Certificate missing
Manufacturer must retrofit balcony power plants
7/21/2023 5:24 p.m
On balconies you can not only sunbathe, but also generate electricity – thanks to balcony power plants. However, numerous systems have to be switched off temporarily because a certificate is missing, the manufacturer reports. A retrofit is currently being developed.
Owners of balcony power plants with a certain type of inverter are requested by the manufacturer to temporarily disconnect their systems from the power grid. According to an order from the Federal Network Agency, the Chinese inverter manufacturer Deye published a corresponding request on his homepage. It is about the DEYE SUN600G3-EU-230 micro-inverter. The company cited the lack of a certificate as the reason, which is intended to ensure that the product complies with official requirements. How many inverters in Germany are affected by the request was initially not known.
Inverters convert the direct current produced by plug-in solar devices into alternating current. In the simplest case, only a plug has to be plugged into an existing socket for the connection. In Germany, the Federal Network Agency was aware of around 230,000 installed systems at the beginning of July.
The company assured that no dangers were known that could arise from the operation of the inverters. “We are not aware of a single incident in which this product has resulted in personal injury or property damage.” The Federal Network Agency confirmed the information.
Manufacturer: Retrofitting is on the way
With the inverters of the type SUN600G3-EU-230, the grid and system protection is faulty. The authority referred to the applicable standard, which means that the devices should not be operated on the distribution network if they are not complied with. In random measurements, however, the affected devices would have switched off even without the component missing in the faulty inverter. Additional protection is not available without such a component. Investigations into possible other inverter types from the manufacturer Deye are still ongoing. The magazine “Stern” had previously reported on the facts.
According to Deye, it has already developed a retrofit that is currently being certified. Customers should then receive a free upgrade. “The inverters can go back online immediately after the retrofit is installed,” the company emphasized. It was not initially known exactly how the upgrade would reach the affected customers.
The Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE) recommended that consumers contact the manufacturer or dealer of the balcony solar system and, if necessary, address any discrepancies in the system. A warranty claim should also be checked. The North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center emphasized: “Basically, plug-in solar devices are safe; we are not aware of any dangerous behavior of such a device in Germany.”