String Inverter dead after 4 months?

Hi Folks,

I had the new GivEnergy string inverter installed in Janaury. This was to replace my FiT inverter (IBB -rock solid). However, over a week ago, the inverter stopped working. And by that, I mean it would no longer convert solar production. No errors, no warnings. Nothing.

It just stays in Idle mode all the time. I can still log in, get all the readings etc. But it just isn't producing anything. I've rebooted it, turned everything off and one again. Nothing. No switches or anything have tripped.

I have contacted the installer who has said they have reached out to GivEnergy. I'd imagine it has to be a warranty claim? Is this process quick? As I am currently missing out on the best time of year after only 4 months. However, I've never had to deal with GivEnergy support etc (and it has to be led by the installer anyway).

Similarly, my inverter data tells me that my inverter is covered by warranty until 2029. However, I thought these came with a 12 year warranty? Confusing.

Any help or advice is appreciated. Are there any of the GivEnergy team on these forums who chase issues up? I'm hoping for a quick turnaround.

Are the DC breakers to the PV panels isolated/tripped?
Have any push connectors on the DC strings come apart?
It looks like something is off. Breaker in consumer unit?
Is your EM115/ Gem 120 glowing blue and giving data to the inverter.
https://givenergy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/UK-Datasheet-GEM120-Meter.pdf

neonplanet40 No errors, no warnings. Nothing.

Have you checked the remote control history? My Inverter ... remote control cog(top right) ... Jump to logs.

neonplanet40 over a week ago

You should be able to be more precise. Was the failure co-incident with any event, such as a thunderstorm or power outage?

How many strings are connected? What are the string voltages? What is the grid voltage?

Rubikcube
Thanks for the reply. I'm not an expert by any measure. So bare with me. I have attached image of the logs below from the past month.

Regarding my grid voltage - over the past month, it has ran between 245V and 255V. It sometimes reaches 257V. This has been reported to DNO.

Regaridng the failure. it coincided with nothing. It worked fine on the 10th June. Then, on the 11th, when the sun came up, it was in idle mode and hasn't generated since. I have a seprate Sigenergy system at my house. It is seperate (as the GivEnergy runs the older FiT system).

There is only one string connected with 8x Aiko 455w NS2 panels. I'm afraid I don't know where to find string voltage? Sorry. Hopefully the above is helpful.

SteveCook

Hi, nothing has tripped. I checked the DC breakers etc. All still set to 'on'.

No push connections have come apart that I can see.

Nothing tripped in consumer unit.

I don't have an EM115/ GEM 120. My givenergy conects to the Smart Port on my Sigenergy Gateway. It also hasn't tripped.

Looks like it may be stuck doing a firmware update.... Something Givenergy can help move along.
Or the dongle comms have been lost

wrighar

HI, that defintely isn't it.

I acutally ran the update AFTER it stopped working. In case that was the reason for the fault (even though I knew it to be unlikely). It didn't fix anything and the update was successful. As shown in the log.

neonplanet40 It is very unusual to change the Inverter Nominal Power. Maybe that was done by your installer investigating the fault? The correct setting for Inverter Nominal Power for a GIV-PV-3.6-G3 should be 3600. I don't think changing that setting has any effect until the inverter is restarted. It looks like it has been changed to 6000, so I would recommend it be changed back to 3600 and the inverter restarted.

To see the string voltage, select the PV DATA tab on the inverter page. Do you have any reason to think the problem is with the inverter and not the panels (or their wiring)?

I think your installer should come out and test the equipment. They should disconnect the panels and test them with a multimeter to ensure the panels are working. If the panels are working, they should try connecting the panels to the string 2 inputs to see if that makes a difference.

Rubikcube

Rubikcube

Thank you. I have attached the PV Data. Since the system stopped working from the 11th, there has been no data to show. But I have attached an image of the data now, and the alst time it generated (ordered from top - down for 'String 1 Voltage'.

Regarding the esternal change of the nominal power, I am unsure why this was done. They never said they changed anything. I have changed it back though. Although don't think that will fix it as the installer set the nominal power to 6000 on the 2025-01-31 when they commissioned it (for whatever reason).

I guess I don't know for sure it is the inverter. It jsut seemed the likeliest cause. I had my seperate Sigenergy system installed at the same time as this system. It also has its own 2 strings on a 6kW inverter. I've had no problems with it at all. So the only difference between the 2 systems really is the inverters.

I agree they should come out to check it. Unsure why they haven't to be honest. THey seem to want to wait for GivEnergy to tell them to do just that.

It could be the inverter, or it could be a failed panel, or it could be a connection on the roof that has come loose. I presume these are roof mounted panels? Ground mounted, you could probably inspect the cabling yourself.

It's a 10-minute job for an installer to check with a multimeter and identify where the problem lies. Fixing it may take longer! Even if it is the inverter, it may only be the PV1 circuit that has failed, and plugging the panels into PV2 might get things going again without replacing the inverter.

This isn't a DIY job, I would hassle your installer to send someone out. Tell them you think it could be the panels.

Rubikcube

Thanks for the advice. I have contacted them again to try and chase thing sup as I dislike having my FiT panels out of action during summer!

So Givenergy have only got in touch yesterday via email (its been over 2 weeks since reported to isntaller - who you must go through to get any support from Givenergy). They have asked for a picture of my inverter. And to turn it off and on again. Which I've done before (and they can see if they checked the logs). Now I've to wait up to 2 working days for a reply. Is this what this process is going to be like? Another 2 weeks asking me to do things that have already been done before they agree it isn't working properly. At this point it looks like I'm going to lose most of the summer. Wish I'd have went with Sigenergy for everything now. They seem more proactive.

It does seem to be my experience at the moment. Was (relatively) less painful until about 2 weeks ago when everything seemed to grind to a halt and no further contact.

there is no voltage recorded at the PV inverter. Like its not connected to anything. Is the rotary isolators all ON? Inc the one on the underside of the inverter?

TheDragon (GivEnergy)

Yes, everything is switched to on. THe front of the inverter jsut has a green light that is flashing on and off.

neonplanet40 Has the installer checked for voltage at the input WAGO terminals? Correct polarity?

TheDragon (GivEnergy) The installer hasn't come out at all. They have escalated it straight to Givenergy. I have asked them to come out twice but they replied telling me Givenergy would be in touch (and I received an email from Givenergy on Friday after 2 weeks since the system went down) . System is 4 months old.

The system had been working flawlessly until about 2 weeks ago when the inverter just stayed in 'waiting or idle' mode.

Does anyone have any recent experience with customer services regarding faulty hardware/dealing with warranty? I have nothing to compare to, other than a quick dealing with Sigenergy back in February.

My inverter stopped randomly on or around the 11th of June as mentioned in my OP.Ii've been chasing the installer since then to get it sorted. After 1 week, they said it had been forwarded to GIvenergy. On friday (2 weeks later), I got an email from Givenergy regarding the issue.

However, they just asked for a picture of the inverter, I don't really see the point in this becuase if the installer has agreed there is an issue and has forwarded it to Givenergy (as you have to go through installer to get support), then why am I wasting even more time sending a picture which confirms whats already been said? I had expected the 'diagnosis' to be further down the line than an image.

I haven't had a reply to this email yet. And I get it was only Friday (although, still 3 weeks of downtime by this point in the height of summer), but if I am going to be going back and forth with pretty frivilous emails (which have multiple days (possibly a week?) wait between replies, then I see this dragging out for the entire summer which honestly just isn't good enough.

Am I being unrealistic, having a particularly slow experience, or is this the norm? I expected a relatively quick turnaround. That was my experience with Sigenergy.

As I said, my worry is that by the time I get to the email agreeing its broken (which is what the installer is saying) and it gets replaced, I'll have lost the whole summer which is effectively a wasted year in solar terms. And not only that, a wasted FIRST year as the device is only 4 months old (hence why I thought a replacement would be quick). So a bit of a rant, but I just want others to provide their experience to either confirm my fears or let me know that things will pick up quickly.

I have an ongoing issue sat in support (although admittedly my system is "working" so I'm not that invested on keeping the thumbscrews on) which is sat in some weird support limbo for 3 weeks with no feedback.
I did actually try the chat function yesterday when I was in a particularly boring meeting to chase a response and got told I'd get a reply in the afternoon from someone higher up. It never arrived, so take from that what you will.

Reading between the lines / pinches of salt on some of the employee review type sites does not paint a particularly rosy picture of the current state of support team so I think they are utterly overloaded, which I guess just keeps snowballing?

As you can imagine, not what i wanted to hear. But feared.

Needless to say, my feedback to all of those around me right now in terms of what kit to get isn't flattering for one of the 2 brands I own.

neonplanet40 If the equipment fails within the first 6 months then the fault is considered to have been present at the time of manufacture. That in turn makes the retailer/installer 100% liable for replacement. Nothing to do with the manufacturer at this stage.

You need to chase the installer. Give them a maximum of 28 days and make it clear that you'll begin legal action at that stage. Have a look online for "letter before action" templates and send it by email and recorded delivery.

I have contacted the installer saying just this and warning them I will do a section 75 if no progress made. However, it doesn't change the fact that Givenergys customer service is unacceptable. I am unsure if this is a new thing, or something they have always suffered from.

neonplanet40 Did you pay for part of this on credit card/credit agreement? If so then well done.

Get the CC company or finance company involved now. Same letter to them.

GE's support went down the toilet after Octopus binned them last year. Its been getting worse ever since, just about every executive either jumped ship or was sacked and I have my doubts whether they'll survive as a brand. The parent company is hedging its bets as there's PolarESS as an alternative brand - might become a lot more popular as you don't have to connect to the portal as part of the T&Cs.

Vestas Yes, I paid part of it via credit card. Just as an 'insurance' of sorts.

I wasn't aware about that (in regards to GivEnergy). Wish I'd went with Sigenergy for everything now.

Im on holiday, but have logged in here to see this hasnt progressed.

Ive added a note to the ticket, one simple test

PV voltage at PV input terminals and PV isolator is ON (Rotary knob is forwards on the underside)
Off is to the left, On is forwards.

[unknown]

Apologies if this is a silly question, but is there anything I can do here?

I don't think I can measure PV Voltage? As for the PV Isolator. It is on. Defintely. I checked all this when it first went offline.

The installer is coming on Wednesday to take pictures of the measurements etc to show the device is 'dead' in the hope that Givenergy will then autorise a replacement? Is that normally how this process works?

Enjoy your holiday.

[unknown] is there anything I can do here

Buy some milk. Offer a cup of tea to the person that turns up. Do whatever you think necessary to ensure they turn up. Leave the technical stuff to the installer.

Report the installers findings here.