Aurora PV Inverters Introduction
The Aurora Photovoltaic Inverters are reliable units. However technical issues can arise, and the inverter has a comprehensive method of fault-checking built into its software. It displays two types of readouts on the display: Messages are informational, and do not relate to a fault.
Some messages are prefixed with a W when they appear on the display: these are warning codes, and can usually be fixed by either a shutdown and reset of the inverter, or the unit will correct by itself.
Alarms, or E codes, are more serious, as they indicate some kind of fault. These should usually be reported to ESE Solar technical support for assistance.
Messages and Error Codes Displayed By the Unit
The system status is identified through message or error signals displayed on the LCD. The following table briefly describes the two types of signals which may appear.
Messages identify the current status of the Aurora inverter. Messages do not relate to a fault. When a (W) with a number after it appears in the display, it indicates a Warning Code and is usually cleared through an orderly shutdown/reset or a self-corrective action performed by the inverter. See the (W) codes in the following table.
Alarms or (E) codes identify a possible equipment failure, fault or incorrect inverter setting or configuration. However, some of the (E) codes may require ESE Solar Technical Support to assist in correcting a fault. Any and all attempts to correct or clear a fault must be performed by qualified personnel. Typically, the (E) code can be cleared once the cause or fault is removed. Some of the (E) codes, (Int. Error) as indicated in the table below, may indicate a serious fault with the equipment which needs professional support.
In most cases, the best course of action is to contact ESE Solar and ask for technical assistance.
Messages and Error Codes
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| Ground Fault Red LED | This alarm is generated when a ground leakage current is detected in the DC section of the system. This is indicated by the lighting up of the red LED on the front of the inverter. | If possible, measure the insulation resistance using a megohmmeter positioned between the photovoltaic field (positive terminal short-circuited to the negative pole) and ground. If the measured value is less than 1 mega ohm, the photovoltaic generator must be checked by a technician/ installer to identify and eliminate the problem. If the measured value is greater than 1 mega ohm and the error warning continues to be present, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E001 Input OC Input Overcurrent | This alarm appears when the inverter input current exceeds the set overcurrent threshold. | Check whether the composition of the PV generator allows an input current that exceeds the maximum threshold allowed by the inverter and that the configuration of the (independent or parallel) inputs is carried out correctly. If the configuration of the PV generator and the setting of the input channels are suitable, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E002 Input OV Input Overvoltage | The alarm is indicated when the inverter input voltage (coming from the PV generator) exceeds the operating threshold. The alarm is triggered before reaching the absolute threshold beyond which the inverter will be damaged. When the inverter input voltage exceeds the Over Voltage threshold, the inverter will not start because of the generation of the alarm. | Measure the input voltage in the inverter with a voltmeter. If it is higher than the maximum voltage of the operating interval, the alarm is real. Check the configuration of the PV generator. If it is lower than the maximum voltage of the operating interval, the alarm is caused by an internal malfunctioning; contact ESE Solar technical support |
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| E003 No Parameters Internal Parameters Error | The main microcontroller is unable to correctly initialise the two DSPs (booster stage and inverter stage). This is usually due to communication problems on the internal bus of the inverter. | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E004 Bulk OV Bulk Overvoltage | Error inside the inverter. The alarm is raised when the voltage at the ends of the bulk capacitors exceeds the Over Voltage threshold. | The alarm can be caused by causes external to the inverter: an excessive inverter input voltage can be detected as a bulk overvoltage condition. In this case, it is advisable to check the inverter input voltage and, if this value is near the input OV threshold, re- examine the configuration of the photovoltaic generator. The alarm can be caused by causes internal to the inverter; contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E005 Comm.Error Internal Communication Error | This alarm occurs when there are communication problems between the control devices within the inverter. | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E006 Output OC Output Overcurrent | The alarm appears when the inverter output current exceeds the output overcurrent threshold of the inverter. | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E007 IGBT Sat IGBT Saturation | This alarm appears when one of the active devices of the inverter is in saturation state. | Once the error appears, the inverter attempts to resume normal operation. If the error occurs sporadically, it may be caused by a sharp transition of the grid voltage or the input voltage but is not attributable to inverter malfunctioning. If the error is associated with an internal fault, it will continue to appear; contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E009 Internal error | Error inside the inverter | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E010 Bulk Low Low Bulk Voltage | This alarm can be triggered by causes external to the inverter: a low inverter input voltage (just above the activation voltage) that is not accompanied by sufficient availability of power from the photovoltaic generator (typical condition of periods of insufficient sunlight). | If the error warning appears sporadically, it can be attributed to causes external to the inverter (insufficient irradiation, and therefore little power available from the PV generator). If the problem appears systematically even in conditions of high solar radiation and with input voltage significantly higher than the activation voltage, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E011 Ramp Fail Bulk ramp timeout | Error inside the inverter regarding the time for starting steady state operation of the DC-DC circuit part (Booster). | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| E012 DcDc Fail Booster module error revealed by Inverter | Error inside the inverter regarding the operation of the DC-DC circuit part (Booster). | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E013 Wrong Mode Wrong Input Mode (parallel instead of independent) | The alarm is generated only when the inverter is configured with parallel inputs. In this particular configuration, the inverter carries out the input voltage check of each of the two channels, and the alarm is raised if the two voltages differ by more than 20Vdc. | Make sure the setting of the “IN MODE” switch has been intentionally positioned on “PAR” and that the jumpers have been inserted between the two input channels. If the configuration of the inverter is correct, check that the input strings have the usual number of panels in series, of the usual make and with the same inclination/orientation. If both the configuration of the inverter and the characteristics of the PV generator comply with the specifications, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E014 Over Temp. Over- temperature | External temperature above 60°C. This parameter also depends on the power that the inverter must supply since the measurement of the temperatures is carried out internally and is affected by the heat dissipated by the components of the inverter. | Wait for the temperatures to which the inverter is exposed to return within operating range and for the inverter to cool down If the problem persists (once the ambient temperature has returned within the range), contact ESE Solar technical support. Remember to wait for the time necessary to allow the inverter to cool down. |
| E015 Bulk Cap Fail | Error inside the inverter regarding a problem in the bulk capacitors. | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E016 Inverter Fail Inverter module error revealed by Booster | This alarm is generated when a problem is detected in the inverter circuit part (DC/AC). | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E017 Start Timeout Inverter module start- up timeout | Error inside the inverter regarding the time for starting steady state operation of the DC-AC circuit part (Inverter). | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E018 Ground Fault Leakage current fail | The alarm is generated when, during normal operation of the inverter, a ground leakage current is detected in the DC section of the system. The alarm is accompanied by the lighting up of the red LED on the front of the inverter. The inverter may even also generate the E018 alarm message for AC leakage currents associated with the capacitive nature of the photovoltaic generator compared to ground. | If possible, measure the insulation resistance using a megohmmeter positioned between the photovoltaic field (positive terminal short-circuited to the negative pole) and ground. If the measured value is less than 1 mega ohm, the PV generator must be checked by a technician/installer to identify and eliminate the problem. If the measured value is greater than 1 mega ohm and the error warning continues to be present, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| E019 Self-Test Error 3 Leakage current sensor self- test fail | Before connecting to the grid, the inverter carries out an autotest that tests the leakage current sensor. The test is carried out by “forcing” a current of known value in the leakage current sensor: the microprocessor compares the read value with the known value. The error is generated if the comparison between the read value and the known value during the test is not within the allowed tolerance. | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. By its nature, the alarm appears only before connection to the grid. |
| E020 Self-Test Error 1 Booster relay self-test fail | Before connecting to the grid, the inverter carries out some internal tests. One of these tests regards the correct operation of the booster relay. The test is carried out by “forcing” the switching of the relay and checking its functionality. The error is generated if a problem is found with the operation of the relay. | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. By its nature, the alarm appears only before connection to the grid. |
| E021 Self-Test Error 2 Inverter relay self-test fail | Before connecting to the grid, the inverter carries out a test that regards the operation of the inverter relay. The test is carried out by “forcing” the switching of the relay and checking its functionality. The error is generated if a problem is found with the operation of the relay. | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. By its nature, the alarm appears only before connection to the grid. |
| E022 Self-Test Error 4 Relay self- test timeout | Time taken to execute the autotest carried out on the relays of the DC_AC circuit part (inverter) is too long. This may indicate a problem associated with the aforesaid relays. | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E023 DC inj error Dc-Injection out of range | The error is generated if the direct component of the current supplied to the grid exceeds the threshold of 0.5% of the rated operating current. In any case, the inverter does not stop because of the E023 error, but tries to connect to the grid again. Sporadic repetition of the error is a sign of large grid distortions or sudden changes in irradiation, whereas systematic repetition of the error warning will be a sign of an inverter fault. | If the grid voltage is strongly distorted, report this anomaly to the grid company for the resolution of the problem If there is an inverter fault, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E024 Internal error | Error inside the inverter | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| E025 Riso Low(not shown on the display) Low insulation resistance | Before connecting to the grid, the inverter measures the insulation resistance of the PV generator compared to ground. If the insulation resistance measured by the inverter is less than 1 MOhm, the inverter does not connect to the grid and shows the “Riso Low” error. The causes may be:
/or damp seepage ;
| If possible, measure the insulation resistance using a megohmmeter positioned between the photovoltaic field (positive terminal short-circuited to the negative pole) and ground (as described in the relevant section: “checking the ground insulation of the PV generator”). If the measured value is less than 1 mega ohm, the photovoltaic generator must be checked by a technician/installer to identify and eliminate the problem If the measured value is greater than 1 mega ohm and the error warning continues to be present, contact ESE Solar technical support. (Damp increases leakage and can therefore be the cause of a reduction in insulation resistance). |
| E02 Vref Error Bad internal reference voltage | Wrong measurement of the reference voltage inside the equipment. | Internal error that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (even after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E027 Error Meas V VGrid Measures Fault | Error in the internal measurement of the grid voltage (imposed by regulations) to have a measurement redundancy (2 measurements on the same parameter carried out by two different circuits). | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem is persistent (even after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E028 Error Meas F FGrid Measures Fault | Error in the internal measurement of the grid frequency (imposed by regulations) to have a measurement redundancy (2 measurements on the same parameter carried out by two different circuits). | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem is persistent (even after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E029 Error Meas Z ZGrid Measures Fault | Error in the internal measurement of the insulation resistance of the PV generator compared to ground (imposed by regulations) to have a measurement redundancy (2 measurements on the same parameter carried out by two different circuits). | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. The error occurs if the internal measurement is carried out before connection to the grid) If the problem is persistent (even after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E030 Error Meas Ileak ILeak Measures Fault | Error in the internal measurement (carried out when the inverter is connected to the grid) of the leakage current of the DC side (PV generator) compared to ground (imposed by regulations) to have a measurement redundancy (2 measurements on the same parameter carried out by two different circuits). | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem is persistent (even after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| E031 Error Read V Wrong V Measure | Measurement of the internal voltage at the ends of the output relay out of range. There is too great a difference in voltage between the input and the output of the output relay. | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem appears repeatedly, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E032 Error Read I Wrong I Measure | Measurement of the output voltage unbalance (carried out between the three phases) out of range (only in three- phase models). | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem appears repeatedly; contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E033 UTH Under Temperature | Temperature outside the inverter below – 25°C | Wait for the temperatures to which the inverter is exposed to return within operating range. If the problem persists, contact ESE Solar technical support. Remember to wait for the time necessary to allow the inverter to warm up. |
| E034 Interlock fail IGBT not ready | Error inside the inverter | Error inside the inverter that cannot be checked externally. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and then on again), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E035 Remote Off(not shown on the display) Waiting remote ON | The inverter has been switched off remotely (remote OFF) and remains in waiting state for the signal that will switch it on again (remote ON). | Switch on the inverter remotely. If the unit does not switch on, disable the remote on/off function and switch the equipment off completely and then switch it on again. If the problem persists (after re-enabling the Remote ON/ OFF function from the display), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| E036 Vout Avg error Average Vout out of range | The average grid voltage value (every 10 minutes) does not fall within the allowed ranges. The grid voltage at the point connected to the inverter is too high. This may be caused by grid impedance that is too high. Towards the end of the timeout, the inverter limits the power to check whether the grid voltage stabilises within the normal parameters. If this does not happen, the inverter disconnects from the grid. | Check the grid voltage at the inverter connection point. If the grid voltage diverges from the range because of grid conditions, ask the grid company to adjust the grid voltage. If the grid company authorises a change to the inverter parameters, arrange the new limits with ESE Solar technical support. |
| E037 Riso Low Low insulation resistance (amorphous mode only) | This error can appear only if the “Amorphous” mode is enabled. This function is enabled only in inverters equipped with grounding kit and is used to monitor the voltage at the ends of the grounding resistor. The error appears when the voltage at the ends of the resistor connected between ground and pole of the photovoltaic generator exceeds 30V for more than 30 minutes or 120V for more than one second. | Check for the presence and correct contacting of the two terminals of the grounding resistor installed inside the inverter. If possible, measure the insulation resistance using a megohmmeter positioned between the PV field (positive terminal short-circuited to the negative pole) and ground (as described in the operation chapter). If the measured value is less than 1 mega ohm, the photovoltaic generator must be checked by a technician/ installer to identify and eliminate the problem. If the measured value is greater than 1 mega ohm and the error warning continues to be present, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| Mid Bulk OV | NA | NA |
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| E050 Arc Fault (-A version ONLY) DC Arc fault detected | An electrical arc has been detected on DC cables. This error locks the inverter in a disconnected state. | Check DC cables and connections to identify the source of possible arcing. Press and hold ESC on the display in order to unlock the inverter and start the Arc Fault self-test. |
| E053 AF Self-Test (-A version ONLY) Arc fault detector (AFD) sensor Self-test failed | Self-Test performed by AFD board failed. The board will try another self-test after user turns inverter off and on. | Press and hold ESC on the display in order to unlock the inverter. To manually start the self-test the procedure, 1. Turn off the inverter (switching off both DC and AC switches) and, 2. Turn on both the DC and AC switches waiting for display communication of self-test result. If the problem persists (after switching the inverter off and on), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
Warning Messages
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| W001 Sun Low (Low input voltage during switch-on of the inverters) | Insufficient sunlight. Wrong configuration of the PV generator or a configuration “at the limit” as regards the minimum input voltage of the inverter. | Check the inverter input voltage. If it does not exceed the Vstart, check that there is sufficient irradiation and that the composition of the system is correct. If it exceeds the Vstart, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| W002 Input UV (Low input voltage during switch-off) | Insufficient sunlight. Wrong configuration of the photovoltaic generator or a configuration “at the limit” as regards the minimum input voltage of the inverter. | Check the inverter input voltage. If it does not exceed the Vstart, check that there is sufficient irradiation and that the composition of the system is correct. If it exceeds the Vstart, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| W003 Grid Fail Grid Fail (grid voltage parameters outside the limits) | This error warning appears during normal operation of the inverter when the grid parameters fall outside the limits set by the grid company. No grid voltage (after the warning, the inverter goes on “No Vac”) Unstable grid voltage (downwards and upwards) Unstable grid frequency. | Check the grid voltage on the inverter. If absent, check for the absence of grid voltage on the supply. If the voltage tends to rise (when the inverter is connected), it means there are high line or grid impedances. Check the grid voltage on the supply as well; if it is high, it means there is high grid impedance. In this case, ask the grid company to adjust the grid voltage. If the grid company authorises a change to the inverter parameters, arrange the new limits with the ESE Solar technical support. If the voltage at the supply point is much lower than that measured on the inverter, the line must be adjusted (inverter- counter). If the grid voltage and frequency fall within the limits (even when the inverter is connected to the grid), contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| W009 Table fail | NA | NA |
| W010 Fan Fail (Alarm not shown on the display; there is only a flashing yellow LED) | This error appears when there is malfunctioning of the fan(s) inside the inverter. In this condition, the yellow LED on the front panel flashes. | Error inside the inverter that cannot be resolved with external operations. If the alarm is persistently repeated, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| W011 Bulk UV | Reading of the internal voltage on the bulk capacitors carried out when the inverter is connected to the grid. |
| Display Message | Causes | Solution |
| W012 Battery low Low internal clock battery voltage | Internal battery for maintenance of the date/time settings is discharged or damaged. | Replace the battery with the inverter completely switched off (disconnect AC side and DC side) and be sure to observe the correct polarity. |
| W013 Clk fail Internal clock failure | The alarm appears when the time shown on the display differs by more than 1 minute from the internal time of the microprocessors and indicates clock circuit malfunctioning. | This is an error inside the inverter that cannot be resolved with external operations. If the alarm is persistently repeated, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
| W017 Jbox fail Fuse-control board fail (DC string fail) | Fuse(s) on the fuse boards is/are damaged. | Using a multimeter, check the condition of the fuses (situated on the fuse boards). Replace any open fuses and check that the input current on the string(s) does not exceed the rating of the fuses (if string parallels have been made outside the inverter). If there are no damaged string fuses and the inverter continues to display the alarm message, check whether the settings to be made through the Aurora Manager software are correct (presence or absence of one or more input strings). |
| W018 SPD DC protection open | Overvoltage surge arresters situated on the DC side are damaged. | Look at the inspection window present on each surge arrester (DC side). If it is red, the surge arrester is damaged and the cartridge must be replaced. If the alarm status continues to be present even though all the surge arresters have a green inspection window, contactESE Solar technical support. |
| W019 SPD AC protection open | Overvoltage surge arresters situated on the AC side are damaged. | Look at the inspection window present on each surge arrester (AC side). If it is red, the surge arrester is damaged and the cartridge must be replaced. If the alarm status continues to be present even though all the surge arresters have a green inspection window, contact ESE Solar technical support. |
Conclusion on ABB Aurora Inverters
The inverter units from Aurora have extensive self-test capabilities. Some problems encountered will be minor, but if in doubt users should contact ESG Group technical support and let them know what the error message or code says, so they can determine the optimal course of action to get the system back into full service.
