Having made it clear that you should maintain the inverter, it is time we discuss some of the ways to keep your solar inverter.
Perform correct wiring
The wiring process of the inverter should be done correctly according to the National electrical code. NEC lays out guidelines on how electrical tools should be connected. Thus, it would be wise to ensure that the wiring of the inverter follows the NEC guidelines.
Installation environment
If you do not choose the installation environment well, you will expose the inverter to numerous risks, certainly shortening its lifespan.
Which is the right environment to install an inverter?
First, you should do it indoors, in a cool and well-ventilated room. Secondly, the inverter should not obstruct the cooling fans to prevent them from overheating, which would result in fire accidents.
Additionally, the room should have continuous proper ventilation with appropriate levels of moisture and be far from liquids.
Avoid flammable gases
Some of the electric units may produce sparks, and an inverter is one of them. Hence, it would help if you kept it far from anything that would cause a fire accident at every cost. For instance, you should keep it far from flammable gases, which would accelerate the sparks to fire flames.
Maintain the battery
Further, some solar inverters use batteries which also need maintenance. Be warned; there are multiple risks associated with batteries, such s shocks, and fire accidents, to mention a few.
To maintain a battery, first, you should ensure that the battery compartment is well ventilated according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. Let me explain why. While charging, the battery produces hydrogen and oxygen gases. These gases need good circulation to prevent them from building up, affecting the functioning of the battery.
Apart from that, it would help if you were very careful when handling the battery. You should remove any bracelets, rings, watches, or anything else that is metallic. Why? These power sources can produce a short circuit current capable of welding a light metal resulting in fire burns.
Avoid input over-voltage
Inverters have a maximum voltage that they can effectively handle. That explains why several solar inverters are suitable for residential units while others are recommended for commercial units. As you can quickly tell, a solar inverter crafted for a small unit used in a residential house cannot be used for the large-scale current conversion as needed in commercial units.
Consequently, you should not think of interchanging the inverters. Similarly, when replacing solar inverters, you should ensure you get the correct type for the solar system. To summarize everything, the input voltage should not exceed the recommended DC input voltage from the solar panel.
Avoid direct outputs
Connecting the AC output of the inverter directly to the electric panel results in a parallel operation. This operation on different power sources may cause the AC power to be fed back to the unit, damaging the output section.
Therefore, you should avoid connecting the ac output of an inverter directly to the electrical breaker panel.
Replace the parts
I will be frank with you, just like other items, solar inverter components have limited lifespans. Thus, you will need to replace them after depleting their lifespan or maybe when they are faulty.
The point is that you should order the correct replacement parts, advisably from the manufacturer. You should also ensure that you remove the faulty parts correctly without causing further damage.
Sunny Boy Inverter Maintenance
You can follow the same maintenance tips for the sunny boy’s inverter as well.
However, they do have professional service and troubleshooting services as well. So if you feel the need to look at your inverter with a sunny boy personally, then contact them through this link.
What’s the lifespan of an inverter?
Solar inverters have a lifespan of approximately ten years. However, some of the manufacturers of micro-inverters claim that they can live up to 25 years which is not yet tested.
However, several factors may decrease the lifespan of the inverters. For instance, high humidity levels and temperatures will cause them to depreciate sooner than later.
How do I fix my inverter?
Even after looking at the maintenance tips of the inverters, we cannot give a blind eye to the day-to-day issues you might face while maintaining these units. Some of these issues include;
- A blown a fuse when using a permanent terminal
- Discharged battery
- A faulty switch may prevent the inverter from powering on
- Corroded terminal due to the moisture and hydrogen produced when recharging
Well, identifying the problem and not solving it doesn’t help at all. Thus, let’s look at the possible hacks that will help fix your inverter.
- Check for a faulty switch.
If your power inverter cannot start even after pushing the switch, you should check if the switch is faulty. To do that, unplug the inverter and change the power source. If it can’t start yet, that means you will have to replace the switch. If you are not acquainted with the necessary skills, you will have to hire a professional electrician to fix it.
- Check the battery connection.
As we earlier said, any electrical connection should follow the national electrical codes. Hence, if the inverter can’t start, maybe the power is not flowing from the battery. Thus you should look at the battery connections and ensure that it is done well.
- Replace faulty battery
At times the problem might not be the inverter but the battery. Thus, if you have used the battery for some time, likely it has awakened and needs to be replaced. Therefore you should order a replacement from the manufacturer.
- Diagnose the inverter
If the switch is working correctly and the battery system is fine, the inverter has some issues. To help you easily trace the problem, you should have a diagram of the inverter likely from the manual. Then, look at all the connection points of the inverter, comparing them to the diagram. Also, you can use a voltmeter to check if the current is flowing well.
General solar inverter replacement cost
The cost of replacing a solar inverter can vary depending on the brand, model, capacity, and other factors.
Here is a table with approximate replacement costs for some popular solar inverter brands:
Solar Inverter Brand | Model | Capacity | Replacement Cost (USD) |
---|---|---|---|
Sunsynk | Sunsynk 5kW | 5 kW | $1500 – $3,000 |
Solax | X1 Boost 5kW | 5 kW | $2000 – $3,200 |
Growatt | Growatt 5kW | 5 kW | $1000 – $1,300 |
Fronius | Primo 5.0-1 | 5 kW | $3,000 – $4,000 |
Please note that these are general estimates and actual costs may vary depending on your location, the complexity of the installation, and other factors.
It’s always a good idea to get multiple quotes from reputable installers before making a decision.
Eng. Matthew Joseph Nandirio is the Founder of walkingsolar.
After graduating from the University of Houston in 2002, matt started working as a Solar Electrical Engineer for several multi-national solar energy companies.
He has a wide range of experiences including solar system requirement analysis, planning, maintaining, debugging and even solar device development through research.
He now shares his 20 years of expertise through his articles on the walkingsolar website.
Further, he is also the author of two books on Solar Technology, “Solar Power for Villages” and “DIY Solar System for Dummies”.