All electronics give off some measure of heat as they run. This is a natural part of their operations, and your solar inverter is no exception. So, if you touch your inverter and it feels a little warm, there’s nothing to worry about. However, if your inverter is hot to the touch, there’s likely something wrong that’s causing it to run hot. Running at a high temperature can cause additional wear and tear on your inverter and shorten its lifespan. Keep reading to learn the most common causes of overheating and what you can do to help your inverter run cooler and last longer.
Insufficient Airflow
It’s extremely important to install your inverter that has sufficient airflow. Your inverter has built-in fans designed to pull air through the equipment to help keep interior components cool. However, if there’s not enough space around your inverter, it can’t pull enough air through to cool off. Try to make sure there’s at least a foot and a half of clear space around all sides of your inverter.
If you installed it in a space that’s clear, but other objects have since crowded the inverter, move them out of the way; trim back hedges, rearrange boxes, and so on until your inverter has room to breathe. If you installed your inverter somewhere that simply doesn’t have enough room for proper airflow, you should consider relocating it.
Direct Sunlight
While installing an inverter outdoors is perfectly acceptable, it’s important to ensure that it’s not in direct sunlight. Just as leaving your laptop sitting out in the sun is never a good idea, allowing your inverter to bake under direct sunlight can also damage its electrical components. If your inverter is installed somewhere that it spends hours in direct sunlight, you should relocate it or install some sort of shade or cover to protect it.
Dirty Intake
Remember those built-in fans mentioned earlier that help cool your inverter down? Well, they can also pull in some dust and dirt. This typically becomes trapped in the intake vents and fans, so if your inverter is more than a couple of years old and suddenly starts overheating, check these areas for dust buildup. Clean the vents and fans, and your inverter will be able to get proper airflow again to avoid overheating.
If your Fronius inverter is running at a high temperature, it’s usually because of one of the aforementioned problems. However, if you try these tips and your inverter is still overheating, contact a solar professional for troubleshooting support.