Symptom
Operation inhibited
- ID
symptom:operation-inhibited
- IRI
https://solarlattice.org/kb/symptom/operation-inhibited
- Status
- active
- Also known as
- Permanent operation inhibition
Operation inhibition means the inverter has stopped feeding the grid and will stay off until someone resets it by hand. On SMA US inverters it usually follows an arc fault event 4301 or 4302. Events 8206 or 8210 are reminders that the arc fault has not been reset, and they can appear about ten minutes after the original event. You will see a red LED and the event code on the display or user interface, and AC output stays at zero even in full sun. Event 9102, permanent operation inhibition, occurs on some models after repeated trips, such as five AFCI trips in one day. These inverters switch their operating mode to Stop and need it set back to Start. Event 9102 can also follow a short-circuit fault that repeats three times in a row, so check the event history to find which condition triggered the stop. Before you reset, inspect the array and inverter for loose or exposed wires, damaged or mismatched DC connectors, and cracked or scorched modules. Also check rapid shutdown devices for damage and scan for hotspots with a thermal camera. Reset the inhibition only once, after the cause is fixed, because repeated reset commands can damage the inverter. If the arc event comes back, keep troubleshooting.
<!-- review notes
- sentence 3: support check: partial - Red LED and event code on display/UI are stated, but AC output staying at zero in full sun is not explicitly stated, though feed-in stopping is.
-->
Claims
observed_as
c1 verified · fact
Zero inverter AC output
Inverter stops feed-in and stays off until the inhibition is reset manually or the operating mode is set back to Start.
verified by: review-workflowverified on: 2026-10-23review note: support check: partial - Passages state feed-in stops and manual reset or setting mode back to Start is needed, but nothing about AC power falling to zero in daylight or irradiance remaining normal.
c2 drafted · lead
Inverter fault indicator light
Red LED lights when the arc fault event triggers and stays red while operation is inhibited.
review note: support check: partial - Red LED illuminates when 4301/4302 triggers and a red LED persists until reset, but 'stays red throughout inhibition' is only implied by the issue description.
c3 verified · fact
Inverter fault code display
Events 4301/4302 for the arc, 8206/8210 as reminders after about ten minutes if not reset, and 9102 for permanent inhibition after repeated AFCI trips; shown on the display or user interface depending on model.
verified by: review-workflowverified on: 2026-10-23
c4 drafted · lead
Arc fault alarm
Inhibition usually follows an arc fault detection by the AFCI.
Referenced by
Data