Introduction
When your Tigo system completes the Discovery process, the automatic shutdown features of TS4-S, -O, and -L are enabled. This means that the system's TS4's will require communication from the system's Cloud Connect or Cloud Connect Advanced to continue to function normally - if this communication is lost and the inverters in the system turn off, then the optimizers shutdown.
The Distinction between "Discovered" and "Un-Discovered" TS4 Units
Commissioning Tigo communication equipment (Cloud Connect (CC) or Cloud Connect Advanced (CCA), and Gateway) involves a process known as Discovery. This is the final step of the commissioning process in which the system's Cloud Connect or Cloud Connect Advanced (CC/CCA) searches for and connects to all of the TS4 modules associated with its system.
TS4 units that complete this process are "Discovered", and their shutdown capabilities are enabled. These units now require two things to continue to produce power:
- Communication from a CC/CCA via gateway
- Current draw from their system's inverter
Without these two, they shutdown. Therefore, if a CC/CCA is removed from a system, for example, in the middle of the day, "Discovered" TS4 units will continue operating until the sun goes down and the system inverters turn off. At that point, they will shutdown, because the two criteria above are not present.
On the other hand, TS4 units that have been deployed without communication equipment have not completed the Discovery process, and are therefore not enabled for shutdown mode. This means that they do not require communication with a CC/CCA in order to produce power, but they do not provide safety shutdown features to your system.
Why the Distinction?
It is important to be aware of this in some specific circumstances:
1. If your Cloud Connect unit is powered off while the sun is down (power outages, etc) - if a Cloud Connect/CCA is powered off for any reason while its associated panels are not having current pulled from them, then they will not produce power until the CC/CCA also comes back online.
2. If you or a system owner wants to replace a CC/CCA on a discovered system for any reason, the system will be offline until the replacement is made. After replacement is installed and has Internet service, send an email to support@tigoenergy.com with the system ID and CCA serial number. A support team member will have the system Re-Discovered.