error reading

[Ervin R Dilly]

Came home from a vacation and the inverter has quit working and showing me a code of ;inter code 031; what does this mean?

[Joe Blake]

Ervin, what sort of inverter do you have? That message would probably only be related to a specific make and model of inverter, not a universal code for any inverter. My suggestion is (a) check in your owners manual (usually in the back there is a fault finding section showing all the error messages and what they mean), or (b) do a Google search for your manual and find the error message in there.

[Rob Beckers]

Joe, it's likely a Power-One/ABB inverter; error E031 means "wrong Voltage measurement" and it's in the list of internal errors, so I assume it means multiple sensors are measuring different Voltages when they should be in agreement (ie. one or more sensors are not working right). I don't have more info on this one though, it was not a common error when we still sold those inverters.

-RoB-

[Ervin R Dilly]

Joe,thanks for the reply,It is a power 1 ,4.2.I will take your advice and see if I can find the code somewhere.Talked to Rob who handled this at one time and he never had this code show up.Have been to busy fixing frozen water pipes, but have time now to work on it.

[Ervin R Dilly]

Anyone know how or who I can contact about my problem,warenty ect,thanks

[Rob Beckers]

ABB's North American service number is 1-877-261-1374. My info is pretty old, since we've not sold these inverters in years, you may want to check the ABB Web site...

-RoB-

[Ervin R Dilly]

Thanks Rob,getting to be harder to get any real service after the sell.When you had it ,it was great,sure hated to hear you had left.Will try to contact them.$2000.00 is sort of hard to digest,with a warrenty still remaining.Thanks again.

[Ervin R Dilly]

Rob.just got off the phone from the company and they will be shipping a new one to me.Like you said they go by the make date,mine was 11/11 so still within time.Thanks for your help.

[Rob Beckers]

One of the installs we did in the same time frame just developed the same E031 error code. Also a 2011 inverter (5/11 production date). I've had a few other people contact me with the same error recently, which makes me wonder if they have a batch of inverters with some sub-par component(s) in them.

As you said, I called the support number, talked the the customer rep, sent him a few pictures showing the error message on the display, and inverter label with SN, fabrication date etc., and they are now shipping out a replacement inverter to us.

-RoB-

[Ervin R Dilly]

Rob,thanks for the reply,I also called and they have already sent me the replacement (refurbished),Doesnt have a date on it so dont really know the year,but it has the disconnect on the front,where the other one was on the bottom.Also have the push in connectors,which I had to change my wire size.Got it hooked up and will wait and see,was sent from Louisianna.Sorry dont know how to spell that state.

Ervin R Dilly

[Ervin R Dilly]

How can I determine the date the inverter was made,on a reconditioned unit.Nothing on the side or on the screen.Also it has the switch on the front where my other one was on the bottom,is this a newer unit?Thanks

[Dave Schwartz]

Since the current 4.2 model for North America (http://new.abb.com/power-converters-inverters/solar/string/single-phase/pvi-3-0kw-3-6kw-3-8kw-4-2kw) has the disconnect switch on the front I would say you got a newer model. Probably one that failed in someone else's service but still of 'later manufacture'.

As a warranty replacement they didn't owe you a brand new unit, just a functioning 6-and-a-bit year old model. Personally, as a replacement in the latter part of the warranty, I don't mind refurbished units... it means that someone on the manufacturer's payroll with the skills of repairing these specific units has gone through it from top to bottom and brought it up to factory specs.

[Ervin R Dilly]

Thanks Dave,I was thinking the same,lets hope he found all the bugs.Time will tell.Still have about 3 yrs left on warranty.They were very good on exchanging the unit.