Certificate is missing
Manufacturer has to retrofit balcony power plants
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You can not only sunbathe on balconies, 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 says. 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. Following an order from the Federal Network Agency, the Chinese inverter manufacturer Deye published a request to this effect on its homepage. It's about the DEYE SUN600G3-EU-230 microinverter. The company cited a lack of a certificate as the reason that was supposed to ensure that the product complies with official requirements. It was not initially known how many inverters in Germany were affected by the request.
Inverters convert the direct current produced by plug-in solar devices into alternating current. In the simplest case, all you have to do is plug a plug into an existing socket for the connection. At the beginning of July, the Federal Network Agency was aware of around 230,000 systems installed in Germany.
The company assured that there were no known dangers that could arise from operating the inverters. “We are not aware of a single incident in which this product resulted in personal injury or property damage.” The Federal Network Agency confirmed the information.
Manufacturer: Retrofitting is on the way
The grid and system protection of the SUN600G3-EU-230 inverters is faulty. The authority referred to the applicable standard, which if not complied with, the devices would not be allowed to be operated on the distribution network. However, during sample measurements, the affected devices would have switched off even without the missing component in the criticized inverter. However, additional protection would not be 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 matter.
Deye says it has already developed a retrofit that is currently being certified. Customers should then receive a free retrofit. “The inverters can go back online immediately after the retrofit has been installed,” the company emphasized. It was not initially known how exactly the retrofit would reach the affected customers.
The Association of Electrical, Electronic and Information Technology (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 examined. The North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center emphasized: “In principle, plug-in solar devices are safe; we are not aware of any case of dangerous behavior of such a device in Germany.”
