These notes and operational updates on data from the DKASC, Alice Springs and Yulara Solar System should be taken into consideration when analysing the data. They represent significant or interesting events that potentially impact the performance of systems installed at these sites. It is not an exhaustive list of every minor or short-term network or minor system outage. However, please contact us regarding any relevant other data issues.
For equivalent notes and updates on the NT Solar Resource stations, please download the metadata files which are kept up-to-date with relevant changes affecting the data.
For general announcements and non-technical updates, check out our latest DKA Solar Centre news.
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Inverters replaced
Failed inverters on sites 8,32,33 and 34 have been replaced with Fronius Primo 6kW inverters. These systems are now generating normally again.
Affects the following sources:
- 8 Kaneka, 6.0kW, Amorphous Silicon, Fixed, 2008
- 32 Canadian Solar, 5.3kW, poly-Si, Fixed, 2016
- 33 REC, 5.5kW, poly-Si, Fixed, 2012
- 34 Winaico, 5.3kW, poly-Si, Fixed, 2012
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Site #37 - Fault
Due to a tripping MCB Site #37 has been operating on 50% capacity since 25-04-2022. The MCB has now been reset and the system returned to 100% capacity.
Affects the following sources:
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Data Outage - All Systems
All site data from the 27th April 2022 until ~ 5pm on the 29th April 2022 was lost due to the outage of the site UPS. This issue was corrected and data restored at5pm on the 29th April 2022.
Affects weather data for DKASC, Alice Springs
Affects all source data for DKASC, Alice Springs
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Site 1 tracker alignment
Over the past few years, all but one of the Degerengie trackers at site 1A and 1B have been progressively failed. Mostly due to sensor and control board issues, though motor failures are also a factor on some trackers.
As trackers had failed pointing in different directions, all the dysfunctional trackers have now been aligned to face north with a 10 degree tilt. This orientation is was chosen to allow self cleaning but minimize windage.
The one functional tracker is located on site 1, and will be allowed to continue to track.
Affects the following sources:
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Solfocus tracker back online
One of the Solfocus trackers had been offline since last year due to a mechanical failure in the elevation drive, followed by a calibration issue. Both trackers are now back online and operating properly.
Affects the following sources:
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Inverter failure
Inverter failure of the original SMA inverter at site 21. Procurement activities for a replacement are ongoing.
Affects the following sources:
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Failed Inverters
In addition to the failed inverter on site 33, additional inverter issues have been identified at the following sites.
- Site 32, complete failure.
- Site 34, intermittent issue.
- Site 12, Intermittent issue, tends to be in the middle of the day.
Remediation work is underway for each array.
Affects the following sources:
- 12 BP Solar, 5.1kW, mono-Si, Fixed, 2008
- 32 Canadian Solar, 5.3kW, poly-Si, Fixed, 2016
- 33 REC, 5.5kW, poly-Si, Fixed, 2012
- 34 Winaico, 5.3kW, poly-Si, Fixed, 2012
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Works completed
Remediation works have been completed as follows;
- Site 1B, 2 failed inverters replaced.
- Site 2, All inverters replaced.
- Site 5- AC cable replaced.
Remediation of issues at other sites is ongoing.
Affects the following sources:
- 1B Trina, 23.4kW, mono-Si, Dual, 2009
- 2 eco-Kinetics, 26.5kW, mono-Si, Dual, 2010
- 5 Kyocera, 5.4kW, poly-Si, Single, 2008
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Data Outage
On the 30th August 2021 at 16:00 the local network at DKASC had an brief outage which lead to the failure of the local UPS. The UPS was temporarily bypassed on 1st September at 09:00 and power returned to the local monitoring system. UPS will be returned to full service in coming days.
Affects weather data for DKASC, Alice Springs
Affects all source data for DKASC, Alice Springs
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Some system issues.
The following sites have on going power issues due to a range of factors:
- Site 1A dysfunctional tracker
- Site 1B 2 x Failed PV inverters and dysfunctional trackers
- Site 2 2 x Failed PV inverters and dysfunctional tracker
- Site 5 AC cable fault
- Site 22 1 x failed tracker
- Site 33 1 x Failed PV inverter
Remediation work is underway and each array will be returned to full operation as soon as possible.
Affects the following sources:
- 1B Trina, 23.4kW, mono-Si, Dual, 2009
- 5 Kyocera, 5.4kW, poly-Si, Single, 2008
- 2 eco-Kinetics, 26.5kW, mono-Si, Dual, 2010
- 33 REC, 5.5kW, poly-Si, Fixed, 2012
- 22 SolFocus, 16.8kW, CPV, Dual, 2010
- 1A Trina, 10.5kW, mono-Si, Dual, 2009