It can be upsetting to find that your SolarEdge inverter sleeping. You bought a solar energy system to save money and cut down on your carbon footprint, not for it to work well. The good news is that a SolarEdge inverter may go into sleep mode for a number of usual reasons, and there are steps you can take to fix the problem.
We’ll talk about what sleep mode is for, how to tell if your inverter is really stuck, and give you step-by-step steps on how to get your system back up and running at full speed in this detailed blog post. We will also talk about how important it is to do regular upkeep and checks to stop problems from happening again.
You will learn more about your SolarEdge inverter and the tools you need to keep it working well for years to come by the end of this article.
What is Sleep Mode on a SolarEdge Inverter?
SolarEdge inverters have a function called sleep mode which is also called “night mode.” It saves energy and makes the system safer when there isn’t enough sunlight to make power. When the inverter detects that there isn’t enough light, it will go into sleep mode immediately. This will stop making power and enter a low-power state until daylight returns.
This tool is helpful for a number of reasons:
- Saving energy: sleep mode helps the solar system work better generally by reducing the amount of power used when it’s not being used.
- Safety: The inverter is less likely to cause an electrical accident when it is in sleep mode because there is no power on the DC side of the system.
- Less wear and tear: Cutting down on the inverter’s working time can help it last longer because it doesn’t have to work as hard.
But if your generator stays in sleep mode during the day, when it should be making power, that’s a clear sign that something is wrong. We will talk about how to tell if your generator is really stuck and not just in sleep mode in the next part.
How do I determine if SolarEdge Inverter is Stuck in Sleep Mode?
There are a few important things you should look for to see if your SolarEdge inverter is stuck in sleep mode:
- Type of inverter: When the inverter is in standard night mode, the SolarEdge tracking tool should show “Sleeping” for the inverter state. If the screen keeps saying “Sleeping” during the day when other inverters are making power, it means it might be stuck.
- Making power: Your transformer should only go into sleep mode at night or when there isn’t much sunlight. When other inverters are making power on a sunny day but yours isn’t, it’s likely because it’s stuck in sleep mode.
- DC voltage: The DC voltage should be 0V when your generator is in normal sleep mode. There should be no power if you see it during the day. This means that the transformer is not really sleeping.
- Using LEDs to show: Your SolarEdge inverter’s LED lights may also be able to help you. If the “Power” LED blinks green, it could mean that the generator is stuck in sleep mode and not making power.
If you looked at these signs and found that your inverter is indeed stuck in sleep mode, don’t worry. The next part will talk about the most common reasons why sleep mode doesn’t work and how to fix them.
Common Causes of SolarEdge Inverter Sleeping Mode Issues
There are several reasons your SolarEdge inverter might be stuck in sleep mode, such as:
- Connections that are too loose: If the DC wiring between the solar panels and the inverter has any loose connections, it can put the inverter to sleep. This includes the links at the inverter, the combiner boxes, and the optimizers at the panel level.
- Bad optimizers: In a SolarEdge system, each solar panel is paired with an optimizer that works with that panel. If one or more of these optimizers doesn’t work right, it can stop the generator from making electricity and put it to sleep.
- Trouble with the inverter’s software: If there is a bug or glitch in the inverter’s firmware, it may get stuck in sleep mode. This happens more often with older transformers that have software versions that are too old.
- A hardware failure could mean that the inverter itself has broken down and needs to be changed if all other repair steps fail. This doesn’t happen very often but it does.
In order to fix these problems, you’ll need to follow a set of steps for fixing, which we’ll talk about next.
Troubleshooting Steps to Get Your SolarEdge Inverter Out of Sleep Mode
If your SolarEdge inverter won’t wake up from sleep mode, try these steps to fix it:
- Making sure the DC brake switch on the inverter is in the “On” position is another thing to check. If it’s off, turn it on and check to see if the inverter comes to life.
- Check the connections for DC: Check all the DC wire links visually. This includes the ones at the generator, the combiner boxes, and the panel-level optimizers. Fix any links that aren’t tight enough and get new wires if any are broken.
- Pair the optimizers again: To do this, use the SolarEdge SetApp or tracking tool to connect the panel-level optimizers to the inverter again. This might help fix any connection problems that could be causing the sleep mode problem.
- Turn off and on the inverter: First, flip the DC connection switch to “Off.” After 30 seconds, turn it back to “On.” This can sometimes restart the transformer and get rid of any short-term problems.
- It’s possible that bugs or glitches in the sleep mode of your inverter could be fixed by changing the software to the most recent version if it’s running an older version.
- For help with the software update process, contact SolarEdge support. It’s possible that the inverter itself has broken down and needs to be changed if none of the other issues can be fixed.
For help with the replacement process, Get a Quote.
Conclusion
To conclude, if your SolarEdge inverter is malfunctioning then fix it immediately to keep your solar system running smoothly. By understanding the typical reasons for sleep mode faults and following this blog post’s troubleshooting instructions, you can bring your inverter back up and save money on energy costs. Preventing issues requires frequent maintenance and monitoring.
To optimize energy production, have a skilled solar technician evaluate your system, monitor it using SolarEdge, and clean your panels. Get a Quote from our solar professionals if you need help with your SolarEdge inverter or want to learn more about system maintenance. We’ll help you maximize your solar investment’s return.