saveasteading Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 2 hours ago, ProDave said: replaced hundreds of failed capacitors How would we know whether we were buying a good or bad capacitor for a replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 14 minutes ago, saveasteading said: How would we know whether we were buying a good or bad capacitor for a replacement. I don't know about this particular one, but for electrolytics I will only buy Panasonic 105 degree low ESR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharpener Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 27 minutes ago, saveasteading said: How would we know whether we were buying a good or bad capacitor for a replacement. Overspecify the voltage rating if you can and if there is room (don't change the capacitance value). Buy the highest spec which for mains is Y1. Buy from a big components supplier like Farnell who by and large don't sell components which give them returns. Worth buying a German brand e.g. Wima or Wuerth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Hi, I’ve been following this thread because my unit has been working great for almost four years and now has suddenly start displaying the same issues as the OP. I’ll try and attach a video of it throwing a wobbly when the sun comes out. Unfortunately I will have to reduce its size in order to post it. Strangely enough it does tend to be OK with absolute minimum power coming from the solar panels, but as soon as the sun comes out it cannot seem to cope. I distinctly remember getting my electrician to sign and date the ten year warranty card before I posted it off, so I’ve emailed Earthwise and will await their response. Its excellent that one poster has worked out the issue and fixed it. Maybe Earthwise will send me a new unit and I can return this one for them to repair and sell as a factory refurbished. 🤞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 My boost button only works when there is no solar power coming into the unit. Once it throws a wobbly the boost button does nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 Best thing I ever did was to through my Solic 200 in to the bin and get Cool Energy diverter. It has timers so you can time boosts if you want, can control two immersions if that's what you have and also tells you what its doing and has done in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 On 12/01/2023 at 20:54, canalsiderenovation said: It doesn't do anything when I pressed it earlier but I confess I've never used that button since the thing was fitted as we don't use the immersion. IMG_7689.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 I’ve had an offer to return it and they will fix it. Annoying that I have to pay my electrician to remove it and refit it when a much more customer focussed option would be to send out one of their refurbished units or factory second units and then I return the one I have for them to fix and resell. Plus they say it will take six weeks to fix. This problem is obviously one that has happened to quite a few people and I feel that they should be a bit more flexible to help their customers. But if push comes to shove I will get it removed and sent back. No way am I taking up the offer of a discounted new one. It’s supposed to save money not cost money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 3 hours ago, JohnMo said: Best thing I ever did was to through my Solic 200 in to the bin and get Cool Energy diverter. It has timers so you can time boosts if you want, can control two immersions if that's what you have and also tells you what its doing and has done in the past. But that’s another £300+ which will need to be spent. Then I have a few years before I break even. I’m already there with the four year old Solic - which has been brilliant to be fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 40 minutes ago, Stoopo said: IMG_7689.MOV Sorry I replied to the wrong post 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 On 21/01/2024 at 14:24, eugen said: I measured the capacities of the 2 capacitors, of the 2 solic 200, the normal capacity( marked on the capacitor housing) is 470 nf (0,47 uf) , I got 198 nf for one and 220 nf for the second one (as I said, I have 2 solic 200)! I don't think it's about saving money, I paid for a quality capacitor (epcos) under 1 euro .Also 310vac is ok I think the quality of the capacitors used is poor or they have an old production date In any case, it is not very important, the important thing is that the problem can be solved cheaply. It is a capacitor that can be bought without problems from a local store, specialized in electronic components How easy are these to fit? Plug and play or more complicated? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 12 Share Posted February 12 (edited) Looks like it has to go back. Annoying but it is return to base which I must accept. Just a shame I can’t bill them for the work involved to remove then replace it. Plus I bought it as a factory second and they still sell them on eBay. It would have been good PR to just replace it and me return the faulty one. They have been quick to respond though and have explained everything as they see it. Edited February 12 by Stoopo Spelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 16 hours ago, Stoopo said: How easy are these to fit? Plug and play or more complicated? thanks very easy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUp6x9dvZOA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 17 hours ago, Stoopo said: IMG_7689.MOV change the capacitor and will work ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 5 hours ago, eugen said: change the capacitor and will work ! My electrician mate is calling tomorrow. He says he can do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 50 minutes ago, Stoopo said: My electrician mate is calling tomorrow. He says he can do this. please , ask your electrician to use non polarized capacitor 0.47 micro farad( this value is compulsory) minimum 300vac voltage! if use bigger capacity can burn the board , if is less you can have same problem as now! good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 btw , use a new capacitor , only if electrician have the possibility to measure the capacity use old one! is cheap... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoopo Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 5 hours ago, eugen said: please , ask your electrician to use non polarized capacitor 0.47 micro farad( this value is compulsory) minimum 300vac voltage! if use bigger capacity can burn the board , if is less you can have same problem as now! good luck Thanks. I’ll tell him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 On 13/02/2024 at 14:19, Stoopo said: My electrician mate is calling tomorrow. He says he can do this. any news? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klam Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 I signed up and came here to thank @eugen for his post on how to repair the Solic 200. My Solic 200 failed in exactly the same way as his and replacing capacitor C1 has fixed it and it is working properly again. It was straight forward to solder in the replacement. I am in the UK and I ordered the new capacitor from Farnell. The original capacitor was rated at 275 volts, I ordered a Panasonic rated at 310 volts X2 I received my Solic 200 in April 2022 and it failed in August 2023. I returned the 10 year warranty card to Earthwise but my attempts to conract them since August by phone and email have not had any response. Thanks again @eugen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 For nothing , happy to help ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 On 01/03/2024 at 01:12, Klam said: attempts to conract them since August by phone and email have not had any response. Thanks again @eugen I had to hound them and hound them to confirm my second warranty card had been received and registered..... commenting on their Facebook page may also work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted November 29 Share Posted November 29 Hi @canalsiderenovation, @eugen, @Klam Etal. Thanks for this thread. I have a Solic which suddenly had the power light go orange (Yes both green and red at the same time) so the same capacitor problem! Its the old AF2.1 model and I didn't want to install a different one. I will load up progress here as I go. Marvin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobLe Posted November 29 Share Posted November 29 Those caps that fail are thin metal film, plastic insulation ones. The thin film is a safety feature, it means that internal insulation breakdown faults cause the film to erode away gracefully rather than abruptly, making the capacitance drop over time. I think that in PV type households this type of component used to give a constant current source giving non isolated low voltage suffers quite badly - I say that as we regularly get 252V acrms, and these caps start to degrade 😞. We had this with our old solic, also with the Honeywell heating controller (on cap#3). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted November 29 Share Posted November 29 Hi @RobLe Thanks for the info. Not knowing the acronyms I assume caps are capacitors and acrms means AcRMS?? (so what your saying is that the grid current is often quite high??) Every days a school day (including yesterday all day) M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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