Great service. Got our Givenergy battery back online remotely when others said it needed an onsite visit. Ron resolved the issue within about an hour of my email. Brilliant service.
adam mitchinson · Jul 2026 Google
Safety guide · SolarEdge AFCI
SolarEdge arc fault detected — what to do right now
Your SolarEdge system is showing "Arc Fault Detected" in SolarEdge Go or the MySolarEdge portal. This is a safety event — not a nuisance alarm. Isolate the system, do not attempt to reset, and follow this guide before calling an engineer.
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Superb work from Ronald. Cannot recommend highly enough. Figured out my problem late into night, going above and beyond! Many thanks to him
rohit s · Jul 2026 Google
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolutely Outstanding Service! My GivEnergy system had completely gone down, and unfortunately I was getting absolutely no support from either the original fitter or the supplier. I was left completely stuck with a system that wasn’t working. I contacted Solar Tech Support and they were absolutely brilliant from start to finish. They quickly got to the bottom of the problem, knew exactly what they were doing, and managed to get my entire system back up and running. Hands down, these guys are absolute experts in their field. The level of knowledge, professionalism and customer service was exceptional, especially when I’d already been left without any support elsewhere. If you have a GivEnergy system and you’re struggling with an issue, don’t hesitate to contact Solar Tech Support. I honestly can’t recommend them highly enough. 5 stars all day long! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Mr Smith · Aug 2026 Google
Wow!!! I have a Givenergy system. The battery stopped charging and depleted fully. Obviously Givenergy went into administration, so I was working with the reseller / installer to get it fixed. They told me they couldn't resolve it and the best they could do was offer me a replAcement at cost, so basically having to buy a new system. I happened to come across STS when searching for how to fix it myself. Ronald has been a god send, within 2 days all is working perfectly and set up correctly. When it comes to experts. He truly is the expert. If you have issues with your Givenergy system and don't know where to go for good help, give him call. 07944 877329. Thanks Ronald, regards Neil W
Neil · Jul 2026 Trustpilot
Ronald was fantastic he was insistent in his approach to fixing my battery comms, inverter data corruption, he was fantastic explaining every step of the way, my installer couldn't fix the problem for a year, he did it in z few hours. If you need tech support go here he is fantastic
Richard Rodgers · Aug 2026 Trustpilot
Amazing! I was having trouble with a flat GivEnergy battery and solar panels not working. I contacted through WhatsApp and we managed to get it all sorted within a couple of days! Super fast service. I can’t thank you enough for your help when my installer didn’t want to know and GivEnergy has gone in to administration! I know where to go if anything happens again!
Chrissy For · Oct 2026 Google
Immediate response
Isolation procedure
What to do right now — 5 steps
Work through these in order. The first two steps take less than a minute and make the system safe to leave.
1
Check SolarEdge Go or MySolarEdge — confirm the fault code
Before you do anything else, confirm exactly what the system is reporting. Open SolarEdge Go on your phone via Bluetooth (stand within 3–4 metres of the inverter) or log in to monitoring.solaredge.com. Navigate to the Alerts or Status section. You should see one of the following:
Arc Fault Detected — The plain-text alert, shown on the inverter, in SetApp and in the monitoring portal
3x11 · 2x96 · 2x97 — Arc fault detected, CPU firmware v3.19xx and later
147 · 150 · 151 — The same event on CPU firmware v3.18xx and earlier
SolarEdge Go will also show which optimiser position the fault is attributed to. Take a screenshot — this is important information for the engineer. Do not dismiss or acknowledge the alert.
If you see a different alert (G70–G99 grid faults, or an optimiser pairing failure) — see the red light guide for those fault types. This page covers AFCI only.
2
Do NOT reset — do not touch any buttons or cycle power
This is the most important instruction on this page. Do not press any reset button on the inverter. Do not switch the AC isolator off and on. Do not try to clear the fault code in SolarEdge Go. Resetting an AFCI fault without fixing the underlying cause has two outcomes — both bad:
If the arc fault is genuine
The system powers back up with a live arc fault in the DC wiring. The AFCI will likely trip again — but in the interim, the arc can cause further insulation damage or generate enough heat to start a fire.
If it clears after a reset
The system appears normal — but the fault is still present. It will return, possibly days later. You've lost the original fault log data that would have helped locate the cause.
The only exception is a single isolated trip following a confirmed direct lightning strike to the property or a significant power surge — but even then, an engineer should verify this before recommissioning.
3
Switch off the DC isolator
Find the DC isolator switch. On most SolarEdge installations it is mounted on the wall immediately adjacent to or below the inverter, inside the property (often in the loft or utility room). It is usually a red or yellow rotary switch or a large toggle labelled "DC" or "String Isolator". Turn it to the OFF position.
What happens when you do this
SolarEdge uses SafeDC — a built-in safety feature where the power optimisers on each panel automatically reduce DC output to approximately 1 volt per panel when the system shuts down or loses communication with the inverter. By the time the AFCI has tripped and you locate the DC isolator, SafeDC is already active. Switching the DC isolator off completes the isolation. The cabling is safe to be near, but still should not be touched or disturbed.
If you cannot find the DC isolator, do not continue looking near the inverter. Proceed to Step 4 (AC isolation) and ask the engineer to locate and switch the DC isolator when they arrive.
4
Switch off the AC isolator at the consumer unit
Go to your electrical consumer unit (fuse board / distribution board). Find the solar PV circuit breaker — it is usually labelled "Solar PV", "SolarEdge", "PV Inverter", or "Generation". Switch it to the OFF position. This disconnects the inverter from your household AC wiring and the grid export connection.
The system is now fully isolated — DC side down via the isolator, AC side down via the consumer unit. You can leave it in this state safely until an engineer attends.
5
Contact a qualified solar engineer with the fault details
Get in touch with a qualified solar PV engineer. When you call, tell them:
✓
The alert ("Arc Fault Detected") and any code shown alongside it
✓
Which optimiser or string position the fault was attributed to (from SolarEdge Go)
✓
When the fault first appeared and whether the system had been working normally before
✓
Whether there was any recent weather event (lightning, severe storms) or recent work on the roof
✓
That the system is now fully isolated (DC and AC both off)
Do not attempt to investigate the DC wiring, connectors, or roof fixings yourself. Do not open the inverter enclosure. These tasks require specialist equipment and training.
Understanding the fault
Causes
What causes SolarEdge arc fault detection to trip?
AFCI trips in SolarEdge systems fall into three categories. Understanding which type you're dealing with helps the engineer plan their investigation.
MC4 connector failures — the most common cause
MC4 connectors are the snap-fit waterproof connectors used throughout SolarEdge systems — on every panel, every optimiser, and along the string cable. Over time they can develop problems:
·Poor original installation: an MC4 connector not fully locked engages partially — it passes electrical tests but develops resistance over time as the connection degrades
·Corrosion: moisture ingress through a cracked or inadequately sealed connector causes corrosion on the pin, increasing resistance until arcing begins
·Physical damage: connectors near roof edges or walkways can be compressed or cracked by foot traffic, installers, or falling debris
·Mismatched brands: mixing MC4 connector brands from different manufacturers on the same string can cause poor mating contact
Cable insulation damage
DC string cables run from the roof, through the roof structure, and down to the inverter. The insulation can be damaged in several ways:
·Pest damage: squirrels and rodents routinely strip DC cable insulation in roof spaces — this is one of the fastest-growing causes of AFCI trips in UK installations
·Chafing at penetrations: where cables pass through roof structures, edges, or conduit, repeated thermal expansion can cause the insulation to abrade against the penetration edge over years
·UV degradation: on exposed cable runs, UV light degrades insulation over 8–12+ years, increasing leakage current
·Installation damage: cable bent too sharply or stapled too tightly at installation can cause insulation stress that develops into a fault years later
Failed or degraded optimiser
SolarEdge power optimisers are fitted to every panel. Optimiser failures can trigger AFCI in two ways:
·Internal failure creating a resistance fault: a degraded optimiser component creates abnormal DC output patterns — the AFCI detects these as arc-like signatures
·Optimiser to panel connector failure: the connections between the optimiser body and the panel junction box can develop the same MC4 problems as string cabling
The advantage of SolarEdge is that SolarEdge Go can identify which optimiser position the arc fault originated from — which narrows the physical inspection to a specific panel or the short section of cable between adjacent optimisers.
SolarEdge Go diagnostic
Diagnostic
Using SolarEdge Go to identify which optimiser triggered the fault
SolarEdge Go (available free on iOS and Android) connects to the inverter via Bluetooth. It can show the AFCI event log and which optimiser position the fault was detected on. This information is valuable for the engineer — it narrows a whole-roof inspection down to a specific panel or short cable section.
1
Download SolarEdge Go and open the app
Search "SolarEdge Go" in the App Store or Google Play. Open the app. Earlier documentation may refer to this as SetApp — SolarEdge Go supersedes SetApp with the same Bluetooth functionality. Stand within 3–4 metres of the inverter.
2
Connect via Bluetooth and navigate to Alerts
SolarEdge Go connects to the inverter directly via Bluetooth — no WiFi or internet connection needed. Once connected, navigate to the Status or Alerts section. You will see the active arc fault with a timestamp and — critically — the optimiser serial number or position identifier attributed to the fault.
3
Screenshot or note the optimiser ID
Take a screenshot of the alert including the optimiser ID. If you have access to the layout map in the monitoring portal (the visual panel layout view), you can cross-reference the optimiser ID to a physical position on the roof. Pass this to the engineer — it tells them which panel to start their physical inspection at.
4
Check the event history for previous trips
In SolarEdge Go's event log or the MySolarEdge portal's Events tab, check whether this is the first AFCI trip or whether previous events were recorded. Multiple trips over days or weeks — particularly from the same optimiser — strongly indicate a real wiring fault at that location rather than a one-off transient event.
What the engineer does with this information
The optimiser ID from SolarEdge Go tells the engineer which panel to start with. They will perform an insulation resistance (IR) test on the DC string from that point — measuring the resistance between the cable and earth at various points along the string to locate where insulation has broken down. MC4 connectors in the identified section will be inspected and tested individually. If the optimiser itself is suspect, its output characteristics can be measured. The combination of SolarEdge's digital fault localisation and traditional electrical test methods makes SolarEdge arc fault diagnosis significantly faster than on brands without optimiser-level monitoring.
False positives
Edge cases
Can a SolarEdge AFCI trip be a false positive?
Very rarely — and this assessment must only be made by a qualified engineer, never by the homeowner. Here is the full picture.
Possible false positive scenarios
·Lightning strike nearby: A very nearby lightning strike can induce enough transient current to trigger a single AFCI event with no underlying fault. Single trip, no recurrence after professional inspection — very occasionally a real scenario.
·Firmware sensitivity: Some older firmware versions were reported to have AFCI sensitivity settings that could trigger on high-frequency switching noise from nearby equipment. SolarEdge firmware updates have addressed known sensitivity issues.
·Grid surge event: A significant grid voltage surge during a local fault can, in rare cases, trigger AFCI on older inverter hardware. Usually a single event with no recurrence.
Why you still cannot self-diagnose this
Even in false positive scenarios, an engineer must verify the system before recommissioning. This requires insulation resistance testing of the DC string — you cannot determine a fault's presence or absence by eye, and SolarEdge Go cannot perform IR testing. The engineer's IR test gives a definitive answer: if the insulation resistance is within specification, the fault was a transient and the system can be safely restarted. If not, the fault is real and must be repaired.
A genuine AFCI trip that is "cleared" by cycling power and then left without inspection is the most dangerous scenario — the system appears to recover but the arc fault source remains in the wiring.
How SolarEdge AFCI works — and why it is different from every other fault
SolarEdge includes Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) protection as a standard feature on all HD-Wave inverters sold in markets with AFCI requirements, including the UK. It is built into the inverter hardware and cannot be disabled by configuration. It monitors the DC current waveform from the panel strings and applies signal processing algorithms to detect the irregular, high-frequency current patterns associated with electrical arcing.
AFCI is categorically different from every other SolarEdge fault type. Grid faults (G-codes) are safe external events — the grid is briefly out of specification and the inverter disconnects to protect itself. Optimiser communication faults are connectivity issues — the optimiser is physically intact but not communicating. An AFCI trip is the inverter reporting that it has detected a potential electrical hazard in the DC wiring — wiring that, on a typical UK installation, runs across the roof, through the roof structure, and down through the property.
The SafeDC feature works in conjunction with AFCI. When the inverter shuts down — whether due to an AFCI trip or any other reason — the power optimisers automatically reduce their DC output to approximately 1 volt per panel. This means the DC string voltage drops from its operating level (typically 200–500V depending on system size) to a safe low voltage. SafeDC activates automatically without any action from the homeowner, and the system maintains this safe state even if the inverter is powered down. It does not substitute for full isolation, but it significantly reduces the DC hazard during the period between the trip and isolation.
For the homeowner, the practical distinction is simple: arc fault events require isolation and engineer investigation before any restart. This is non-negotiable regardless of whether the system appears to restart successfully — a successful restart after an AFCI trip without investigation means the hazard is still present in the wiring.
This is a brand-specific version of our general inverter red light guide, which covers all brands.
SolarEdge arc fault questions
Arc Fault Detected (codes 3x11, 2x96 or 2x97) means the inverter's AFCI has detected abnormal current patterns on the DC string consistent with an electrical arc — a partial discharge in the wiring from a damaged or degraded connection. Common causes include damaged cable insulation, corroded MC4 connectors, a failing optimiser, or a wiring fault at a junction point. The inverter shuts down and optimisers drop to SafeDC voltage (approximately 1V per panel) to prevent further hazard.
Yes — an AFCI trip should be treated as a genuine safety event. Electrical arcs in DC wiring generate intense heat and can cause fires, particularly in roof spaces where wiring runs through insulation. The system has tripped because it has done its job correctly. The system must be fully isolated (DC isolator off, AC isolator off) and must not be recommissioned until a qualified engineer has identified and corrected the physical cause.
No. Unlike grid faults or communication errors, arc fault events should not be reset by the homeowner. Resetting an AFCI fault without identifying the cause allows the underlying wiring fault to continue — and if a genuine arc is present, repeated resets increase the risk of fire. The correct procedure is to isolate the DC and AC switches and contact a qualified solar engineer who will investigate with SolarEdge Go to identify which optimiser triggered the fault.
The most common causes are damaged or degraded cable insulation on DC string wiring (particularly from pest damage or pinching), corroded or inadequately locked MC4 connectors, a failing optimiser creating a resistance fault, and wiring faults at penetration points or junction boxes. Very occasionally, a single AFCI trip after a lightning strike or severe power surge can be a false positive — but this should only be assessed by a qualified engineer.
The engineer will use SolarEdge Go via Bluetooth to review the event log and identify which optimiser or string position triggered the arc fault. They will then perform insulation resistance and DC string continuity tests to locate the precise fault. All MC4 connectors on the affected string will be inspected. If a failed optimiser is identified, it will be replaced. The system will only be recommissioned once test results are confirmed clear.
The remote triage is free — we review your SolarEdge Go event log and confirm you're safely isolated at no charge. An arc fault is a physical DC-side safety fault, though, so the fix needs an on-site visit: engineer investigation (SolarEdge Go localisation, insulation-resistance testing, MC4 inspection) starts from £295, and a failed optimiser is replaced under SolarEdge warranty where it still applies. You'll get a fixed quote before any work begins. Full pricing →
We treat an AFCI trip as a safety priority. Remote triage is usually same-day to confirm you're safely isolated; the on-site investigation is booked for the earliest slot, typically within a few days. Keep the DC and AC isolators off until the engineer has cleared the system. If you're seeing other SolarEdge alarms too, the SolarEdge fault-code index lists what each one means.
Book
SolarEdge arc fault — we can investigate and fix it.
We handle SolarEdge AFCI investigations using SolarEdge Go for fault localisation, followed by insulation resistance testing and physical inspection of the affected string. Most arc fault sources are identified and repaired in a single visit.
- SolarEdge Go fault localisation to specific optimiser position
- DC insulation resistance testing — before and after repair
- MC4 connector inspection and replacement where needed
- Optimiser replacement under warranty coordination
- Independent from SolarEdge Technologies and your original installer
Service notice
We’re busier than ever. Thank you for your patience.
Due to unprecedented demand we’re currently only carrying out on-site work in Yorkshire, and replies are taking up to 7 days. Remote diagnostics continue for the whole UK as normal.
Every message is read and answered, so please don’t send it twice; that only slows the queue.
Ronald Director, Solar Tech Support
On-site: Yorkshire only, for now
Remote: UK-wide, as usual
Remote fix: £125 if we fix it, no charge if we don’t
Replies: within 7 days
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