The Complete Guide To SMA Inverter Error Codes

The mains voltage at your switchboard went above the limit the inverter is allowed to feed into, so it disconnected to protect the grid. It reconnects by itself once the voltage settles, which is common on sunny afternoons in streets with a lot of solar.

The inverter saw the mains voltage drop too low or disappear, so it disconnected. This is usually a blackout, a tripped solar breaker or a loose AC connection rather than a fault inside the inverter.

The grid voltage averaged over ten minutes stayed above the limit, so the inverter switched off to keep the street voltage within the rules. It reconnects itself, but if this happens most days you are losing production and the cause is usually the grid or the cable run, not the inverter.

The inverter is deliberately reducing its output because the grid voltage is high. It is still working, just making less than it could, which is a grid condition rather than a fault.

The inverter detected a sudden change in grid frequency or a stand-alone grid, which is what it sees during a network switching event or a generator start, and it disconnected for safety. It reconnects itself once the grid is steady.

The grid frequency moved outside the allowed band, so the inverter disconnected or reduced its output. This comes from the network, not your system, and it clears on its own.

The inverter measured too much direct current in the power it sends to the grid and disconnected. A one-off can be a grid disturbance, but if it repeats it needs an electrician to check the output.

The grid frequency left the allowed range and the inverter disconnected for safety. It reconnects itself once the network frequency settles.

The inverter cannot see mains voltage, so it is waiting. Usually the solar breaker has tripped, there is a blackout, or the AC cable is not connected properly.

The inverter is waiting for grid voltage because the active or neutral is not connected through to it. Check the solar breaker first; if it is on, the AC wiring or a fuse needs an electrician. Wiring faults need an electrician, so we treat them as a call.

Someone entered the wrong SMA Grid Guard installer code, so the protected grid settings stay locked. It is not a fault and production is not affected; it only matters when an installer needs to change grid settings. A protection lockout means the inverter found something it will not run with, so we treat it as a call.

The grid settings are protected and cannot be changed without the installer's SMA Grid Guard code. It is a status message, not a fault, and production is not affected.

The inverter is checking the grid or waiting for enough sunlight before it connects, which it does every morning and evening and after any grid trip. If it stays on Waiting all day in full sun, something is stopping it from connecting.

The panels are not giving the inverter enough power to run steadily, which is normal at dawn, dusk or under heavy cloud. If it shows at midday on a clear day, a string or the panels need checking.

The panels are putting out a higher voltage than the inverter is rated for, which can destroy it. SMA says to disconnect the array straight away, so leave it to an electrician rather than switching it on and off.

The array pushed more current into the inverter than it is rated for and feed-in was interrupted for a moment. A one-off can be a cloud edge; if it keeps happening the string design or wiring needs checking.

The panels are not yet giving enough voltage for the inverter to start, which is normal first thing in the morning and in the evening. If it stays all day on a clear day, a string is not delivering power.

The inverter cannot find a proper earth connection on its AC wiring. This is an installation fault and the inverter will not run until it is fixed.

The inverter has measured a leak between the solar DC wiring and earth, usually water in a connector or isolator, a damaged cable or a faulty panel. It will not feed in until the fault is found, and the DC side needs to be tested rather than reset.

Too much current is leaking from the solar wiring to earth, from an earth fault, a residual current or a fault in the inverter. The inverter stops and restarts on its own, but the cause is a safety issue and needs testing.

The inverter saw a residual current from the array briefly touching earth, most often moisture in the DC wiring. It is a safety trip and the array needs to be tested for an earth fault.

The inverter's arc fault detection could not pass its own self-test, so it cannot protect the DC wiring from arcing. The unit needs a technician to check the detector and the DC side.

The inverter detected an electrical arc in the solar DC wiring, which is a fire risk, and has shut down. Do not reset it; the DC connectors and cables need to be inspected and tested first.

On Sunny Boys with a ground fault detector the inverter has found current leaking from the solar DC wiring to earth and has opened its earth fuse, so it stops producing. SMA lists it with its insulation failure family: the cause is usually moisture or damaged cable in the array, and the DC side has to be tested before the detector is reset.

On the older Sunny Boy TL models the display shows this when the inverter measures an earth fault in the solar array before it connects to the grid, usually moisture in a connector, a damaged cable or a faulty panel. The inverter will not feed in until the fault is found, so the DC side needs testing.

On the older transformer Sunny Boys the red LED means the inverter has found an earth fault in the array or one of its DC surge varistors has failed. Either way SMA says to inform your installer, and the DC side needs testing before it is reset.

The inverter is deliberately cutting its output because it is running hot, and SMA logs it when that lasts more than ten minutes. It keeps producing at reduced power; if the display shows Derating most hot afternoons, the fan, vents or the mounting location need attention. Heat shutdowns point at a failing fan, a blocked vent or a bad installation spot, so we treat them as a call.

The inverter switched itself off because it got too hot. SMA's fixes are clean cooling fins, clear airflow and keeping it out of direct sun, but an inverter that keeps overheating usually has a failing fan or a mounting problem and needs a technician. Heat shutdowns point at a failing fan, a blocked vent or a bad installation spot, so we treat them as a call.

The inverter is below its minimum operating temperature and will start feeding in once it warms up. In Australia this is rare and clears itself.

A temperature sensor inside the inverter has failed, so it cannot protect itself from overheating and has stopped feeding in. This is an internal fault for a technician.

The inverter has been running hot for more than ten minutes and has cut its output to protect itself. It keeps working at reduced power; if it happens most hot days the fan, vents or mounting location need attention. Heat shutdowns point at a failing fan, a blocked vent or a bad installation spot, so we treat them as a call.

The active and neutral wires are connected the wrong way round at the inverter. The inverter will not feed in until an electrician corrects the wiring.

The inverter has found a second active wire on the neutral terminal. This is a wiring fault that needs an electrician before the inverter will run.

The inverter has found a fault inside itself and stopped. SMA says the cause has to be determined by their service line, so this is a technician job and on an older Sunny Boy it often means the unit is at the end of its life.

Event 6002 sits inside SMA's 6001 to 6499 self-diagnosis range, which means the inverter has detected a fault in its own electronics and stopped. SMA does not publish the individual meaning; the cause has to be determined by their service line, so it is a technician job.

The inverter has found an unspecified error in its control electronics and stopped feeding in. SMA's older event list also links the 6100 family to the inside of the unit running too hot, so blocked fans or vents are one possible cause, but it still has to be looked at by a technician.

Event 6102 is one of SMA's 6001 to 6499 self-diagnosis events: the inverter has detected a fault in its own electronics and stopped. SMA does not publish the individual meaning and says their service line has to determine the cause, so it is a technician job.

The inverter reported an overload inside the unit and stopped. SMA says the cause must be determined by their service line, so it needs a technician.

The inverter cannot save data to its internal memory. It keeps producing power, but the fault should be logged with SMA service because it usually points to a failing memory component. Internal and hardware faults need testing with the right instruments, so we treat them as a call.

The inverter has found a fault in its own hardware, which in SMA's detailed event list covers a defective grid relay, a varistor or another internal part, and has disconnected. SMA service has to determine the cause, so it needs a technician.

The inverter has lost communication with its controller, such as a Sunny Home Manager or export-limit device, and has fallen back to its default limit. It is a network or cabling issue rather than a hardware fault. Internal and hardware faults need testing with the right instruments, so we treat them as a call.

A grid setting or the country data set in the inverter does not match what the network expects, so the inverter will not reconnect. An installer needs to check the settings; nothing is physically broken.

The inverter could not load a settings file from its memory card or update, so the settings change failed. It keeps producing power; it just needs the installer to reload the file correctly. Internal and hardware faults need testing with the right instruments, so we treat them as a call.

A firmware or software update did not complete. The inverter keeps working on its old firmware, and a poor wifi signal is a common cause when the update was sent over the network.

The inverter has lost contact with the SMA energy meter, so export limiting or home consumption data may be wrong. Production is not affected; it is a network or meter wiring issue.

The built-in wifi module in the inverter has failed. Production carries on, but the monitoring will not work until the module is repaired or the inverter is connected by Ethernet.

The inverter cannot connect to your wifi, or has lost it, so the monitoring stops updating. Production is not affected; it is usually a changed password, a router out of range or a router restart.