Programming Aurora PVI 4.2 Solar

[Rob Littiken]

Is there anything thing to be gained from changing any of the settings on a solar inverter, or are the factory setting fine. I'm used to the wind inverter, where you need to set everything up. I've got 20 Evergreen 220W panels in two strings of 10 each per MPPT channel.

My main thought was if the the VStart at 200V is optimal, but was also wondering about the other setting and the MPPT.

Thanks,
Rob L

[Rob Beckers]

Hi Rob,

We generally only touch the date/time, rate per kWh, and currency. Sometimes we change the Vstart values for the inputs, but generally that is only needed for very short strings or if optimizers (such as Tigos) are used. The rest should be left at the defaults.

What's Voc for those Evergreens?

-RoB-

[Rob Littiken]

Thanks Rob

The Evergreens are 35.9Voc

Thanks,
Rob L

[Rob Beckers]

Thanks Rob

The Evergreens are 35.9Voc

Thanks,
Rob L

Same as regular silicon panels...
In that case the default of 200V for Vstart is fine for strings of 10.

-RoB-

[Cor van Houtum]

hello Rob,
did you ever had trouble with a shorted mosfet in a aurora 4.2
one channel is full shorted (channel 2)
mosfet SPW47N60C3 is shorted on pin one and two
but nothing to see on this thing.
strange
the installation is 96 panels on 4 aurora 4.2 inverters
every channel is with 12 mono panels 195 watts

I find no reason that the mosfet is shorted
but it is the chip that is blocked for ventilation by the flatcable that interconnects
the panel/interface print with the power board print.

any ideas ?

lightning ???

Cor

[Rob Beckers]

Cor, yes, I've seen this on wind inverters after they were blown due to overvoltage. I suppose it's a toss of the coin, sometimes they fail open-circuit, sometimes as a short (in those cases the customer would complain that the 'brake' was always on and the turbine just wouldn't spin up).

On PV inverters we don't really investigate. If they fail it's usually very shortly after installing and powering up, we just replace, and have Power-One send us another one under warranty.

Are you going to replace the MOSFET and see if the inverter works? Or back to Power-One?

-RoB-

[Cor van Houtum]

Hello Rob,

I have ordered a new mosfet,
this is a new inverter but as a learning moment I intend to put a mosfet in myself
lets see what happeness

keep you posted

thanks

Cor

[Cor van Houtum]

Hello Rob,

I ordered a mosfet at RS-online
number of article is 4623455
MOSFET SPW47N60C3

Soldered the thing in and works fine again

I just cut the 3 legs from the old defect one and soldered the new one on the
left parts of the legs
is easy to do and no need for dismanteling the complete board

happy again :bigsmile:

[Rob Beckers]

Smart way to do it Cor!
Digikey in the US/Canada shows them available for about $13.

I'll definitely keep this in mind when people call with out-of-warranty inverters. Under warranty it's easier to have Power-One deal with it.

-RoB-

[Andy Warner]

Sorry to jump on an old thread here. I've a 3.6 wind inverter with the same problem, a fet blown to pieces (it looks to be one of a pair of SPW47N60C3). One of the 4 rectifier diodes (hfa15tb60) has also blown.

Thing is there's none of the casing left on the fet. Are the two fets both the same, or is one an N type and the other a P type?

Cheers
Andy

[Cor van Houtum]

Hello Andy
This will help

[Andy Warner]

Hi Cor,
Thanks very much for the pics.
My inveter is different sadly, it's one of the old black 3.6 wind types - here's a couple of pics. I think from the symmetry that the 2 fets are probably the same... I've circled the two blown components. The 4 diodes are definitely the same.

Andy