Inverter error and no power going to export meter

edinburgher

Dear all, I'd appreciate any wisdom that you can impart. We're happy to pay a professional if needed, but would like to avoid calling someone out if this is a simple issue. 

My MIL hasn't been getting paid for her solar exports for quite some time (this issue may go back as far as Apr-24). My FIL was the technology enthusiast and sadly passed away. MIL was determined that Octopus were to blame, but I've had a look at the inverter (we also have (less complicated) solar) and there's an error message on the inverter + there doesn't appear to be any power going to the export meter (blank screen). 

I can't identify a mains breaker that's labelled "Solar". There are two PCBs, all circuits appear to be on.

I tried to download a copy of the manual for the inverter and this suggested restarting it. I went into settings, turned off the inverter, then switched the AC and DC isolators off (I believe the AC invertor is the big red/yellow turn switch and the DC isolator is a smaller black dial on the bottom of the inverter). I then restarted the inverter, which powered up but showed the same error.

Any ideas? MIL is at her wit's end and I'm not technically minded! Further complicated by the fact that MIL doesn't know original installer as FIL dealt with that

Any thoughts appreciated, even if it's "call your local solar installer". 

Please excuse the poor quality photos. Inverter screen shows the following:

Power: 0W
SoC: N/A
Grid Lost Fault

Export meter is dark:

Power button on left was not depressed. Pressing it causes the lights on the various batteries to cycle at random, and a shrill series of beeps.

QrizB

Welcome to the Green and Ethical corner!

edinburgher said:

Dear all, I'd appreciate any wisdom that you can impart. We're happy to pay a professional if needed, but would like to avoid calling someone out if this is a simple issue. 

...
Grid Lost Fault

Export meter is dark:

Those two combined make me 95% sure that the problem is that the inverter isn't connected to the mains supply. Most likely the breaker has tripped.

edinburgher said:

I can't identify a mains breaker that's labelled "Solar". There are two PCBs, all circuits appear to be on.

So you've looked in her Consumer Unit (CU, aka fusebox) and there isn't a breaker marked as "solar"? Odd.

Do you have a photo of the CU that you can share here?

Netexporter

I agree with QrizB on the diagnosis.

I'm wondering if you have an outside meter box and they have fitted a small consumer unit in there for the solar?

edinburgher

Thanks for commenting @QrizB. As I've said, there are two boards that I think are CUs. Annoyingly, I only took a photo of one of them, I have asked MIL to photograph the other one. 

I note "EV" at the right of this unit, FIL had an electric car and a charger for this, I can't remember if it was installed at the same time as the solar panels/batteries.

edinburgher

@Netexporter- they have an outside meter box - I'm 99% sure it's only the gas meter tho, electricity meter is in the living room. 

QrizB

The two rightmost breakers in that CU are Wylex, not the Doepke brand of the other breakers and the CU itself. This makes me think both were fitted at a later date.

The rightmost is a RCBO, not a MCB, and looks to be tripped; the lever is down rather than up, and the indicator is green not red.

If you push the lever up to switch it back on, will it stay there?

If it stays there, do you now get a reading on the export meter and does the inverter error clear?

edinburgher

@QrizB - I've made the cardinal error of trying to fix things as I'm no longer in the house

Have asked for:

1) Picture of other CU

2) Picture of outside meter box to see if there's a tripped fuse in there

3) What happens when you push RCBO up. I believe it won't stay up and pops back down. From memory, I turned off the mains power to the CUs and tried flipping it. It stayed up. When I turned the mains power back on, it popped down.

QrizB

edinburgher said:

@QrizB - I've made the cardinal error of trying to fix things as I'm no longer in the house

We've all done that, I'm sure!

The CU that serves the solar PV should (if the installers were following the relevant guidance) be decorated with one of these warning stickers (or something very much like it):

Edit to add:

edinburgher said:

3) What happens when you push RCBO up. I believe it won't stay up and pops back down. From memory, I turned off the mains power to the CUs and tried flipping it. It stayed up. When I turned the mains power back on, it popped down.

If it trips, it suggests some sort of fault that you will need a sparky (or potentially a solar installer) to investigate.

Qyburn

edinburgher said:

3) What happens when you push RCBO up. I believe it won't stay up and pops back down. 

If that's correct then try shutting off the AC isolator that should be between the meter and the inverter. See if the RCBO will then stay On.

QrizB

Qyburn said:

edinburgher said:

3) What happens when you push RCBO up. I believe it won't stay up and pops back down. 

If that's correct then try shutting off the AC isolator that should be between the meter and the inverter. See if the RCBO will then stay On.

To add, the AC isolator is the bright yellow box in both your first photos.

edinburgher

@Qyburn - If the RCBO stays on with the AC Isolator off, what would that mean/show me?