The Complete Guide To Alpha ESS Inverter Error Codes

The mains voltage at the inverter rose above the limit it is allowed to export at, so it disconnected. It reconnects by itself once the grid settles; if it happens most sunny afternoons the AC run or the street voltage needs checking. Older SMILE5 units log this as GridVoltFault, the SMILE-B3-PLUS as Grid AC over voltage.

The mains voltage at the inverter dropped below the limit, often a brownout, a heavy load starting nearby or a loose AC connection, and the inverter disconnected. It reconnects by itself once the voltage recovers. The SMILE-B3-PLUS shows it as Grid AC under voltage.

The grid frequency went above (100002) or below (100003) the inverter's limits for a moment and it disconnected. It reconnects by itself once the grid is steady. SMILE5 units log this as GridFreqFault; the three-phase SMILE-T10 also has 100049 Frequency jitter for the same family.

The inverter lost its lock on the grid waveform, usually a switching event, a storm or a badly distorted supply, and disconnected to protect itself. It reconnects by itself once the grid is clean. SMILE5 units log it as PLLLostFault; the three-phase SMILE-T10 shows the same family as 100047 Grid disturbance, 100057 Grid_disturbance2 or 100048 Grid_unbalance.

The average grid voltage over the last ten minutes (or five minutes on some settings) was above the limit, so the inverter disconnected as the rules require. It reconnects itself; if it happens most days the street voltage is high and the network may need to be told. AlphaCloud logs it as 110024 10min Grid Volt Alarm.

The inverter cannot see mains power on its AC side. Usually the power is out, the solar supply main switch or breaker in the switchboard is off, or an AC connection is loose; it reconnects by itself once the grid is back. SMILE5 units show MainsLostFault, the SMILE-B3-PLUS shows Grid AC absent, and AlphaCloud logs it as alarm 110021.

The inverter found a problem with how it is wired: the live and neutral swapped (Zero firewire reverse alarm on the SMILE-B3-PLUS, LN Reverse Alarm 110027 in AlphaCloud), the grid and backup ports crossed (Wiring_Fault on SMILE5), or the number of PV inputs not matching the MPPT setting (InputConfigFault). It normally appears at commissioning or after switchboard work and is an installer fix.

The inverter sees a solar string connected with positive and negative the wrong way round. It will not use that string until the wiring is corrected, which is an installer job on the DC side; it normally shows up at commissioning or after work on the roof.

The open-circuit voltage of solar string 1 (100017) or string 2 (100021) is above the inverter's maximum input, 585 V on the SMILE-G3, S6 and T10. This happens on cold, clear mornings when a string has too many panels in series. The inverter protects itself and waits; the fix is fewer panels per string, which is an installer job. SMILE5 units show PvVoltFault.

The inverter's own AC output went above (100036) or below (100037) its limits. Alpha ties the high reading to the grid voltage being over the standard's maximum, and the low one to a short or a big motor start on the backup circuit. It restarts by itself; if it repeats the backup loads, grid voltage or the inverter need checking. Over-voltage, over-current and short-circuit faults can damage hardware, so we treat them as a call.

The inverter found a short circuit, or a current far above its rating, on the backup (EPS) output, the circuit that keeps running in a blackout. It will not power that circuit until the cause is found. A faulty appliance plugged into the backup circuit is the common cause; otherwise it is the backup wiring. SMILE5 units show UPS_OCP_Fault.

The appliances on the backup (EPS) circuit are drawing more than the inverter can supply, often an air conditioner, oven, pump or kettle starting together during a blackout. Switch off the heavy appliances and it recovers, on the SMILE-B3-PLUS after about 5 minutes; if it trips with little connected the backup wiring needs checking. SMILE5 units show OverLoadFault or Backup_Overload.

On the three-phase SMILE-T10 the solar input voltage jumped about suddenly, usually a loose DC connector, a shading edge or an intermittent panel. The inverter restarts by itself; if it repeats the DC connections need checking.

The voltage on the backup (EPS) port went too high. Alpha's own steps are to check the backup port cable and restart; a repeat points at the backup wiring or the inverter's output stage. Over-voltage, over-current and short-circuit faults can damage hardware, so we treat them as a call.

During a blackout the solar and battery together cannot supply what the house is drawing on the backup circuit, so the inverter warns before it overloads. Reduce the load or wait for more sun; it clears by itself. If it shows while the grid is on, the inverter needs a check.

AlphaCloud alarm 110048 says the inverter sees no power from the panels in daylight. At night or in heavy cloud it is normal; in good sun it points to the rooftop DC isolator being off, a tripped string or a damaged cable. No Alpha manual found lists this alarm; the meaning comes from a secondary index of AlphaCloud codes.

On the SMILE-B3-PLUS the inverter has measured that the capacitor on its backup (EPS) output has lost capacity, which is an ageing hardware fault. It needs a service call; Alpha's own instruction is to contact its after-sales team.

The inverter found too little insulation between the solar or battery wiring and earth, usually water in a connector or isolator, a chafed cable or a damaged panel. Alpha's manual says a failure to start on a wet morning is often dew and clears by itself, but a fault that stays is an electrical safety issue and needs an electrician. AlphaCloud logs the warning level as 110030 ISO Alarm.

The inverter measured current leaking to earth from the solar or battery wiring, usually damaged cable insulation, water in a connector, high humidity, or on SMILE5 units a missing earth or reversed neutral. Because this is an electrical safety trip, a repeat needs an electrician. SMILE5 units show ResidualCurrentFault; the SMILE-B3-PLUS shows Leakage current abnormal.

The inverter's own leakage-current sensing circuit failed its self-test, as opposed to finding a real leak. Alpha allows one restart and otherwise wants a firmware update or a service call; if one restart does not clear it the sensor or board inside has failed. SMILE5 units show ResidualCurrent_DeviceFault, the SMILE-B3-PLUS Leakage current HCT abnormal.

The inverter's arc detector heard the electrical signature of a DC arc on the solar wiring, which is a fire risk. It shuts down the solar input. The usual causes are a loose or corroded connector, a damaged cable or a poor joint in a rooftop isolator. Treat it as urgent and do not reset it repeatedly.

The Alpha EV charger measured current leaking to earth while charging, which is a safety trip. A wet charging plug or a fault in the car's charging circuit is the usual cause. Alpha's step is to unplug the car for ten minutes and try again; if it trips again, the charger, cable and car need an electrician.

The inverter cannot see a good earth (protective earth) connection to its case. It will not run safely without one. Usually the earth cable is loose, damaged or was never connected; it is an installer check. SMILE5 units raise TzProtectFault with the same first step, check the wiring and restart.

The inverter (or one of its MPPT or inverter stages, 100020, 100024, 100035) got too hot and cut back or stopped. It restarts by itself once it cools. It is normal on very hot afternoons in direct sun; if it happens often or in mild weather the location, airflow or a fan needs checking. SMILE5 units show TemperatureOverFault; AlphaCloud logs the warning as 110006. Heat shutdowns point at a failing fan, a blocked vent or a bad installation spot, so we treat them as a call.

A temperature sensor in the inverter (NTC fail on the SMILE-B3-PLUS, 110003 on the G3) or in the battery (Error 01 on the B3-PLUS battery lights, Two Temperature Sensor Error on SMILE5) is giving a bad reading. The unit cannot protect itself properly without it, so it is a hardware check rather than something to wait out.

AlphaCloud alarm 110034 reports that the inverter's cooling fan is not running as expected. The inverter keeps working but will cut back on hot days until the fan is fixed. No Alpha manual found lists this alarm; the meaning comes from a secondary index of AlphaCloud codes, so treat it as a pointer rather than a diagnosis. A fan fault lets the inverter overheat, so we treat it as a call.

The voltage on the inverter's internal DC bus went outside its working range. Alpha's own first check is whether the PV string voltage is above the inverter's maximum (550 V to 580 V depending on the model), which happens on cold clear mornings with too many panels in a string; otherwise it points at the inverter's power stage. One restart is allowed; a repeat needs an electrician.

The relay that connects the inverter to the grid (or the backup relay on SMILE5 units, UpsRelayFault) failed its check: it may be stuck, welded or not closing. The inverter stays off until it is fixed. One restart is allowed; after that it is an inverter repair. The SMILE-B3-PLUS shows Inverter relay abnormal.

The processors inside the inverter have stopped talking to each other (SPI, SCI or CAN on SMILE5 units, M_S_com_fault on the SMILE-T10, Internal communication error on the SMILE-B3-PLUS). Alpha's first step is a firmware update, which the installer or Alpha can push remotely; if that does not hold, a board inside has failed.

The current from solar string 1 (100018) or string 2 (100022) was briefly more than the input stage is rated for, usually a string with too many panels in parallel or a very bright moment after cloud. The inverter restarts by itself; if it repeats the string design needs checking. Over-voltage, over-current and short-circuit faults can damage hardware, so we treat them as a call.

The hardware protection on solar input 1 (100019) or 2 (100023) tripped, which is more serious than the software limit: either the string is well over the input rating or the input stage itself has a fault. Alpha allows one restart; a repeat needs the inverter looked at.

The inverter measured a small DC component in its AC output (100038 current, 100041 voltage), which the grid rules do not allow, and disconnected. One-off trips come from a grid disturbance and clear themselves. If it repeats, the inverter's output stage or its DC sensor (SMILE5 DCI_DeviceFault) needs checking. DC on the AC side is a protection fault, so we treat it as a call.

The inverter's output current briefly went over its software limit, usually a big motor or compressor starting, a grid disturbance, or a short on the backup side. It restarts by itself; if it repeats the loads and wiring need checking. SMILE5 units show Inv_OCP_Fault; the SMILE-T10 also logs 100050 Grid_overcurrent and 100061 Grid_short_time_over_current. Over-voltage, over-current and short-circuit faults can damage hardware, so we treat them as a call.

The hardware current protection on the inverter's output stage tripped (or 100056 IGBT_over_current on the SMILE-T10), which is more serious than the software limit: a dead short on the backup side, or a failing power transistor. Alpha allows one restart; a repeat is an inverter repair.

The small power supply that runs the inverter's own electronics (the APU or 12 V auxiliary supply) dropped out of range. The SMILE-B3-PLUS shows it as Control power low. A one-off can follow a brownout and clears on restart; if it stays, the supply board inside has failed.

The inverter's own self-test failed: its two processors disagree on a measurement (SampleConsistenceFault, Consistent warning), a current sensor is out (HCT_AC_DeviceFault), or a circuit did not start (Inverter abnormal, Boost abnormal, Dsp_selfcheck). A one-off can follow a grid disturbance; a repeat means a board inside has failed.

The inverter (or the EMS unit on a SMILE5, E2prom_Fault) could not read or write its settings memory. It often keeps working but may lose settings or stop logging. Alpha's step is a firmware update, then a service call if it stays; the installer can usually update remotely. Internal and hardware faults need testing with the right instruments, so we treat them as a call.

On SMILE5 units the EMS controller has reported a fault in its own hardware: the network card (so the system cannot reach AlphaCloud) or its real-time clock. Solar and battery usually keep working, but monitoring and scheduled charging may not. Alpha's instruction is a service call.

The inverter has lost contact with the Alpha EV charger (SMILE-EVCT or G3-EVCT). The charger may still charge the car but will not follow the solar-charging modes. Usually the communication cable between charger and inverter, or the battery being switched off. The charger's own alarms 200000 Relay OTP (relay hot) and 200001 Output overload clear after unplugging the car for ten minutes. A relay fault can leave the inverter unable to disconnect safely, so we treat it as a call.

The inverter sees the battery cables connected with positive and negative the wrong way round. It will not charge or discharge until the wiring is corrected, which is an installer job; it normally shows up at commissioning or after a battery has been added or swapped.

The inverter measured the battery voltage above its charge cut-off (Alpha's check is more than 20 V over on a fault, 10 V over on the 110000 alarm). It stops charging to protect the cells. At a new install it usually means the wrong battery type is set; later it points to a loose battery cable, a BMS communication problem or a battery fault, which an installer needs to check. Battery protection faults are not something to ride out at home, so we treat them as a call.

The battery voltage is below its discharge cut-off, so the inverter has stopped drawing from it. After a long blackout, a run of cloudy days or a long time switched off the battery can simply be flat and recovers once the sun charges it. If it stays low with good sun, a cable, breaker or battery fault needs checking. SMILE5 units show UPS_Battery_Volt_Low.

The inverter cannot see the battery: either the BMS data link is down or the battery voltage reads near zero. Usually the battery is switched off or its breaker has tripped, a communication cable is loose, or the battery has shut itself down flat. The system runs on solar and grid only until it is back. SMILE5 and G3 units log it as BMS lost (code 7); the SMILE-B3-PLUS as Battery absent.

The battery, or the switching transistors inside it, got too hot and the system paused charging and discharging. It resumes once it cools; Alpha's own step for a MOS over-temperature error (Error 13 on the battery lights) is to power the battery off and back on after 30 minutes to 2 hours. If it happens in mild weather or often, the location or the battery needs checking. Heat shutdowns point at a failing fan, a blocked vent or a bad installation spot, so we treat them as a call.

The battery was charging (100029, 100031) or discharging (100030, 100032) faster than it is rated for, usually a big load starting during a blackout or a settings mismatch. The system pauses and recovers by itself; the battery's own lights show it as protection code 5 or 6. If it trips with ordinary loads the settings or battery need checking. Over-voltage, over-current and short-circuit faults can damage hardware, so we treat them as a call.

The hardware protection on the battery input (100033, 100034, or 100062 on the SMILE-T10) tripped, which is more serious than the software limit: a short or very high current on the battery side, or a fault in the inverter's battery stage. Alpha allows one restart; a repeat needs the inverter looked at. The SMILE-B3-PLUS shows DC HW over current.

One or more cells inside the battery have been charged above their safe voltage, so the battery has stopped accepting charge until they settle. The battery's own lights show it as protection code 8. It usually recovers on its own; if it repeats, the battery's balancing or the charge settings need checking. Over-voltage, over-current and short-circuit faults can damage hardware, so we treat them as a call.

One or more cells inside the battery have dropped below their safe voltage, so the battery has stopped discharging to protect itself. The battery lights show protection code 9. It follows a long blackout, a long time switched off or a fault. Alpha says to stop discharging and call service; the installer can wake it so the inverter can recharge it. Battery protection faults are not something to ride out at home, so we treat them as a call.

The battery is too cold to charge (protection 11) or discharge (protection 4) safely, or its modules are at very different temperatures (protection 1), so it pauses until it warms. Alpha wants the ambient above 0 degrees for charging. It clears by itself as the day warms; a garage or shaded wall in a frosty area is the usual cause.

The battery's internal switching (MOSFET) or current measurement has failed its check (Error 05 on the lights, Mos error, Current error or Mos DriverFeedback Error on SMILE5 units, or a plain Hardware error 01, 02, 03 or 05 on the SMILE-BAT modules). Alpha allows one battery restart; if the red light stays, the battery module needs a service call.

The battery's own circuit breaker is off or has tripped, so the module cannot deliver power. It can be a trip after a fault or just a breaker knocked off. Alpha's step is to switch the battery off, close the breaker, then switch the battery on; if it trips again, the installer checks the breaker's sampling line and the cause of the trip. On the G3 it is 60002.

The small DIP (dial) switches on the battery modules are set differently, so the modules cannot agree on how they are connected and the stack will not run. It shows up after a module has been added, swapped or opened for service. The installer sets the switches to match and restarts.

The battery modules have lost their data link to each other: Error 08 is a secondary (slave) module, Error 10 the primary (master). On the G3 these are 60004 and 60006. The usual cause is a loose or unplugged communication cable between modules. Alpha's fix is to reconnect the cable or restart the battery, which is an installer job on the cabling.

A battery module has lost its serial number from memory, so the system will not accept it. It is a configuration fault rather than a hardware one: Alpha's step is for the installer to enter the serial number again and restart, or arrange a service call. Internal and hardware faults need testing with the right instruments, so we treat them as a call.

The battery modules in the stack are running different firmware versions, so they will not work together. It happens when a module has been added or replaced. The installer or Alpha updates the modules to the same version; there is nothing to fix on site otherwise.

With more than one battery module, two of them are trying to be the master, so the stack will not run. It usually happens when the batteries were switched on in the wrong order after a power-off. Alpha's own fix is to shut the battery system down and switch all the batteries back on within 30 seconds of each other; if that does not hold, the installer checks the DIP switches and cables.

On the SMILE-G3 and SMILE-T10 battery modules, Error 14 means the battery found too little insulation between its cells and earth, and Error 15 that its total voltage reading is wrong. Both are safety-related hardware faults inside the battery: Alpha allows one battery restart, then a service call.

The battery has not been charged to full for about four weeks, so it no longer trusts its own state-of-charge reading. Alpha's rule is that after 30 days without a correction the battery stops discharging until it has been fully charged once. A run of cloudy weather or a system set to hold charge is the usual cause; one full charge fixes it.

On a system with two or more inverters running in parallel, the units have lost their link (100211 Para_CAN), have different firmware (100213 Para_SW_Diff), a module fault (100214) or more than one set as the host (100216 Para_Multi_Host). The system will not run in parallel until the installer checks the cables, settings and firmware. SMILE5 units show Parallel_Comm_Error or Parallel_Mode_Differ.

The system has lost contact with the energy meter in the switchboard (grid meter, code 5) or with the meter on a separate solar inverter (PV meter, code 6). Without it the battery cannot see what the house is using, so it may charge or discharge at the wrong times and the app's grid figures go blank. Usually the RS485 cable or a meter setting; the installer checks it.

The EMS (the controller that runs the monitoring and battery logic) has lost its data link to the inverter. The inverter usually keeps making solar power but the app shows nothing and the battery may not charge or discharge. Alpha's steps are a restart, then a remote firmware update, then a service call. On the G3 it is common error 4 Inverter lost; the SMILE-B3-PLUS shows EMS communication error.