The Complete Guide To Samil Inverter Error Codes

Why a Samil error code is worth sorting now

A Samil SolarRiver showing a fault message has stopped turning sunlight into savings. While it sits there, everything your home uses in daylight comes from the grid at full price. Isolation Fault and Ground I Fault matter beyond the bill: both mean the inverter has found the solar wiring losing its insulation or leaking current to earth.

Samil Power has no Australian presence and no warranty support. A very large number went in between 2010 and 2014, and the range had a high failure rate, so many of these units are reaching the end together. When the fault is in the electronics, a replacement is the sensible answer. A tripped switch, a blackout or a grid voltage trip will put a message on the screen too, and those need no new inverter at all.

Finding out which one you have takes a phone call. If the inverter is done, the panels usually stay and the replacement can be a hybrid, ready for a battery whenever you want one. If it is the wiring, fixing it early keeps a damp connector from becoming a fault that trips the system every wet week.

Find your code in the table below to see what it means and how urgent it is. If your home is in Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Gawler, the Barossa, the Fleurieu, Murray Bridge and Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, or North Brisbane, Caboolture, Bribie Island, the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gympie in Queensland, our own licensed electricians will go through it with you over the phone for free before anyone drives out. Check your postcode to see if we cover you.

Which Samil inverter do you have?

The model is on the label on the side of the unit, usually SolarRiver followed by a size and TL. Samil never had a cloud app of its own: monitoring was a PC program called SolarPower Browser over a cable, or a third-party logger.

SolarRiver 1100TL to 5200TL: the common Samil range of the era, and the manual most of this page is read from.
SolarRiver TL-D (3400TL-D to 6000TL-D): a later SolarRiver range that logs some faults as numbers: High DC Bus can show as code 40, No Utility as 08, and PV Over Voltage as 09 or 10.
SolarLake: another Samil range name you may find on a label. Same maker, same position: no Australian support.

All 17 Samil error codes, explained

A Samil shows a fault as a short message on its screen, such as Isolation Fault, Grid Fault or Relay Failure, and a grid fault may add OVR, UVR, OFR or UFR. TL-D models log some faults as numbers instead, and the search box finds those too. All 17 are in one table below. The number in brackets after each code's name is its source in the reference list.

Stop and call A safety or hardware fault that nobody can fix from a phone. Do the one safe restart at most, then call.
Worth a look Something to check or restart safely. If it comes back, book a visit.
Wait and watch The inverter has paused for a reason outside itself, usually the grid or the light, and restarts on its own.

We always err on the cautious side: when a code sits between two ratings, it gets the higher one.

13 stop and call, 1 worth a look, 3 wait and watch.

Error code	What it means	What to do
Consistent FaultSamil Consistent Fault	Internal consistency fault^[1] The inverter's two processors disagree, which the manual puts down to the CPU or other hardware failing. A disconnect and reconnect sometimes clears it once; if it returns the board has failed. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
DC INJ HighSamil DC INJ High	DC injection too high^[1] The inverter is pushing too much direct current into the grid. The manual says wait a minute for it to clear; if it keeps returning the output stage is drifting. DC on the AC side is a protection fault, so we treat it as a call. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
DC Sensor FaultSamil DC Sensor Fault	DC input sensor fault^[1] The sensor that measures the solar input has failed. It is an internal hardware fault; the manual's only reset is a disconnect and reconnect. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
EEPROM FailureSamil EEPROM Failure	Memory read or write fault^[1] The inverter could not read or write its settings memory. One safe restart sometimes clears it; if it comes back the control board is failing. Internal and hardware faults need testing with the right instruments, so we treat them as a call. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
Fan FaultSamil Fan Fault	Cooling fan fault^[1] The cooling fan is jammed, dirty or its circuit has failed. The inverter can keep running at reduced power but will overheat on hot days. Heat shutdowns point at a failing fan, a blocked vent or a bad installation spot, so we treat them as a call. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
GFCI FailureSamil GFCI Failure	Earth fault detector failure^[1] The circuit that watches for current leaking to earth has itself failed. The inverter will not run without it, and it is an internal fault. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
Grid FaultSamil Grid Fault	Grid voltage or frequency fault^[1] The mains voltage or frequency went outside the inverter's limits (OVR, UVR, OFR, UFR on the screen), so it disconnected. It reconnects on its own once the grid settles; daily repeats mean the grid voltage needs checking. Safe steps in the lookup	Wait and watch
Ground I FaultSamil Ground I Fault	Earth leakage current too high^[1] Current is leaking to earth above the inverter's limit, so it has stopped. That points to a wet or damaged part of the DC side or a fault on the AC side near the inverter. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
High DC BusSamil High DC Bus	DC bus voltage too high^[1] The voltage on the inverter's internal DC bus went above its set value. The manual also asks for the AC line and neutral connections to be checked, but a repeat is an internal fault. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
Input/output current highSamil Input/output current high	Input or output over current^[3] The inverter measured more current than it is rated for on the solar input or the grid output (TL-D models). The manual's only reset is a disconnect and reconnect; a repeat is an internal fault. Best effort · from a secondary copySafe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
Isolation FaultSamil Isolation Fault	Insulation (isolation) fault^[1] The inverter measured too little insulation between the solar array and earth, which the manual puts down to an earth fault on the panels or a failed surge protector. Water in a roof connector or a damaged cable is the usual cause, and the unit stops until it is cleared. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
Monitoring not workingSamil Monitoring not working	Monitoring not working^[1] Samil inverters had no cloud portal of their own: monitoring was a PC program (SolarPower Browser) over an RS232 or RS485 cable, or a third-party logger. If that has stopped, the inverter itself can still be fine: read its screen in daylight. Best effort · from a secondary copySafe steps in the lookup	Wait and watch
No displaySamil No display	No display, no lights^[2] The inverter has no power at all. On a sunny day that means the supply has been cut by a tripped switch or isolator, or the inverter's own power supply has failed, which on a Samil is the end of the unit. Best effort · from a secondary copySafe steps in the lookup	Worth a look
No UtilitySamil No Utility	No grid detected^[1] The inverter cannot see the mains. A tripped solar supply main switch, a blackout, a blown fuse or a damaged AC cable are the usual causes. Safe steps in the lookup	Wait and watch
PV Over VoltageSamil PV Over Voltage	Solar array voltage too high^[1] The voltage from the panels is above the inverter's maximum DC input. It can show on a cold bright morning on a system wired close to the limit; if it keeps appearing the strings need checking. Over-voltage, over-current and short-circuit faults can damage hardware, so we treat them as a call. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
Relay FailureSamil Relay Failure	Output relay failure^[1] The relay between the inverter and the grid has failed its test. On a Samil this is an internal fault that cannot be repaired, and the unit stays off. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call
SCI FailureSamil SCI Failure	Internal communication fault^[1] The processors inside the inverter have stopped talking to each other. It is an internal board fault; a disconnect and reconnect is the only reset and it rarely holds. Safe steps in the lookup	Stop and call

Got a Samil error code? Free phone diagnosis in our service area

Our own licensed electricians cover Greater Adelaide and regional SA, and from North Brisbane up through the Sunshine Coast to Gympie. Check your postcode, then read us the code and tell us the install year. If it needs a visit, the callout is credited against the work.

How to reset a Samil inverter safely

Try one restart, in this order:

Switch the solar supply main switch off at the switchboard.
Switch the DC isolator off at the inverter.
Wait five minutes.
Switch the DC isolator back on, then the solar supply main switch.

Never open the unit or touch the wiring. Never restart anything that smells hot or shows scorch marks. If the code comes back after one restart, stop and call.

Samil inverter repair or replacement?

On a visit our electricians check the whole system, not just the box on the wall: insulation resistance string by string, earth continuity, the relay, DC string voltages and currents, the AC supply, and what the inverter itself reports. An Isolation Fault on a Samil is often a damp roof connector or a damaged cable, though the manual also names a failed surge protector, so the test decides where the work is.

A Relay Failure, Consistent Fault or SCI Failure is inside the inverter, and with no Samil parts those mean a replacement. We then quote a straight replacement and a hybrid option next to each other, so a battery can go in now or later. The panels usually stay, and the callout comes off whichever you pick.

We do this work in Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Gawler, the Barossa, the Fleurieu, Murray Bridge and Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, or North Brisbane, Caboolture, Bribie Island, the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gympie in Queensland only. Outside those areas, everything above still applies: take the code, its meaning and the urgency to a licensed electrician near you.

Where these Samil error codes come from

Every Samil code on this page was read from the maker's own manual wherever one survives (82 per cent of them). Where only a secondary copy survives, the row says "best effort" and so does the lookup. The numbers match the references in the code table.

[1]
Samil Power SolarRiver 1100TL to 5200TL Product Manual (SP-SR-V8.1-EN)15 codes, 14 of 15 from the maker's own document
[2]
Brand-level row. The manual's general checks (DC isolator on, connections and wiring in good condition) are the nearest guidance1 code, best effort, from a secondary copy
[3]
Samil Power SolarRiver 3400TL-D to 6000TL-D Product Manual (manualslib copy)1 code, best effort, from a secondary copy

Tables last updated 21 October 2026

Samil error code questions, answered

How do I read a Samil error code?

Read the message on the screen in daylight and write it down exactly, including letters like OVR or UFR. If your model ends in TL-D and shows a number instead, note the number. Then search the table above for either one.

What does Samil Isolation Fault mean?

Isolation Fault is “insulation (isolation) fault”. The inverter measured too little insulation between the solar array and earth, which the manual puts down to an earth fault on the panels or a failed surge protector. Water in a roof connector or a damaged cable is the usual cause, and the unit stops until it is cleared. We rate it stop and call. See it in the table.

What does Samil Relay Failure mean?

Relay Failure is “output relay failure”. The relay between the inverter and the grid has failed its test. On a Samil this is an internal fault that cannot be repaired, and the unit stays off. We rate it stop and call. See it in the table.

Do you cover my area?

We work in Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Gawler, the Barossa, the Fleurieu, Murray Bridge and Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, or North Brisbane, Caboolture, Bribie Island, the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gympie in Queensland. Check your postcode to be sure. Outside those areas, this page still tells you what your code means and how urgent it is, and a licensed electrician near you can take it from there.

What does it cost to have a Samil looked at?

For homes in our service area, the phone diagnosis is free. If it needs a visit, there is a callout fee, and it is credited against any repair or replacement we do.

Will you work on a Samil you did not install?

Yes, if it is in our service area. Most of our repair work is on systems someone else installed. We test the whole system, not just the unit on the wall.

Why can’t I see my Samil in an app?

Samil inverters never had a portal of their own. Monitoring was SolarPower Browser on a PC, over an RS232 or RS485 cable, or a third-party logger. If that has stopped, the inverter may still be fine: check its screen in daylight for a power reading. A visit can fit a third-party energy monitor at the switchboard if you would like monitoring again.

My Samil screen is blank. Is it finished?

Not always. Check that the solar supply main switch at the switchboard and the DC isolator next to the inverter are both on, then try the safe restart once. If the screen stays dark in daylight, the inverter’s own power supply has most likely failed, and on a Samil that is the end of the unit. Book a visit and we will confirm it before quoting anything.

Where do the codes on this page come from?

Mostly from Samil Power’s own product manual for the SolarRiver 1100TL to 5200TL. Three rows rely on a secondary copy of the TL-D manual or on general guidance where no Samil document covers the fault, such as a blank screen, and those say best effort. Each code carries a numbered reference to its document in the source list.

Written by

Joe Deionno

Started in 2017 after years of subcontracting and seeing the dodgy operators at work; set out to be the installer people could trust. Oversees every install in both states.

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