Enphase › Problems
Enphase backup power doesn't come on or shuts off during an outage
During a grid outage the Enphase backup doesn't come on, comes on late, drops the house, or shuts off when big loads start or the battery runs down. This page covers what the lights and codes mean, what to check first, and the causes behind it.
What the lights mean
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| IQ Battery LED flashing red after a system restart | The battery is not yet getting 240 V from the System Controller. It turns green once the controller's relays close and grid voltage reaches it. |
| LED at the combiner flashing red four times, repeating for about five minutes after a system restart | Read as communication starting to come up during a manual restart. The full restart takes 10 to 15 minutes. |
| IQ Battery LED off | The battery is not operating. |
| IQ Battery LED red flashes in sequences of two | The battery has an error. |
| IQ Battery LED slowly flashing blue | The battery is discharging. |
| Battery DC disconnect LED flashing red | The battery's DC disconnect switch is off. The battery can't charge or discharge until it is switched on, when the LED shows solid green. |
Error codes that go with this problem
| Code | What it means |
|---|---|
| System Controller has detected a voltage imbalance on Line 1 and Line 2 | The System Controller is not working properly and has suspended going off-grid to protect your appliances. The message asks you to contact your installer or Enphase support. |
| All microinverters not reporting and no power produced | The app shows every microinverter as not reporting and the solar produces nothing. It has been seen after grid power flickered. |
What to check first
- Look at the app's outage or event log. Note whether backup started on its own, started a few minutes late, or only after switching to off-grid by hand, and whether the gateway rebooted when the grid dropped.
- If the battery drained to about 2% in a long outage and shut off, ask your installer which microinverters you have. With IQ8, the panels restart the battery once there is enough spare sunlight. With IQ7 or older, it waits for grid, generator or installer.
- On a fourth-generation system, a battery that dropped all loads at about 10% retries charging at 10, 20 and 40 minutes, then every 2 hours, and reconnects the loads at 30%.
- If backup trips when big loads start together, switch the tripped breakers back on one at a time, not all at once. On backup, stagger the air conditioner, microwave and refrigerator instead of starting them together.
- On Sunlight Backup, if lights dim and motors slow and then the system shuts off, remove the extra load. The system comes back on its own. No setting stops this shutdown.
- If the batteries only take over after switching to off-grid by hand, or the app shows the voltage imbalance message, contact your installer or Enphase support.
The causes and the fixes
Partners see the causes behind this problem, most common first, the checks that tell them apart, and the fix for each, with part numbers and recent prices when a part is involved.