Submitted by Nedjma.Loucif on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 12:35

The Sharp JH1600E is a 1.6kW inverter sold between 2012 and 2013 in Australia by Sharp Corporation, a Japanese company. They offer limited warranty support in Australia and contract their repairs to a company called "Inverter Service", which can be contacted by e-mail at service@inverterservice.com.au.

If you own a Sharp inverter and would like your unit to be inspected, Inverter Service will arrange for your inverter to be picked up and freighted to its Service Centre in Sydney in order to disassemble it and diagnose the fault. Sharp will then make a decision about a warranty repair. If they decide not to repair the inverter free of charge, then you have the option to proceed with an out-of-warranty repair, i.e. have your inverter repaired and returned to you within 4 weeks for $300. Between the cost and the downtime, it often works out more expensive than purchasing a new replacement unit. Besides, your repaired inverter will only be guaranteed for 12 months, whereas a new unit will come with a full standard warranty (usually 5 years). A Sharp JH1600E can be directly replaced with a Growatt 1.5 or a Zeverlution 1.5.

Please note that, in the case of d-27 and d-21 faults, the manufacturer's warranty does not apply. However, in some instances, insurance claims can be made against these faults. Solargain can provide a letter detailing the nature of the fault, for you to take directly to your insurer, who will then make an assessment as to whether or not your policy covers the claim.

The Sharp unit is hardwired, which means a qualified electrician must attend site to remove/replace the unit. To book a site visit, please click here.

If you are a Solargain customer, you are not on the 40-cent feed-in tariff (as we installed those inverters from 2012, when this feed-in tariff was no longer available), so you could benefit from an upgrade and increase your system's capacity (i.e. greater inverter capacity and extra panels, meaning more power for your home or business).

 

Insurable?
Fault Code Description Remedy
F-00 Utility over-voltage If the AC isolator and the solar supply main switch located in the meter box are on, the problem could come from the AC fuse. If the fault appears intermittently, it is indicative of a high grid voltage issue (exceeding 255V), and shall be reported to the power distributor. However, if it is a constant error, the inverter needs to be replaced. To find out what the problem is and how to address it, contact Solargain for a solar maintenance service.
F-01 Utility under-voltage If the isolator and the solar supply main switch located in the meter box are on, the problem could come from the AC fuse. We recommend you book a system health check. Please note there will be an additional $20 charge.
F-02 Utility frequency over If this fault is intermittent, it needs to be lodged with the power distributor as a frequency issue.
F-03 Utility frequency under If this fault is intermittent, it needs to be lodged with the power distributor as a frequency issue.
F-06 Anti-islanding (frequency over) We recommend you book a health check in order to have an electrician conduct anti-islanding tests.
F-07 Anti-islanding (frequency under) We recommend you book a health check in order to have an electrician conduct anti-islanding tests.
F-08 Miss utility synchronal lock signal If the solar supply main switch located in the meter box is on and there is power to all three phases of the house, then there may be a power distributor issue. We recommend that you contact Solargain to book a health check.
F-09 Frequency abnormal (50<->60Hz) If this fault is intermittent, it needs to be lodged with the power distributor as a frequency issue.
P-11 Solar Panel array over voltage (>320V) If this is happening in the midday, then it simply means that the wattage is peaking. If its occuring constantly, including early morning or late afternoons, then there may be a fault. Contact Solargain for a system health check.
E15 -> d-15 Relay sticking This fault, usually intermittent, often precedes a d-27 error, which can mean the beginning of a terminal issue. Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
E16 -> d-16 Communication error This could mean that the inverter has connected in the wrong order. Follow the manual shutdown procedure to reset the inverter.
E17 -> d-17 Aux-power abnormal Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
E18 Ground fault If your inverter shows a Ground fault, you will need to book a health check in order for technicians to conduct tests on your isolators. If the fault is found to have been caused by a surge, it will need to be claimed through home insurance.
d-20 Temperature sensor broken Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
E21 -> d-21 Output over current The first step is to reset your inverter. This model is hardwired, so you will need to hold the select button near the screen down for 5 seconds before you can perform a manual shutdown procedure. If this does not solve the problem, then the fault is not warrantable, as it must have been caused by a surge. As per Sharp, “the d-21 fault is caused by excessive voltage transients on the input or output of the inverter. It is highly likely that an external factor such as Lightning or Power surge on the Grid is the root cause of this issue. These type of faults may be covered by Domestic Home Insurance.” Solargain can help you write a letter to your insurance company in order to find out whether a replacement would be covered.
E22 -> d-22 DC offset over rating Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
E23 -> d-23 Fin high temperature Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
E26 -> d-26 DC/DC converter abnormal Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
E27 -> d-27 Relay open As per Sharp, “the d-27 fault is caused by excessive voltage transients on the input or output of the inverter. It is highly likely that an external factor such as Lightning or Power surge on the Grid is the root cause of this issue. These type of faults may be covered by Domestic Home Insurance.” Solargain can help you write a letter to your insurance company in order to find out whether a replacement would be covered.
E28 DC bus voltage abnormal Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
d-40 EEPROM abnormal Your inverter may be eligible for warranty replacement.
Inverter dead If the isolators are on, the inverter needs to be replaced.