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I've had my solar panels for a couple years now without issue. Installer is not in biz anymore and not answering calls, texts or emails. July 3rd mid-day it all stopped producing power. APSystems YC600 micro inverters with Panasonic (I think) panels. This is a on-grid system. All the inverters are showing powered on and are communicating with the ECU (monitoring device). Monitoring is showing no panels are producing power. Self diagnostics (from the app) shows the system as "OFF GRID".

Tried contacting a few local installers, no one will service someone else's install. Tried contacting APSystems for a recommend service vendor, or any help at all. Crickets.

So I'm stuck troubleshooting this on my own for now. What I've done:

Checked the power from the all points out of the meter, in and out of the combiner box, and main power switch/breakers. Everything shows AC via a voltmeter. (240v if I recall)

Reset the entire system via breaker. Let it sit overnight.

Reset the monitoring device.

I don't have access to a ladder tall enough, and want to make sure my eggs are in order before I get a ladder in hand. Anything else I can do before climbing up on the roof?

Once I am up there, I plan to check voltage at the inverters, and just do a visual check of everything. Is there anything else I should look for?

Update: Mysteriously I have 3 panels showing 1/3 power, they still show OFF-GRID via diagnostics. Other panels will randomly show what I assume are ghost readings of 1w to 5w throughout the day.

All of the points leading up the conduit which go up to the panels (see first photo) are reading 240v.

Panels: enter image description here

Panels/Inverters From App: enter image description here

Inverter Connections: enter image description here

System Check From App: enter image description here

Roof from my drone: enter image description here

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    I think you're assuming your solar system is just like everyone else's. We'll need more detail of how exactly your system is set up - microinverters vs DC, how the Rapid Shutdown is done (have you checked that?), how it ties into the grid (backfeed breaker?) etc. Photos would be fantastic, you know the drill on editing from a different device. Also, some solar installs have the solar company actually owning the rig, and it's not yours to fix.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 20:52
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    Don't know enough about panels, but there should be quite a few connections between the panels themselves still they get to the wires coming inside. Electricity is usually quite simple if no or less power is going where it should, expect a broken connection somewhere.
    – crip659
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 20:53
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    Thanks, I will get some photos of the relevant systems.
    – mxmissile
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 21:04
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    @knowitall I checked and tested all GFCI breakers in the home.
    – mxmissile
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 22:35
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    Rather than finding a solar panel installer, have you tried finding a regular old electrician who knows about these kinds of solar panel systems? OFF GRID presumably means the inverter thinks it's not connected to the grid any more.
    – user20574
    Commented Jul 7, 2022 at 11:58

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Your system sounds very similar to mine. The YC600 has blinking lights underneath. Are yours blinking red? Is it slow blink or fast blink?

My system stopped working - I think I had slow blink red. My installer talked to apsystems and they can attempt a remote restart the inverter if it can communicate. My installer says they've had a lot of these inverters fail. If the system can't "talk" to the grid then it doesn't push power.

Apsystems agreed to replace the inverter. The installer swapped it with a new YC600. The system still didn't work.

At the breaker panel, I have a dual 20amp breaker for the grid-tie solar. When turning it on or off I could hear a noise probably some arcing and I did have some luck with turning the breaker off and having the system start working again.

After the replacement inverter didn't solve the problem they sent their electrician and he removed the breaker and tightened the breaker connector using pliers. The breaker then felt a lot less loose in the panel and the panels have been fine since.

These YC600 apsystem inverters typically carry a default 20 year warranty so you should be able to get a replacement from the manufacturer even if your installer is out of business.

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  • Wonder if the loose breaker connection has some part of the inverters failing?
    – crip659
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 22:07
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    I suspect my problem isn't typical. The solar people didn't install the load center - I don't think they had experienced this problem before. I am not sure if it was my electrician / ele helper or that the breaker was just not great to begin with. Given Apsystems has discontinued this inverter though continue to replace it I'd suspect the inverter over a breaker issue.
    – Fresh Codemonger
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 22:16
  • I cannot access any of the inverters until this weekend, the lights will be the first thing I look for! Meantime I will continue to try to get a hold of APSystems, nothing but crickets from them so far, also will continue looking for a local service vendor.
    – mxmissile
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 22:37
  • @mxmissile on the panel does your breaker shift when you apply lateral pressure or is it nice and stiff. Do you have a picture of the breaker in your load panel?
    – Fresh Codemonger
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 22:44
  • Everything seems solid, I will post photos in a few mins.
    – mxmissile
    Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 22:50
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Turned out some contacts/wires in the roof junction boxes had cooked:

enter image description here

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  • Thanks for updating !
    – Fresh Codemonger
    Commented Jul 14, 2022 at 20:18
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    Ouch! Make sure you track down the reason why they burnt up like that. Simply replacing the wiring has a significant chance of the same failure happening again. Of course, it could have simply been a loose connection allowing arcing which heated enough over time to cause this, but make sure nothing else caused it, then use a torque screwdriver to make sure it's right this time.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Jul 15, 2022 at 13:44

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