The 45,000 Baht brick :(

[Crossy]

Our 5kW Sofar HYD5000 hybrid inverter is just over a year old and has generally performed as expected.

 

Over the past few months we've been getting the occasional "unrecoverBusOVP" error (bus over-voltage), it would go weeks with none and then do it two or three times in a day. The problem is that in order to recover you have to power down the inverter, wait a minute or so, then power up. Not an issue if I'm home but a bind (and lost generation) if I'm not.

 

I tried telling it that it lived in a 230V country (Australia) in case the country parameters changed the bus voltage limits, no real difference.

 

So I contacted Sofar Service by email and got a very nice lady "Sherry". She monitored the inverter over the net and determined that, as a first step, the firmware should be updated from the existing V2.5 to the latest V3.51.

 

At this point things started to go awry ???? 

 

Sherry attempted to do an OTA (Over The Air) update, unfortunately this failed and left the inverter in a non-working state "Software Error" ???? 

 

She then sent me the firmware with instructions on how to do the update locally. Pretty simple, load the files on to a micro-SD card, insert in the inverter and push a few buttons.

 

After a false start with a duff SD card the firmware update started.

 

And then stopped!

 

After 30 minutes of inaction I asked her how long it should take, "not 30 minutes" was the response, "turn it off and try again".

 

So I did, but the beast refused to do anything other than put on the LCD backlight ???? 

 

A couple of re-tries and back to Sherry. She tried to contact it over the net "Can you hear me Major Tom?".

 

So, in less than 24 hours we've gone from a working inverter with an annoying quirk to a 45,000 Baht brick hanging on the wall.

 

Bu99er!

 

Sofar inverters have a 5 year warranty. If there's no local repair facility it's an exchange warranty, they ship you a refurb or new unit and you ship the dead one back. At least they're not asking to ship the dead unit back first!

 

So a new unit will be on its way soon (2 weeks delivery apparently). I'm not sure if I will end up paying for shipping the dead one back but I'm pretty sure I will end up paying duty/VAT on the replacement unit.

 

Until it arrives, we are running at 60% of our total solar capacity (this is why I often recommend using two smaller units rather than one big one be it inverters or aircons).

 

What to take away from this, not much other than the fact that any firmware update, be it your phone, router or inverter does stand the chance of bricking the unit, go in with eyes open!

 

 

[plus7]

Crossy,

 

Of course it is quite annoying. But from technical point of view the microchip with the firmware can be taken out, and re-programmed using special device or replaced if broken.

Maybe you could try to find a specialist in this area?

[sezze]

Sorry to hear that . Any reprogramming is always dangerous , which very easy can leave you with a expensive brick ( it can be anything with a programmed chip ) .

I hope it all works out as fast as possible .

[MJCM]

Wow sorry to hear this.

 

Is that the one that support said was "Mainland China" to be sold only??

[2baht]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

"Can you hear me Major Tom?".

Your circuits dead

There's something wrong

Can you hear me, Major Tom???

[Crossy]

24 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Is that the one that support said was "Mainland China" to be sold only??

 

Luckily it's the export model, the China version is still going strong.

 

1 hour ago, plus7 said:

Maybe you could try to find a specialist in this area?

 

It's still under warranty so it's being replaced.

 

 

These things happen, it's annoying but not the end of the world, not yet anyway.

 

 

[Boomer6969]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

What to take away from this, not much other than the fact that any firmware update, be it your phone, router or inverter does stand the chance of bricking the unit, go in with eyes open!

Indeed, I have a set of Xiaomi bricks [former surveillance cams] here. With absolutely Zero support...

[Crossy]

Just now, Boomer6969 said:

Indeed, I have a set of Xiaomi bricks [former surveillance cams] here. With absolutely Zero support...

 

Yeah, the fact that Sofar were:-

a. Contactable,

b. Tried to help and

c. Are shipping a replacement unit

takes them up my list of favourite suppliers.

[MJCM]

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Yeah, the fact that Sofar were:-

a. Contactable,

b. Tried to help and

c. Are shipping a replacement unit

takes them up my list of favourite suppliers.

I tried to contact them but I haven't much luck, maybe my Email F.U. isn't up to par

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, MJCM said:

I tried to contact them but I haven't much luck, maybe my Email F.U. isn't up to par

 

"Support" used to reply promptly but the last few times there's been no response, try service[at]sofarsolar.com 

[phetphet]

Things being what they are logistically at the moment, two weeks delivery from mainland China might be rather optimistic. 

[Crossy]

The replacement unit is on the way via DHL ???? 

[2baht]

On 9/23/2022 at 5:57 AM, Crossy said:

What to take away from this, not much other than the fact that any firmware update, be it your phone, router or inverter does stand the chance of bricking the unit, go in with eyes open!

All in all, Crossy

It's just another brick in the wall. ????

[007 RED]

14 hours ago, Crossy said:

The replacement unit is on the way via DHL ???? 

Now that's good service... all credit to Sofar for their quick response.... I just hope that DHL don't clobber you for import duty and VAT. 

[Crossy]

7 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

Now that's good service... all credit to Sofar for their quick response.... I just hope that DHL don't clobber you for import duty and VAT. 

 

I have no doubt there will be VAT but duty "should" be zero on solar inverters.

 

I've never really worked out how customs are supposed to handle replacements for defective items.

[Crossy]

New inverter has cleared customs ???? 

 

Still no idea how much $$$ we will have to pay duty/VAT ???? 

 

[carlyai]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

New inverter has cleared customs ???? 

 

Still no idea how much $$$ we will have to pay duty/VAT ???? 

 

Be good if you can keep the old one. I don't think you've sent it back yet.

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, carlyai said:

Be good if you can keep the old one. I don't think you've sent it back yet.

 

It does sound like they don't want the dead unit back ???? 

 

Unfortunately, I was a bit previous with the "cleared" message:-

 

[MJCM]

Any news?

[Crossy]

10 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Any news?

 

The value issue "appears" to be solved from my conversation with DHL.

 

Also, it also appears that there will be no duty or VAT payment required on my part ???? 

 

Of course TiT so until I have the beast in my grubby mitts all bets are off.

 

 

[In Full Agreement]

On 9/23/2022 at 7:30 AM, Boomer6969 said:

Indeed, I have a set of Xiaomi bricks [former surveillance cams] here. With absolutely Zero support...

 

It sounds like Xiaomi has little to no interest in you being a return customer.

 

 

[MJCM]

15 minutes ago, Crossy said:

The value issue "appears" to be solved from my conversation with DHL.

What did you say to them? Free it's a gift from Family? ????

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, MJCM said:

What did you say to them? Free it's a gift from Family? ????

 

The truth of course ???? 

 

DHL actually have a procedure in place to handle warranty returns in both directions.

The procedure requires proof of the original purchase including proof of payment. They accepted my Lazada order complete screen. They also needed documentation from the manufacturer that they were sending a replacement unit. An email screenshot sufficed.

 

Thai customs disputed the declared value as being too low (10,800 Baht). DHL discussed with Sofar and it seems things have been updated but I don't know what the revised value is, could be on the delivery paperwork.

 

[Boomer6969]

41 minutes ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

It sounds like Xiaomi has little to no interest in you being a return customer.

 

 

Yep, they've won.

[Crossy]

I also found this handy guide on how to avoid duty on warranty items.

 

Look at the example files.

 

https://preferredship.com/kc/repair-replacement-warranty-returns/

[Adumbration]

You need to stop lying.

 

Even the most basic inverter knows that Australia has 240v 50hz supply.

 

Apologise to it, tell it you will never lie again, and once trust is again established you will enjoy a much more rewarding and trouble free relationship.

[Crossy]

Damn you Thai customs / DHL

 

 

MORE proof of value!

I don't know what the game is that they're playing but I sure don't like it.

 

I shall just sit back and relax with a large one when I get home (after checking the river level).

 

 

[Pink7]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Damn you Thai customs / DHL

 

 

MORE proof of value!

I don't know what the game is that they're playing but I sure don't like it.

 

I shall just sit back and relax with a large one when I get home (after checking the river level).

 

 

Any hope to submit proof its a replacement unit?

 

Pink

[Crossy]

22 minutes ago, Pink7 said:

Any hope to submit proof its a replacement unit?

 

Pink

 

Yeah, that's already done and they've talked to Sofar. It's getting silly really. 

 

Just getting a beer.

 

[Crossy]

And the game goes on:

 

 

Of course, customs will find another "problem".

 

Also, every day of delay nets a "storage" fee, and you can bet there will be zero progress over the weekend.