small, see my video on extending inverter life to try to prevent further damage, subscribed? cheers
HI Andy very well explained and thanks for sharing . All the way from down under OZ.
HI, thanks for the appreciation. This is a non commercial channel and info sharing is the main driver, cheers
Hi Andy, thank you so much for the video!! I have a TL 2000 inverter with the same fault. Replaced the relays and it's all good.
Ezra, splendid news, another inverter saved, please see my video on extending inverter life, hope you have liked and subscribed. see "About" tab on my channel page, cheers
Helped me no end, bent the contacts around a bit and happy days, Solar back on after 2 years of nothing.
Splendid, grand news, hope you have subscribed, cheers
I just love your simple bud very accurate diagnosis thums up !!!
Cheers Rick, more where that came from, subscribed?
@@TheInfoworks Sorry For The late reply, of course I did subscribe to your Channel 👍🏻😁🤝🏻😁👍🏻
Thank you very much for your most valuable tip for repairing relay failure. My Omnik 2K -TL grid inverter stops working. check relay fault. it is under warranty, But I repair it my self. Thank your once again.....
Excellent, self reliance improved. Have you subscribed to this non commercal channel? Cheers, Andy. Please give thumbs up.
Yes I am... Cheers..
Suranga
all in all a great video stay safe Andy and bring more videos well done
That's better
Hi Andy I have a growatt and a solar river inverter and they both just sit there with waiting on the screen do u have any idea what could b wrong Regards Rick
Rick, time to go to work, check you have mains power at the unit, and the DC volts are high enough (see inverter label). Then find the relays, remove the covers and clean and adjust the contacts. Cheers
Hi Andy, a great video demonstration there. Keep up the good work! Do you have experience with grid inverter - JFY how to fix it? or do you have any video on JFY inverter?
Sorry no, but check the board for burn marks and check the relays. Just use basic principles and check for any fuses, Hope you subscribe, cheers
Hi Andy, with the output relay covers, do the plastic covers need to be replaced? Or can the unit run ok without the covers (i.e is it safe)?
Hi, in my experience they work just fine without the covers and you can see what's happening, cheers
Hello,thanks for this video! I have a solar inventer Shint 1.5ktl. The inventer does n,t work at all this moment.The solar string is still working when i put it on a other inverter.
when there is enough DC Input (350v), and there is 230v AC Output the inventer gives no startup at all.My question? What is defect on this shint 1.5ktl ,are there parts to repair in it,there where never problems and there is nothing defects to see inside?
Hi, there's not enough info. If it is totally dead then suspect internal fuses etc, check the power is getting to the circuits, cheers
Seems from web forums that these two relays very often fail in this model inverter Andy :o(
Hope you can obtain a couple of good quality replacements from RS or elsewhere .... Cheers,
Dave
Dave, I have some from Finder, difficult to find at 12v coil with double pole, single throw. Not looking forward to trying the replacement as it is a double sided board. Might try just stiching them on top and see if that works. Cheers
Yeah, I see what you mean. I looked and found these at RS - Finder part # 50.12.9.012.5000 ...these look like a pretty good direct replacement relay (pin spacing is same) - is this what you have maybe ? Why would you not try and remove the old relays and solder-in the Finder ones, unless the relays you have are not the same pin spacing or something ? You'd have to snip off the two legs which are the NC contacts, and make sure the stubs aren't going to touch tracks on the top of the board of course :o)
"Stitching in" a relay is surely a ghastly last resort ???....Just my 2p worth..Cheers, Dave
Dave
I took the board out of another of these. It means taking everything out and removing various sub boards. When I put it back together it would not work and came out with Ground and GSI faults that were previously not shown. Maybe if it is dismantled then some for of reset is required?
So I am reticent to repeat this process if it is unnecessary. Cheers, Andy
Understood Andy - difficult either way then :o( Good luck, Dave
I wouldn't be too keen to remove one of those boards either...! When the bodged relays won't handle any more tweaking you could always cut out most of the component from the top & use the stubs as connexion points for new relays. ;)
Hi Andy finding your channel really interesting, I'm hooked! What VA would be suitable transformer and what size rectifier Thanks again
HI, I shouldn't worry too much, all you need is a reasonably sized isolation transformer (not an auto) that has an in - out ratio of 2 or 3. A 240 to 110 would do as long as it is a true isolating unit ( separate in and out coils). If your variac puts 120 in you will get about 250 out. High voltage recitiers (400v min) at about 5 amps will be OK. Warning : it's alll dangerous, especially the high voltage DC, so take care, and then a bit more care. Hope that makes sense, cheers, Andy
Andy Reynolds Hi again, yes I well definitely be careful I'm a semi-retired Spark so know it needs respect. With regard to the transformer would a 50VA 415-110v be big enough o do I need to think much bigger I never really got to grips with Transformers as I was a commercial elec as a posed to factory maintenance so didn't really come across them much. So much appreciate your help
Hi, that's a ratio of about 4 : 1,. It will work to get an inverter running, but only with a few watts. If it gets real hot, then there's your answer. Give it a try, cheers
Hi Andy, I realise its a old unit and your post is also a few years old. But I was wondering if you might have tried or know if the unit, TL1500AS, in working condition. Does it actually put out 240 Vac (Australian version) from the AC plug, making it usable to power devices (as in off grid situation) of 240vac products?
Or does it require an existing 240vac source input to actually work?
Kind regards
John.
John, thanks for the question. Yes, all grid inverters need a mains input to make them work, they use the mains signal to run the occilator so the the output in syncronus the voltage and cycles, cheers.
Andy Reynolds Thank you Andy. So it could be possible to use say a 12vdc battery supplied 300watt dc-ac inverter to trick a 1.5kvac in to then be able to use the 1.5kvac inverter power effectively in an off grid style way? Or would the supply voltage from the 1.5kvac inverter likely blow the 300watt inverter once it exceeds the 300watt range? As there would be no grid for the excess to go in too. Just avoiding buying a new inverter from dc-ac if possible.
John, battery inverters don't like mains power up them unless they are an expensive modern bi directional unit. So yes it will just go pop, cheers
Do you happen to have the model number of the relays?
Hi Andy is there anyway a grid feed inverter can be modified to be used off grid to supply power to a well pump from solar panels with no grid feed
Hi, no they need a mains signal, and on cloudy days you will need a battery to provide sufficient current, chees
Hi Andy I have one of these and the screen has gone blank and there is no a/c output so not getting any clues on what is wrong, are these generally repairable by a service guy or do I just hunt down a replacement.
Hi. It could be something simple like a wiring fault, or the AC board fuse. Check that AC is getting as far as the fuse next to the relays. If you are looking for a replacement I would look at a Samil solar river 2.3 or the abb power of a similar size. They both start at a similar DC voltage. All these inverters need to be mounted somewhere cool with good ventilation. See my video on a Samil to SMA comparison. Subscribed? Cheers, Andy
Thanks Andy will check it out
Thanks for your great contribution!
"...tough!"
😁
Cheers, John
hi Andy, i got the TL1500, i need to change the relay. If I replace it with a 12V 15A 250V , a bigger Amp than the old, does it matter?
Hi, don't try to remove the old relay as the board is double sides and varnished. See my other video on this inverter: ua-cam.com/video/dlYATJYB6RU/v-deo.html. It show a relay piggybacked on to the original with jumper wires. It's a 12v relay and the resistance of the coil is modified with a resistor to prevent excess current draw from the control board. If you find the data sheet for the original relays that will give the coil resistance. I added a resistor and then made sure the relay pulled in at 12v DC. Cheers
You have to scroll down a bit, but there's a discussion of replacing the relays here: forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2201194
It doesn't discuss removing the cover or sub-boards, but that's not too hard. Getting the main board off after removing all the screws and connectors takes a bit of gentle working around the edges. One trick is the vertical PCB board is attached by a small plastic 90 degree support-that is removeable by squeezing the plug under the main board.
Hoping the relays are the only fault. Did you ever find out how to reset the unit if another message occurs after relays replacement? Removing the relays by desoldering was no drama. I installed the relay support to make relay replacement simple plug-out-plug in next time. The original relays are not top-line, so replacement with better quality relays is recommended to get longer life out of them. Cheers!
good tip, that the big alley block is live 110 volt
Good to hear from you, it's an old video and great to get a comment on it. Strange how the capacitor block setup, cheers
Hey Andy the bloody thing had a relay fault now it has a isolation fault, what would cause this ? Wiring from the panels or those 2 relays need cleaning again as I am writing on the new relays to turn up from China!!
I had an isolation fault and tracked it down to the panel wiring, I uploaded a video about it if that's any use to you. Also there is my video on extending inverter life. Hope you have liked and subscribed, cheers
I unfortunately have a different fault.
Yesterday 07/10/2020 we had three power cuts in quick succession and I think my TL4000 has been spiked, it's now showing VAC Failure.
I powered it off overnight and have measured the AC on the motherboard this morning which is presently 237v
That matches the voltage on the display so afaik it's within UK range, what I can't do is check the inverter settings.
I bet the configs been screwed and its reverted to a non UK setting or a non UK compatible default :(
The manual suggest there is a application called 'Easy Config' that can be used to configure these via the USB port, googling such a common term as 'Easy Config' is a hopeless task though
The manufacturer has long since disappeared so it looks like I will be buying a replacement Inverter now.
I wonder if there is a way via the screen to check if it set to UK G83 or whatever its called?
Hi, that's tough, many inverters show G83 as the screen lights up, but not all of them. There are plenty of used and cheap inverters on Ebay, I quite like the solar rivers. Have you seen my video on extending inverter life and subscribed? cheers
Andy Reynolds Thanks ironically after being dead all day yesterday it came back to life this afternoon Mains voltage hasn’t changed nor has the frequency very odd.
Good news but curious, just appreciate. I don't want to say any more that may offend the inverter gods, cheers
Sir which components are use in solar hybrid inverter for supply excess energy to grid
How can we make circuit to convert normal inverter to hybrid solar inverter
Hi, it's quite simple, you use a solar grid inverter. The panels are connected in series and then plugged into the DC input of the solar grid inverter. The inverter is wired into the mains and when the sun shines it puts power into the house wiring and then if you don't use it the surplus goes into the grid, see my book Wind and Solar Electricity. Look at my channel page and see the details under the "about" tab, cheers
Do you have experience for Zeversolar grid tie inverter, electrolyte capacitors 220 microFarad 25vdc bulging cause fault 03(relay fault)
I'd say change those capacitors but I doubt it causes a relay fault unless one of the capacitors is a dead short, cheers
Hi. Not sure if you've been asked this yet, but have you had luck with replacing a damaged LCD? As in the unit works fine, but does not output anything to the display...
Hi, the screens simply plug in so are relatively easy to change, you wouldn't want to spend very much as there are plenty of better second hand inverters on Ebay, like an SMA SB. The rule of thumb is always fit a slightly bigger inverter so it is not running at flat out. I suppose I should do a video about this, I hope you have watched the play list on grid inverters, subscribed? cheers
@@TheInfoworks I only found your videos this morning but will be keenly watch from today. :)
If your display is similar to the one in the video, it is almost certainly based on an HD44780 (or a clone of it). The one in the video has 2 lines with 20 characters each. You can easily find a replacement LCD display almost everywhere.
Hi there, you’ve got a subscriber thanks so much. Are you at all familiar with sunny boy inverters? I’ve got a K1 open error that is continually on. Any idea where to start?
Hi, the only ones I familiar with are the SB 1700 transformer models. Not sure if open error is a relay fault or not. Is AC and DC getting into the inverter, what is the DC voltage and have you done a short circuit test on the panel string? cheers
@@TheInfoworks It’s also a transformer type, but 7kw. It’s getting both AC (230v, I’m from South Africa) and just over 600v DC, how would I do the short circuit test? I’m very limited with my electrical experience. Thanks for the reply.
Jayson, with limited electrical experience I would forget the short circuit test as you would need a DC clamp meter, I suspect you have a relay fault but only experiment would confirm that. I have several videos on various inverters with relay problems, it's a matter of examining the relay contacts and looking for burnt solder joints, cheers
@@TheInfoworks Thanks a lot, I will keep you posted 💪🏻
This worked you legend 🍻
Splendid, hope you've subscribed, cheers
Hi Andy,
Have you had a isolator fault on the unit after fixing the relays?
Ashley, if you had an isolator fault on either the AC or DC then power would not be getting into the unit, and so it would not power up. However there is also an isolation fault and this is commonly due to earth leakage from the DC side. I've done a video about this, found in the solar grid inverter playlist. Hope this helps, subscribed? cheers
@@TheInfoworks hi Andy, thank you I will have a look it worked fine after the fix you show for a few week then showed the insulator fault. Is there any other relays that could cause this, I’ll check the other video
What dose the relay under the screen do dose it need to be changed aswell?
@@ashleywaldron5211 Hi, you only need to change the power relays you have already changed. Have you checked your solder joints? Isolation fault is in the panel wiring and is a small drain to earth. High voltage DC is tricky stuff and can leak through cable insulation, that's why solar cable is double insulated, cheers
@@TheInfoworks thank you again for the reply checking solder joint in the inverter unit or the panels?
Hi Andy, I hope you don't mind a question, I have a solar river inverter it doesn't fire up the LCD turns on but no characters the power led blinks on briefly but that's it. I am thinking dc voltage too low so setting up the test jig as you describe here I was about to order a capacitor 450v 30uf cbb60 I thought they were non polarized but it has blue and brown leads is this right? And will a resister be needed too?
Many thanks in advance.
Rich, the capacitor is there to smooth the DC after the recifier. I used a non polorised because polarity did not matter but you can use a DC one as long as you get it the right way round. If it's the wrong way it will continue to pass current and warm up (see the capacitor for preventing contact arcs video). You could use a standard motor start capacitor as they are rated for the full voltage of mains which is 330v at the top of the sine wave. Those found in old flourecent light fittings will do and even a 5 uf will help, or 2 in parallel. A 1 meg omh resistor across the cap will slowly dump the charge but not let power through. Hope you have success, be interesting to hear how you get on. Is the mains getting through to the inverter, there is an internal fuse. Cheers, Andy
Andy Reynolds brilliant I shall get it ordered thank you very much for this. At present yes the mains does seem to be getting through (there was no obvious fuse?) But I test various points with the meter and the ac side does seem to be working. The inverter just doesn't want to fire up when dc is applied so after seeing your video of a bench test I figure it can't hurt setting the dc input somewhere between the rated start-up and max to see if this makes a difference. Thank you for taking the time to reply it's very much appreciated.
Hi Andy, quick update. Got all the parts and wired up it gave me enough dc to start up the inverter. I still had no output to the LCD but got a serial(RS232) connection and the faults there show "No Utility" but in the status page it happily shows my AC grid voltage and frequency. So I am quite puzzled, the relay on the DC side clicks on and off after a short while but the one's on the AC side never move. I cannot see an obvious 'glass type fuse' unless it's a surface mount one but seems odd the power software shows there is grid connection and the volts/freq is within it's parameters.
Any ideas? I realise it's difficult when you can't see it but you seem very knowledgeable with these devices.
Rich, both of my solar river 2300tl have a ceramic fuse near the relays. If the ac relay is not working I would pop the cover off and see if there a mains voltage on one of the contacts. Also check the relay coil , they are commonly 12 or 24v. I assume you have seen my Solar River relay fix video. cheers, Andy
Andy Reynolds I have certainly seen your video :). I will get the tops popped off and check for ac on the contact. I definitely can't see a ceramic fuse on this unit it is fairly old now though board date is (2009) I think.
I did take the control board out to test the LCD in the mean time, I think I may have a short there when I connect 5v and gnd to the vss and vdd pins the 'good' led flicks on then off and the back light comes on (from testing 3 other working 16 pin 16x2 lcd this shouldn't happen) I will have another test of the relay tomorrow as you have suggested though and see what I get. Really appreciate your help
Why a non-polarising capacitor? Surely an electrolytic would be fine, as long as 400V or whatever rating. I assume it's on the DC side of the bridge rectifier?
Hi, yes you are right,and it is on te DC side of the rectifier. II used this one for several reasons, firstly that's the one I had, and secondly the DC polarity is not important with this types of capacitor, cheers
hi andy can you explain how to remove two relay cover.....please
thanks
tomykurian
Hi. I used a very small craft saw about 2 inches long, but you could use a dremmel very gently. Remove the top first so you can see what is happening, Subscribed? cheers, Andy
Hi Andy, nice video. Helpful to see the fault inside the unit hooked up and "live". I have (a) disconnected, (b) removed from wall, (c) opened case, (d) removed display & attached vertical PCB, (e) removed connectors (some bit of wiggling/pulling) and (e) removed the main PCBs in order to replace the two relays. Heaps of these units in Australia, & "Relay-Check Fail" very common. Despite frequency (and rather simple fix most of the time), there are few electronics repairers willing to replace the relays-warranty or not. I know how to solder/desolder PCB components, just takes patience and methodological approach. I'd advanced to the main PCB removal to replace the relays before seeing your "quick fix". It's so common a problem, there is a very useful discussion thread RE replacing the relays: forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2201194 I'm also installing relay bases as suggested as I'd like to just pop-out/in replacement relays when they inevitably fail again.
and for sunny boy 1700 ?????
Y have a error k1 open
Hi Andy, If I simply use a 220 Volts to 110 Volts step-down transformer connected to the AC and on the 110 Volts end just connect a 25A 400 Volt GBPC2504, which is available on ebay, will it not produce ripple-free dc, suitable for the input of inverter? Just a question :)
Thanks
HI. Firstly you need to make sure the transformer is isolation rather than auto so the you get full isolation on the output from the mains, Secondly you need a capacitor to smooth out the ripple. Thirdly you need a method of varying the voltage so that you can check how the MPPT is working, and also you need sufficient volts for the grid inverter to start. Using the 110 volt out limits your testing, but if you use a variac with your transformer the other way round will give varable volts up to 400v DC. Very Dangerous. Cheers
Andy Reynolds thanks Andy, I am fully aware of the danger of high voltage dc, but for testing purpose in my lab, this setup is best, since it's very difficult to find fault when the inveter is mounted on the wall. I need variac, isolation transformer and the capacitor. Do you have specs or models of these parts or even links where I can purchase these. Also will the capacitor need to be connected to the secondary coil output, I.e. 230 volts ac and then into the bridge? cheers
HI. Just a variac with a 240v input that will cope with 250 watts or more. The capacitor of about 20 UF at 400v is acroos the DC output of the rectifier. The capacitor can be either a DC or AC unit. Cheers
Hello sir how are you
Im sunny khan
I want a grid tie inverter repairing learn with you
Plz help sir for guidness
Hi, see my solar inverter play list for other repairs and subscribe for new videos, cheers
if lacking knowledge do not copy this set up learn all safety steps first be for doing anything like this and do it at your own risk.
Richard, yes high voltage DC is dangerous, it's proof of concept without which learning is difficult. There are no directly exposed terminals where both + and - can be touched easily at the same time, cheers
@@TheInfoworks yeah it is just there are some part in which are blurry, had to see I wanted to copy it myself however I could not without extra research I only put this comment for the viewers because some people really do lack knowledge.