Fan noise on solar panels

[no-cucumber74]

My brother-in-law has a 2012 Xantrex SW4048 in his off-grid cabin up in northern New Hampshire. The fans started making a grinding noise last month and we're guessing it's the bearings wearing out. He's had this inverter running nonstop for over a decade and it's been reliable through some brutal winters. We're trying to track down replacement fans or at least the specs so we can source something compatible. Has anyone found a supplier that still stocks parts for older Xantrex units?

 

[pappy02]

If the fans are grinding, its probably the bearings like you guessed. Finding exact replacement parts for a 2012 Xantrex can be a bit tricky , but sometimes 3rd-party suppliers or even generic DC fans with matching voltage, size and airflow specs work.

 

[EkeneDili]

Xantrex parts are basically extinct at this point, relying on decade-old inverters is a gamble. You're better off upgrading to a modern unit instead of scavenging for replacement fans that may never arrive.

 

[gu@c@m0l3]

My brother-in-law has a 2012 Xantrex SW4048 in his off-grid cabin up in northern New Hampshire. The fans started making a grinding noise last month and we're guessing it's the bearings wearing out. He's had this inverter running nonstop for over a decade and it's been reliable through some brutal winters. We're trying to track down replacement fans or at least the specs so we can source something compatible. Has anyone found a supplier that still stocks parts for older Xantrex units?

Even though it's an older model, Xantrex (now Schneider Electric) might still have a parts department or a list of authorized distributors that can help.
you need to contact their customer support and give them the exact model number.
They can often provide a parts list or a link to a supplier that still has stock.
It might be a little more expensive, but it's the safest bet for a direct, guaranteed fit

 

[no-cucumber74]

It's good to see that some of you support repairing the unit rather than replacing it. We have 2 main options for parts: either find a generic fan or get an original 1. We think it's best to start by reaching out to Schneider Electric support this week to ask about a parts list. If we end up needing a generic fan, what performance spec should we focus on besides voltage and frame size? Is airflow in CFM the most important or is there something else we should consider?