There are approximately sixty ABB inverter error codes that fall into three broad categories ranging from warnings to errors.
Due to no small part to their reliability, affordability, and great customer service, ABB solar inverters are some of the most popular in Australia.
ABB PVI-3.0/ 3.6/ 4.2-TL-OUTD Solar Inverter
These smart inverters perform monitoring and reporting functions, so they can generate error codes to notify you when a problem can affect power production.
Knowing these ABB inverter error codes, what they mean, and how to fix them is important, as it helps you take appropriate action to solve problems that threaten the performance and lifespan of your PV system.
This detailed article will explain everything you need to know about the ABB inverter error codes.
What are Solar Inverter Error Codes?
Solar inverter error codes are alphanumeric symbols and signs generated and displayed by an inverter to notify of an issue threatening the normal operation of a solar system.
The inverter is a vital component of a solar system. After the PV modules convert sunlight to solar electricity, the solar inverter converts the electricity to a form that is usable in the house.
In that respect, the main function of a solar inverter is power conversion. They convert the DC power the panels produce into AC power that household appliances can use.
However, modern inverters do more than just power conversion. Modern solar inverters are smart devices that can also monitor solar PV system performance and give real-time reports.
The inverter error codes are examples of the reporting function of solar inverters.
Various forces can affect a solar system’s power generation. When the inverter, in its monitoring capacity, detects an issue, it generates and displays a code to notify you of the problem so that you can take appropriate action.
True, the component of the solar system that is most likely to fail is the inverter. However, “inverter error codes” are not always issues with inverters.
Inverter error codes could also represent:
- Issues with other components of the solar system (like the solar panel), or
- External problems (such as grid outages).
This collection of potential hazards which affect power generation are collectively called “inverter error codes” because the inverter is the device that detects and displays them.
Common Causes of ABB Inverter Error Codes
The most common causes of ABB inverter error codes are:
- Grid Issues
- Electrical Current Problems
- Temperature Fluctutations
- Software Troubles
1. Grid Issues
If you have a grid-tied solar system, inverter error codes can come from grid issues. Inverters are built to operate within specific parameters. If the inputs from the grid are outside those parameters, the inverter will generate and display an error code.
Grid-related events that cause error codes include:
- If the grid standard is not set on the inverter,
- The grid voltage is outside the inverter’s range (over voltage or under voltage), or
- Grid frequency is above the inverter’s capacity (over frequency or under frequency).
2. Electrical Current Problems
If the input and/or output current is outside the allowable range of the inverter, it will display an error code. Thus, current problems that cause error codes include:
- Input (DC) overcurrent or undercurrent, or
- Output (AC) overcurrent or undercurrent.
3. Temperature Fluctuations
Inverters have an operating temperature range. The inverter will display an error code if the internal temperature or ambient temperature exceeds this range. Thus, temperature problems that cause error codes include:
- Broken fan,
- Excessive temperature inside the inverter, or
- Low ambient temperature.
4. Software Troubles
An inverter makes use of software programs to execute specific tasks. Any problem with the operating information will result in an error message. Examples of software troubles that cause error codes include:
- Communication breakdown between internal components,
- An excessive difference between the Internal time of microprocessors and the time displayed, or
- The inverter takes longer than usual to start up.
All Error Codes for ABB Inverters and Solutions to Fix Them
ABB inverters use three means to display errors. It either displays a code, an error message, or an LED signs (or a combination of these). The ABB solar inverters have about sixty error codes, which can be broadly grouped into three main areas:
- In the first group, no code is displayed.
- In the second group, the error codes begin with a “W.”
- In the third group, the error codes begin with an “E.”
ABB Error Codes – No Code is Displayed
In the first group of ABB inverter error codes, an error message and an LED display are shown, but no alphanumeric code is displayed.
The codes, possible causes, and solutions are as follows:
| Code | Error Message | LED Signal | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | Ground F | Red | Ground fault in the photovoltaic generator due to a leaked current on the system’s DC side. | Measure the insulation resistance. If the value measured is lower than 1 megaohm, a check is necessary to identify and correct the problem.If the value is greater than 1 megaohm, contact customer support. |
| None | NEW COMPONENT REFUSED | Yellow | The components inside the inverter are not interlinked due to a component being replaced. | Link the components (using Settings> Service> Accept boards). If the error persists, contact customer support |
| None | SET COUNTRY or NO NATION | None | The grid standard was not set when the inverter was installed. | Set your country’s grid standard. If the error persists, contact customer support. |
| None | Vac absent | Yellow | The inverter is not recording output voltage. | Check that the grid voltage on the inverter’s AC terminal block is present and that there’s grid voltage on the supply point. |
| None | Mem. broken | Yellow | There’s a communication problem with the memory board on which daily energy production is saved | Remove the memory board and check that its connector terminals are intact before reinserting. If the problem persists, contact customer support. |
| None | Awaiting sun | Green | The input voltage is less than the activation voltage (Vstart). | If the input voltage is lower than the Vstart, esnure that there’s sufficient irradiation.If it exceeds the Vstart, contact customer support. |
ABB Error Codes – Error Codes Beginning with a “W”
The second group of ABB inverter error codes displays a code, a short or abbreviated error message, and a LED signal. This group is distinct from the others because the alphanumeric codes start with a “W,” indicating that they are warnings.
The codes, possible causes, and solutions are as follows:
| Code | Error Message | LED Signal | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W001 | Sun Low | Yellow | Low input voltage when you switch on the inverter because the modules are incorrectly configured. | If the input voltage is lower than normal, check for sufficient irradiation. If it exceeds the operating range, contact customer support. |
| W002 | Input UV | Yellow | Low voltage when you switch off the inverter. | If the input voltage is lower than normal, check for sufficient irradiation. If it exceeds the operating range, contact customer support. |
| W003 | Grid Failure | Yellow | The grid voltage is absent or outside the inverter’s operating range. | Check for the presence of grid voltage on the supply point. Contact the grid operator to change the parameters if it is present but is either too high or too low. If it’s within the inverter’s range, contact ABB customer service. |
| W009 | Empty Table | Yellow | The characterisation board for the wind generator is not compiled. | Contact customer support. |
| W010 | Fan Broken! | Yellow | The inverter’s internal cooling fan is malfunctioning. | Contact customer support. |
| W011 | Bulk UV | Yellow | The voltage at the heads of the bulk capacitors is below the inverter’s operation threshold. | Raise the Vstart to sufficient power when the inverter connects to the grid. If the input voltage is less than the Vstart, check for sufficient irradiation. If it exceeds the Vstart, contact customer support. |
| W012 | Batt. Flat | Yellow | The buffer battery’s voltage is too low. | Check if the date and time are correct. Then switch off the inverter for a few minutes before restarting. If the date time resets to 01/01/2000, replace the battery. |
| W013 | Clock broken | Yellow | The clock is malfunctioning, causing a difference of over one minute between the time o the microprocessors and the time displayed. | Contact customer support. |
| W017 | String Err. | Yellow | One or more string protection fuse is damaged. | Check the state of the fuses with a multimeter. If any fuse is open, replace it. If none are damaged, contact customer support. |
| W018 | SPD DC Err | Yellow | One or more overvoltage surge arresters on the DC side is damaged. | Check the inspection window on the DC side surge arresters. If it is red, it is damaged and must be replaced. If they are all green (undamaged), contact customer support. |
| W019 | SPD AC Err | Yellow | One or more overvoltage surge arresters on the AC side is damaged. | Check the inspection window on the AC side surge arresters. If it is red, it is damaged and must be replaced. If they are all green (undamaged), contact customer support. |
| W022 | Reactive power mode changed | None | The means of managing reactive power varies. | Make the change through the advanced configuration software or inverter display. |
| W023 | Date/ time changed | None | The inverter’s date and time varies. | Make the change through the advanced configuration software or inverter display. |
| W024 | Energy data reset | None | The energy data saved in the inverter’s memory (EEPROM) becomes zero. | Reset the inverter’s memory in the advanced configuration setting software or inverter display. |
ABB Error Codes – error codes begin with an “E”
The third group of ABB inverter error codes also displays a code, a short/ abbreviated error message, and a LED signal. The codes start with an “E”, meaning they are errors and not mere warnings.
The codes, possible causes, and solutions are as follows:
| Code | Error Message | LED Signal | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E001 | Input OC | Yellow | Input overcurrent – the inverter’s input current exceeds the allowable limit. | Check that the PV generators are correctly configured. If the problem persists, contact customer support. |
| E002 | Input OV | Yellow | Input overvoltage – the inverter’s input voltage exceeds the allowable limit. | Measure the input voltage and check that the PV generators are correctly configured. If the problem persists, contact customer service. |
| E003 | No Parameters | Yellow | The main microcontroller cannot initialise with the two DSPs because of a communication problem on the inverter’s internal bus. | Customer customer service. |
| E004 | Bulk OV | Yellow | The voltage at the heads of the bulk capacitors exceeds allowable limits. | Check that the PV generator is correctly configured. If grid issues cause overvoltage, the inverter will reset it. If the error persists, contact customer support. |
| E005 | Comm.Error | Yellow | The control devices inside the inverter have communication problems. | Restart the inverter. If the error persists, contact customer support. |
| E006 | Output OC | Yellow | The inverter’s output current exceeds allowable limits. | Restart the inverter. If the error persists, contact customer support. |
| E007 | IGBT Sat | Yellow | One of the inverter’s active devices is saturated. | The inverter will try to rectify the error. But if it persists, contact customer support. |
| E009 | Internal error | Yellow | There’s an error inside the inverter. | Contact customer service. |
| E010 | Bulk Low | Yellow | Low bulk voltage caused by reduced input voltage. | Contact customer service. |
| E011 | Ramp Fail | Yellow | The DC-DC circuit regime takes long to start. | Contact customer support. |
| E012 | DcDc Fail | Yellow | Error in the operation of the DC-DC circuit regime. | Contact customer support. |
| E013 | Wrong Mode | Yellow | The inverter inputs are configured parallel instead of independent. | Ensure that the “IN MODE” switch is set to “PAR” and that the bridges between the two input channels are included. If all is correct, check that the strings are correctly installed. If the problem persists, contact customer support. |
| E014 | Over-Temp. | Yellow | The external temperature is over 60 degrees Celsius. | Ensure the inverter is not under direct sunlight. Allow the inverter to cool down. If the error persists, contact customer service. |
| E015 | Bulk Cap Fail | Yellow | One or more of the bulk capacitors in the inverter has a problem. | Contact customer service. |
| E016 | Inverter Fail | Yellow | There’s a problem in the DC-AC inverter circuit. | Contact customer service. |
| E017 | Start Timeout | Yellow | It takes longer for the DC-AC circuit regime to start. | Contact customer service. |
| E018 | Ground Fault | Red | There’s a leakage current in the inverter’s DC side. | Measure the insulation resistance. If the value measured is lower than 1 megaohm, a check is necessary to identify and correct the problem. If the value is greater than 1 megaohm, contact customer support. |
| E019 | lleak sense.fail | Yellow | The sensors fail to measure the leakage current during the inverter’s self-tests. | Contact customer service. |
| E020 | Self Test Error 1 | Yellow | The inverter’s test detects a problem with the relay of the DC-DC circuit regime. | Contact customer service. |
| E021 | Self Test Error 2 | Yellow | The inverter’s test detects a problem with the relay of the DC-AC circuit regime. | Contact customer service. |
| E022 | Self Test Error 4 | Yellow | The internal tests on the relays inside the inverter times out. | Contact customer service. |
| E023 | DC in error | Yellow | The current continuously fed to the grid exceeds the threshold of normal operating current | The inverter tries to return to normal operation. If the error persists, contact customer service. |
| E024 | Internal error | Yellow | There’s an error inside the inverter | Contact customer service. |
| E025 | Riso Low | Red | The insulation resistance of the PV generator is low due to damaged panels, damaged J-boxes’ terminals, cable joints, etc. | Measure the insulation resistance. If the value measured is lower than 1 megaohm, a check is necessary to identify and correct the problem. If the value is greater than 1 megaohm, contact customer support. |
| E026 | Vref Error | Yellow | The reference voltage is not measured correctly. | Contact customer service. |
| E027 | Error Meas V | Yellow | Error in grid voltage internal measurement resulting in grid voltage outside of range. | Contact customer service. |
| E028 | Error Meas F | Yellow | Error in grid frequency’s internal measurement resulting in grid frequency outside of range. | Contact customer service. |
| E029 | Mid Bulk OV | Yellow | Over-voltage on mid bulk’s measurement in triphase models. | Contact customer service. |
| E030 | Error Meas leak | Yellow | High leakage current on the inverter’s DC side. | Contact customer service. |
| E031 | The | Yellow | The internal voltage on the heads of the output relay is outside of the range | Contact customer service. |
| E032 | Error Read I | Yellow | The output currents are not balanced | Contact customer service. |
| E033 | UTH | Yellow | The temperature outside the inverter is below -25 degrees Celsius. | Wait for the temperature to return to the normal operating range. If the problem persists, contact customer service. |
| E034 | Interlock fail | Yellow | The circuitry of the IGBT is not ready. | Contact customer service. |
| E035 | Remote Off | Yellow | The inverter has been remotely switched off. | Remotely switch the inverter back on. If the error persists, contact customer service. |
| E036 | Vout Avg error | Yellow | The grid voltage average measurements are outside of the range. | Check the grid voltage. If it is outside of the inverter’s range, ask the grid operator to adjust it. |
| E037 | Riso Low | Red | The “Amorphous” mode is on, causing a low level of insulation resistance. | Check that the terminals of the grounding resistance are in contact. Measure the insulation resistance. If the value measured is lower than one megaohm, a check is necessary to identify and correct the problem. If the value is greater than 1 megaohm, contact customer support. |
| E046 | String self-test fails | None | An inverted string is recorded during the automatic check of the string voltages record. | Check the polarity of the string recorded as inverted. Then connect all strings correctly and restart the system. If the error persists, contact customer service. |
| E049 | AC FF Error | Yellow | There’s an error in the “AC-feed forward” circuit. | Contact customer service. |
| E056 | Over-Temp. (from the external box) | Yellow | High temperature in the inverter’s wiring box. | Ensure the inverter is not under direct sunlight. Wait for the temperature to return to the normal operating range. If the error persists, contact customer service. |
| E057 | Vbulk reading error | Yellow | The input voltage exceeds the voltage on the DC-DC circuit. | Measure the input voltage. If it exceeds the operating range, check that the PV generators are configured correctly. If it is lower than the operating range, contact customer service. |
| E058 | Pin vs Pout check | Yellow | The input and output power difference exceeds the inverter’s imposed limits. | Contact customer service. |
Will I Need to Replace My ABB Inverter?
ABB inverters are durable devices with a sizable product lifespan. However, since no device is entirely fail-proof, an ABB inverter will sometimes suffer from software or hardware issues.
Most ABB inverter issues require repairs, not full replacements. However, you should consider a replacement if the inverter is an older model with an obsolete drive, or drive repair won’t be cost-inefficient.
How Can I Get a Warranty Replacement for My ABB Inverter?
Since FIMER has acquired ABB’s solar inverter business, you may be wondering how you can obtain a warranty replacement for your ABB inverter. The good news is that FIMER is honouring all existing warranties of ABB solar inverters.
The ABB inverters come standard with a 5-year replacement warranty, with an option to extend it to 10 years for a fee. Since FIMER absorbed the company in 2019, many ABB inverters are still under these warranties.
Thankfully, FIMER is honouring these guarantees.
Contact the installer that installed your ABB inverter to claim your ABB replacement warranty. For a solar installer that can assist you with claiming warranties, you’ll want a reputable and customer-oriented installer like Instyle Solar on your side.
You can also contact FIMER directly to claim your warranty via their online enquiry portal or the contact numbers listed on their site.
Conclusion
The ABB inverter is a smart inverter that can generate error codes to notify you of errors threatening power production. The ABB inverter detects problems with the inverter, other parts of the solar system, and from outside the solar system. Each issue is assigned to a category – the no-code group, the warnings, and the errors.
Lastly, if your ABB inverter is still under warranty, you don’t need to worry about sourcing a replacement. FIMER, who acquired ABB, honours all existing warranties.
