|
Dan,
Like many baby boomers, I'm a child of an alcoholic parent, and thus have the super-responsible characteristic that often develops as a result. I open with this because I sense from your post that we may share this history in common. You sound as though you need to make everything right for this uneducated client. I'd just like to gently offer that you don't have to rescue this situation from certain (or uncertain) doom... The customer didn't hire you to install the original system. It's not equipment you normally use. The customer doesn't understand the system. The customer won't buy a generator. The customer doesn't see the value of hiring you to do what he can't. Dan, let it go, friend. Explain that flooded batteries need a periodic overcharge called equalization or they won't last. Tell him you'll either show him what to do - even write down the steps - or you'll show up periodically to do what he won't, for a reasonable fee plus travel. Offer to him that when these batteries fail you'll sell him a BIG set of AGMs that don't need maintenance. The sticker shock isn't your problem; neither are any of the other issues. Then exhale and walk away in peace. And send him a bill for your time, knowledge and expertise. We have installed two XW systems, on a grid-tie and one off grid. The off grid had one charge controller and a good generator, so I have no experience with your particular programming situation - sorry. Even with the off grid system, shortly after we finished the installation (and were paid for our work) the owners decided it wasn't their retirement dream home after all and sold the property. I eventually found the new owner, left a message offering our services, including an orientation, and even noted that one 2V cell of the existing reused battery string had shown failure. Never heard back. Am I concerned? Nope. We do good work and support our customers well, including after hours and on weekends when necessary. But for sure, those customers who most value our work, rely on our knowledge, are loyal and who pay their bills promptly get the best bend-over-backward support. Some of them even offer tea and cookies. Good luck! Allan
Allan Sindelar
On 3/3/2013 7:09 PM, Dan Fink wrote:al...@positiveenergysolar.com NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Founder and Chief Technology Officer Positive Energy, Inc. 3209 Richards Lane (note new address) Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com
Esteemed Wrenches; We recently inherited a "problem off-grid system" from another local Wrench. We didn't steal, he fled and said "have fun." It's all Xantrex, and impeccably installed, but we do not install Xantrex and are just learning the menus and such.This system gets hit pretty hard every night, and we want to do regular battery equalizations. Though the client is pretty good on adding battery water, we really don't like automatic equalization routines.....bad timing can mess everything up. The client refuses to install a backup generator of any kind, so we need to EQ via solar on sunny days. My question.......I had thought the Xanbuss system let everything talk to each each other and get along happily. The "Equalize" button on the inverter looked like a perfect solution. But according to the previous Wrench, a sinister passage in the XW user manual and a cryptic and disjointed phone call to tech support after over an hour on hold, XanBuss can't make this system equalize via the PV controllers? They *each* have to be manually set individually to do it. This is WAY over the head of our client. It scares me. And there has been lots of sticker shock for the client on getting everything working as well as it has (blew thru an undersized set of AGM batteries in a year) I don't think I can sell a battery maintenance contract. Raised eyebrows and a "harrumph," I can just see it. So did I miss something here about a Xanbuss system being able to EQ via the dual PV controllers? Or do I really have to train this client to dig into BOTH the PV controller menus every 2-3 months and hopefully not mess anything else up? Or, should I just plan on bringing my Honda 2000i every couple months to EQ, or hope for a sunny day, and hope for tea and cookies, if not a maintenance contract? Thanks in advance. I'd be shocked if the Xanbuss system was so townie-oriented as to only easily equalize via AC mains. With an Outback Mate I can EQ from either or both. But I've been shocked before. And her tea was good, haven't tried the cookies yet. Dan Fink, Executive Director; Otherpower Buckville Energy Consulting Buckville Publications LLC NABCEP / IREC accredited Continuing Education Providers 970.672.4342 _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org |
_______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
