Repair of ABB ACS800-104-0580-7 Inverter in Gamesa Wind Turbine

Can a failing ABB ACS800 inverter in a Gamesa wind turbine be repaired quickly, avoiding costly replacement and downtime?" The targeted replacement of a faulty IGBT module and capacitors restored 99.5% uptime.

1. Background

Client: Wind farm operator using Gamesa G80/G90 turbines
Turbine Type: Gamesa (2.0 MW capacity)
Inverter Model: ABB ACS800-104-0580-7 regenerative drive
Location: Texas
Date: July 2023

2. Problem Statement

The wind turbine was experiencing intermittent faults leading to repeated shutdowns. Upon
inspection, the inverter (ABB ACS800-104-0580-7) was suspected to be the source of the issue.
The error codes indicated:

Overcurrent fault
DC overvoltage
Communication fault with the turbine controller

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3. Initial Diagnosis

Visual inspection revealed no external damage.
Fault logs indicated irregular DC bus voltages and overcurrent conditions.
IGBT status logs showed one phase experiencing intermittent switching failures.
Cooling fans were operating below spec, and thermal sensors were logging unusually high temperatures.

4. Repair Procedure

Step 1: Disassembly and Component Testing

Removed the inverter from the nacelle and transported to workshop.
Conducted full cleaning to remove dust and debris.
Inspected control board, power board, capacitors, and IGBT modules.
Found one IGBT module partially failed (thermal stress cracking).
DC bus capacitors showed signs of degradation (ESR out of tolerance).

Step 2: Component Replacement

Replaced faulty IGBT module.
Replaced aging electrolytic capacitors on DC link.
Replaced cooling fans and cleaned heatsinks.

Step 3: Testing

Bench tested the repaired inverter.
Ran ABB ACS800 inverter in the test stand for 8 hours.
Verified voltage regulation, current handling, and thermal performance.
Passed all diagnostic tests with 100% compliance.

5. Reinstallation and Commissioning

Reinstalled inverter in turbine nacelle.
Conducted cold start and full load test.
Verified grid synchronization, MPPT tracking, and response to variable wind input.

6. Results

Metric	Before Repair	After Repair
Uptime	78%	99.5%
Fault Rate	5 per week	0 in 3 months
Output Power Stability	Fluctuating	Stable
Maintenance Calls	Frequent	None (since repair)

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7. Lessons Learned

8. Conclusion

The repair of the ABB ACS800 inverter restored full operational capacity to the Gamesa wind turbine. Through targeted diagnostics and component-level repair, the client avoided a costly full inverter replacement and minimized turbine downtime.

Repair of ABB ACS800-104-0580-7 Inverter in Gamesa Wind Turbine

Can a failing ABB ACS800 inverter in a Gamesa wind turbine be repaired quickly, avoiding costly replacement and downtime?" The targeted replacement of a faulty IGBT module and capacitors restored 99.5% uptime.

1. Background

2. Problem Statement

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3. Initial Diagnosis

4. Repair Procedure

Step 1: Disassembly and Component Testing

Step 2: Component Replacement

Step 3: Testing

5. Reinstallation and Commissioning

6. Results

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7. Lessons Learned

8. Conclusion

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