Warning What does this mean?

Your system is down or running degraded, but this is not an immediate safety danger. Work through the safe steps below.

SolarEdge Inverter Meter Communication Fault — 3X6E Guide

The meter communication fault — shown as Error 3x6E on newer firmware and Error 185 on older firmware — means your inverter has lost RS485 communication with the SolarEdge energy meter. Solar production usually continues, but everything the meter does stops: consumption monitoring, export metering, and any export limitation the site depends on. SolarEdge's official troubleshooting is to verify the RS485 cables and connectors and the meter's AC connection. Where you see it: the meter status screen, or SetApp's Status page showing "Comm. Error" under Meters.

What should I do first?

Two quick questions — we'll point you to the right starting point.

Is this code still showing on your inverter's display?

What this code means

The energy meter is the system's accountant: at the grid connection point it measures both power-flow directions through current transformers and reports to the inverter over RS485. The inverter uses that data for portal consumption figures, export metering, and — on export-limited sites — throttling production to stay within the utility's limit.

The fault means the accountant has gone silent: the inverter polls the meter's RS485 address, hears nothing back, flags 3x6E (185 on older firmware), and marks the meter 'Comm. Error' in SetApp's Meters section — possibly 'NC' (not connected) in the Communication page's RS485 subsections.

Two consequences outweigh the monitoring gap. First, portal consumption and export figures freeze or go wrong while panels keep producing normally. Second, and more serious: on an export-limited site, the meter enforces the limit — unreachable, it cannot verify compliance, so this fault deserves faster attention there than its quiet symptoms suggest.

Do not confuse this with its neighbor 3x6B — the StorEdge battery communication error, a different device on a different RS485 conversation. Same troubleshooting shape (RS485 wiring, device addressing), but clearing one does nothing for the other.

What is this downtime costing you?

Rough estimate while your system isn't producing. Adjust the numbers to match your setup.

System size (kW) Peak sun hours / day Electricity rate ($/kWh)

–per day

–per week

–per 30 days

≈ – kWh of lost production per day.

Estimate only — assumes ~80% real-world output vs. nameplate. Actual losses depend on weather, shading, panel direction, and your tariff.

Common causes

Loose, miswired, or damaged RS485 cabling between the meter and the inverter (or StorEdge Interface) — a worked-loose conductor, nicked cable, or corrosion on the 4-pin terminal path silences it. The first check in SolarEdge's guide.
The meter has lost its AC power. The meter needs its own supply: if its breaker is off or its AC connection has failed, its LEDs go dark and it stops communicating entirely. Dead LEDs on the meter point here before you suspect the data cable.
Wrong DIP switch settings or Modbus device ID. The meter identifies itself on the RS485 bus with DIP switches and a configured device ID, and if those do not match what the inverter expects, the handshake never completes. This commonly follows a meter swap or a reconfiguration.
Water ingress or sealing failure in the meter's conduit run — SolarEdge's meter guide explicitly lists checking for water penetration points, since moisture in the enclosure or terminals disrupts power and communication.
Current-transformer wiring problems. Miswired or reversed CTs corrupt readings rather than silencing the meter, so they present as wrong numbers — worth checking when the fault clears but numbers still look wrong.

Safe steps to try

Work top to bottom, ticking off each step as you complete it. 0 of 4 done.

Find the meter and look at its LEDs. If they are all dark, the meter has no power — check that its breaker is ON. A dark meter is a power problem, not a data problem, and it narrows everything down.
In SetApp, open Status → Meters and confirm it shows 'Comm. Error' (wrong readings are a different problem), then check the Communication page's RS485 subsections for 'NC' against the meter. Note the Modbus device ID.
Visually confirm the RS485 terminal blocks are seated at both ends and the meter's AC wiring looks undisturbed. Look only — do not reseat live conductors, rewire anything, or open the meter enclosure beyond its status screen.
If the basic checks fail, call your installer with the code (3x6E or 185), the LED state, the device ID, and when the fault started. Mention export limitation if your site has it — that moves you up the queue.

Is your inverter still under warranty?

Before paying for a repair, check — your installer may fix this free.

Brand Year installed

Based on typical standard warranty terms — always confirm with your warranty card or installer paperwork, as terms vary by model, region, and purchase date.

When to call an electrician

Call your installer if the fault survives the LED, breaker, and visual checks — sooner if your site has an export limit, which cannot be enforced while the meter is silent. Deeper diagnostics — DIP switch verification, conduit water-ingress checks, RS485 electrical measurements — are installer work on equipment mixing mains AC with data wiring. Never work inside the meter's AC connections yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Will my solar panels keep producing with a meter comm fault?

Yes — production continues normally. What stops is metering: consumption data, export figures, and any export limitation the inverter was enforcing from the meter's numbers.

What is the difference between 3x6E and Error 185?

They are the same Meter Comm. Error in different firmware dialects: 185 on older firmware, 3x6E on newer. The meaning and troubleshooting are identical.

How is 3x6E different from 3x6B?

3x6E is the energy meter not communicating; 3x6B is the StorEdge battery not communicating. Different devices, different RS485 conversations, different consequences — make sure you (and your installer) are chasing the right one.

Where exactly will I see this error?

On the meter's own status screen, in SetApp under Status → Meters ("Comm. Error"), or as "NC" (not connected) in the Communication page's RS485-1/RS485-2 subsections. The monitoring portal may also show the meter as offline.

Can I fix it by rebooting the inverter?

A reboot occasionally clears a transient communication glitch, but a 3x6E with a real cause — dead meter power, broken RS485, wrong device ID — survives reboots. Run the LED and breaker checks above, then call your installer rather than cycling repeatedly.

Need a professional?

This fault may need professional diagnosis. Contact a qualified solar electrician in your area.

Sources: meaning and troubleshooting verified against the manufacturer's documentation — SolarEdge 'StorEdge Interface Installation Guide' MAN-01-00249-1.4 — Meter Troubleshooting ('If error code 3x6E (or Error 185) – Meter Comm. Error is displayed in the meter status screen, verify proper connection of: the RS485 cables and connectors; the AC connection of the meter'); SolarEdge 'Energy Meter with Modbus Connection Installation Guide' MAN-01-00269-1.6 — Appendix A, Troubleshooting the Meter using SetApp ('Error 3x6E: Meter Comm. Error' in the Status page Inverters section; 'Comm. Error' in the Meters section; NC in RS485-1/RS485-2; checks: RS485 wiring, DIP switch settings, configuration, water damage). Note: guide text indexed from knowledge-center.solaredge.com (official domain); direct page access was bot-blocked (HTTP 403).