Re: [RE-wrenches] favortie micro inverters?
I am with Chris except I might put them on a barn roof ! Never a residence and never Offgrid ! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [3]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] [3] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-09-24 10:16 am, Chris Schaefer via RE-wrenches wrote: Was an Enphase installer since the beginning, I think 08' but moved away when the tech support and early model failures were numerous. Moved to APS with the two modules per micro. Really saved on install time as it was half the number of micro's. One recommendation regardless of brand, don't put them on a roof. Christopher On Tue, Sep 24, 2024 at 11:14 AM Bryan Norkunas via RE-wrenches wrote: I've had great luck with APS and so have our local installers. Bryan Norkunas PV-Cables Inc. 989 Milton Ave Ste 1D Ferndale CA 95536 (707) 923-3000 office www.pv-cables.com [1] Please print only if necessary. NOTE: This email message and any attachments are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by replying to this email, and destroy all copies of the original message. - From: RE-wrenches on behalf of greg egan via RE-wrenches Sent: Monday, September 23, 2024 7:29 PM To: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Cc: greg egan Subject: [RE-wrenches] favortie micro inverters? Esteemed wrenches, Have a client that is grid connected (not my usual client) and looking to do solar without back up. Has shading issues so I'm thinking micros would work best for this application, plus take care of rapid shut down without needing extra devices/wiring. Problem is I have not ever installed micros. Any recommendations on brands /models that have been reliable? Decent tech support? Customer just wants something that works and is relatively simple to navigate the online monitoring. Probably 4-5 kW so not a huge system. Thanks in advance, I appreciate it! Greg Egan Remote Power Inc. Fairbanks, AK ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org -- Chris Schaefer's Tel 585-229-2083 or Cell 585-748-1870 5115 S Hill Road ~ Canandaigua New York 14424 _www.solarandwindfx.com [2] ~ E-mail: chris@solarandwindfx.com_ Thomas Jefferson, the author of our great Constitution, once said, "democracy" will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.pv-cables.com/ [2] http://www.solarandwindfx.com [3] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [4] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for search
Re: [RE-wrenches] Powerwall 3
I hear 3 still can't use a generator from youtube. Pretty cool other than that. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-09-10 4:37 pm, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: Certified Powerwall installers, Can the PW3 be commissioned for for a completely off-grid system with DC coupled solar panels with no MCIs. If so, do you need a Gateway 2/3, or can it operate autonomously in this scenario without a Gateway? Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fortress Shutdown?
Just curious what high SoC is? I set mine for 95% or so and do not worry about the last few %. Have not seen this problem but do not use fortress. Should not have shut downs offgrid except LBCO or lightning. I really think that an SPD should be on the battery as well as AC in and out these days, especially with a 48V BMS. Tempting the demons! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-27 4:19 pm, Maverick Brown via RE-wrenches wrote: Ray I think you are on to something. I have multiple eVault MAX batteries on a Radian and I have had mysterious random shutdowns with high SOC before. Could be they were off grid at the time or had a big load shut off causing a voltage bounce. The batteries are comm'd together but not to the Radian, of course. If that is the case, I wonder if there is a newer battery firmware that can over come this or in fact why a LiFePO4 can't go over 55.2 when most have a 58.4V limit. Thank you, Maverick Maverick Brown Off-Grid Solar Commander since 2006 Maverick Solar Enterprises, Inc. * Solar Commander Remote Power * SunFlow Systems Cathodic Protection maver...@mavericksolar.com 512-460-9825 On Aug 27, 2024, at 5:24 PM, Ray Walters via RE-wrenches wrote: Is it possible that a load shut off, and then the controllers over shot the voltage long enough to shut the BMS off? If so, what's the solution? Lower absorb voltages? I checked voltage calibration between the various pieces of equipment. Ray On 8/27/2024 4:14 PM, Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches wrote: High voltage disconnect would do this, is the site monitored Fun times On Tue, Aug 27, 2024, 2:47 PM jay via RE-wrenches wrote: I have a buddy in tech support at Fortress. I asked him and he said that elevated absorb volts above 55.2 could cause this situation. And then the power cycle would reboot the BMS. I am presuming its open loop, and the fact you mentioned that there was more PV and then the shut down sure might be connected. You might check the charge voltages/time to make sure they are correct and I can't remember if the classic has battery sense wire connections. jay On Aug 27, 2024, at 2:51 PM, Ray Walters via RE-wrenches wrote: The SPD was on one of the PV inputs before it came into the house. There were two Classics, each fed with its own PV input and SPD. It actually caused an underground splice to fail (high resistance) which I replaced the splice and restored full voltage, and both Classics were working fine. Just seems unlikely ( but not impossible) that the surge would make it past the Classic without damage, but then damage the Fortress BMS in an otherwise imperceptible manner. That is our current best theory at the moment though. I added an SPD on the 48 v buss, before this latest total shutdown. Ray Walters On 8/27/2024 2:35 PM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: When I have had someone lose an SPD (I assume it was on DC buss) there is often latent damage (shows up later) to many of the devices. In a Hi Rel mode, it is recommended to replace it all. Most offgrid is not that critical but try telling that to someone with rotten food. The freezers and reefers are often full of spoils that smells never go away. YUK ! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-27 1:02 pm, Ray Walters via RE-wrenches wrote: Greetings All; I have Fortress Battery installation with a pair of E Vault batteries set up in a Master/ Slave arrangement. Its been working fine for over a year, but the customer just had a complete shutdown of the batteries which left multiple freezers, and refrigerator with rotting food. When he rebooted the batteries by turning on/off the main breaker on each, they both come up and showed 100% SOC on the Master, and 98% on the other.There were no fault codes. I just recently installed a larger PV array, and so the system has been reaching full charge every morning. I have multiple calls in to Fortress, but not hearing anything back from them at all. We did have a lightning surge event a few months ago, that damaged a Midnite SPD (first ever for me), and took out the control board on the generator. One VFX inverter has an LED out, but we only use two inverters of the Quad stack, so I just switched to another inverter. All other equipment appeared fine: Midnite controllers, rest of the Outback VFX quad stack, and never any issues seen with the Fortress batteries. The other odd thing, is since he rebooted the batteries, the system is working fine, and recharging to 100% by 9:30 am as before.Is it possible the Fortress BMS were damaged and are now having an intermittent shutdown issue? I did ask him to t
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fortress Shutdown?
When I have had someone lose an SPD (I assume it was on DC buss) there is often latent damage (shows up later) to many of the devices. In a Hi Rel mode, it is recommended to replace it all. Most offgrid is not that critical but try telling that to someone with rotten food. The freezers and reefers are often full of spoils that smells never go away. YUK ! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-27 1:02 pm, Ray Walters via RE-wrenches wrote: Greetings All; I have Fortress Battery installation with a pair of E Vault batteries set up in a Master/ Slave arrangement. Its been working fine for over a year, but the customer just had a complete shutdown of the batteries which left multiple freezers, and refrigerator with rotting food. When he rebooted the batteries by turning on/off the main breaker on each, they both come up and showed 100% SOC on the Master, and 98% on the other.There were no fault codes. I just recently installed a larger PV array, and so the system has been reaching full charge every morning. I have multiple calls in to Fortress, but not hearing anything back from them at all. We did have a lightning surge event a few months ago, that damaged a Midnite SPD (first ever for me), and took out the control board on the generator. One VFX inverter has an LED out, but we only use two inverters of the Quad stack, so I just switched to another inverter. All other equipment appeared fine: Midnite controllers, rest of the Outback VFX quad stack, and never any issues seen with the Fortress batteries. The other odd thing, is since he rebooted the batteries, the system is working fine, and recharging to 100% by 9:30 am as before.Is it possible the Fortress BMS were damaged and are now having an intermittent shutdown issue? I did ask him to temporarily disconnect the comms between batteries, in case it is a bad BMS on one, it will isolate it from the other. This is a tough one to figure out, since it hasn't happened again, and there are no fault codes. The Mate 3 shows a low frequency AC code, but that's usually just from the generator shutting down.Any help, ideas, experiences, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Ray Walters Remote Solar ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] discover lithium warranty issues.
Fair enough! Without knowing all the facts I would also say not that hard to download the battery data to a thumb drive and ask why the battery failed? Sometimes making the effort will help get a better price break. I have had them be very fair with me on my clients dumb mistakes. Have a good evening! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-19 2:47 pm, Luke Christy via RE-wrenches wrote: Dave- following up on this- Point taken- but I still reserve the right to be annoyed when a high-priced, properly-set-up, top tier product with a 10-year warranty fails in under three years and the case ends up in a warranty exception loophole with no joy. I'll get over it though. Luke Christy 719-588-3044 On Aug 15, 2024, at 12:08 PM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Being from Manufacturing I just disagree that warranty should pass on to a different owner. (Unless in writing) Too much chance for failure with a new owner. We do want these folks to stay in business right? Batteries are hard enough in residential when doing everything correct. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-15 10:57 am, Luke Christy via RE-wrenches wrote: I also have had a poor experience with Discover's warranty. I installed 3x 7.4kWh AES batteries for an off-grid customer in 2020. I registered the warranty for all three within a few weeks of installation. Fast forward to 2023, the original customer sold the property and the new owner asked me out to troubleshoot a storage issue. One battery had failed to due a faulty BMS. Discover refused to honor the warranty because the property had changed hands (they tie the warranty to the original registered owner), and the new owner was stuck buying a new battery. Discover did offer the replacement at a slightly discounted price but I thought it was lousy to find out that a 10-year warranty product suddenly has no warranty if the property is ever sold. It really turned me off, and I was left with the feeling that I might have had better luck getting a warranty replacement if I had never registered the batteries at all. Luke Christy Renewable energy consultant NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional(tm): Solar Gain Services, LLC PO Box 531 Monte Vista, CO 81144 sgsrenewables@gmail On Aug 15, 2024, at 9:49 AM, jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I have an installer buddy where i used to live who's having to try and get a discover lithium warrantied. Its 3 yrs old, 2 years installed. The dealer is closed, and the customer doesn't have the POP. Discover is being very difficult. The battery appears to have a dead cell block which makes trying to get info out of the battery all but impossible as it won't stay on long enough to download the info. Does anyone have a contact who could help my installer/friend with this issue? thanks Jay ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org [3] List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org [4] ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] OB Radian / FM60 grid tie mystery
You are all the Outaback wrenches but with Schneider before you reset the defaults, you should just do a complete DC power down. Just in case it is a stuck bit in config. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-18 4:20 pm, Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: One other thing that has worked for weird issues is a full factory reset of everything. Jay On Aug 18, 2024, at 4:18 PM, Maverick Brown wrote: On OpticsRE go to devices, Mate3S, Global Charge. Disable everything there and for good measure also set the Maximum Battery Charge to generously large number. Also, if you recently upgraded to Inverter software 1.6.63 or later, you have to do some procedure to edit the maximum sell current upgrading_1_6_63_app_note [1] PDF Document · 200 KB [1] Thank you, Maverick Maverick Brown Off-Grid Solar Commander since 2006 Maverick Solar Enterprises, Inc. * Solar Commander Remote Power * SunFlow Systems Cathodic Protection maver...@mavericksolar.com 512-460-9825 On Aug 18, 2024, at 3:59 PM, Kirk Herander via RE-wrenches wrote: Looks like its only programmable directly on the Mate3s, not in optics RE. Or maybe I haven;t found it yet. On Sun, Aug 18, 2024 at 3:22 PM Jay wrote: There is a setting called FLEXnet dc advanced control. Default is Y I always set it to N Pg 128 in my manual. Jay On Aug 18, 2024, at 11:11 AM, Kirk Herander via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello All, . I have a Radian 8048 system in service for over 10 years now. It sold back quite normally until the last several months -3.- FM60 CC's are set to grid tie mode and viewable and programmed from the Mate3s / OpticsRE. This issue loosely correlates to replacing one of the CCs several months ago. Trouble is all -3- charge controllers are almost always in a float mode. The radian does sell, but at a small KW compared to what it used to before the frequent float mode started popping up. If I remember correctly, ideally the CCs should always be in bulk charge when sellback occurs. I have the CC and inverter charger float set to about 1 vdc higher then the inverter's sell volts, as I believe was recommended way back when. Hard to understand what changed, but something did. I've checked the relevant setpoints many times and can't find anything obviously amiss. Does a sell mode tech note paper exist still for the Radian system? Did it ever? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. -- Kirk Herander / kirkh@vermont.solar Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC _Celebrating our 33st Anniversary 1991-2024!!_ dba Vermont Solar Engineering 802.559.1225 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org -- Kirk Herander / kirkh@vermont.solar Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC _Celebrating our 33st Anniversary 1991-2024!!_ dba Vermont Solar Engineering 802.559.1225 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://www.outbackpower.com/downloads/documents/appnotes/upgrading_1_6_63_app_note.pdf [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] htt
Re: [RE-wrenches] Portable systems
Some of these even have the 240 receptacle to plug into a 30A home dryer receptacle for hurricane connection. Get the HV solar mppt built-in option and a some panels and you are set for the 30% tax credit. Might not need a wrench someday 😉 Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-17 8:16 am, Glenn Burt via RE-wrenches wrote: A while ago I researched a half dozen systems from as many manufacturers and chose Bluetti as the best bang for the buck. I own and operate many of them, and have a few cabin owners using them instead of gasoline generators, happily. Anker is a relatively new entrant to the market of these devices, however has a long reputation in portable powerbanks and is my favorite manufacturer of those products. I think they would also be a good contender for this purpose. This market is growing fast and has many new players, so is hard to keep up with. -Glenn Sent from my 'smart'phone, so please excuse typos and spelling errors. -- Original message-- From: Hilton Dier, III via RE-wrenches Date: Fri, Aug 16, 2024 5:56 PM To: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org; Cc: Hilton Dier, III; Subject:[RE-wrenches] Portable systems I've got someone asking me about a portable system. It really doesn't have to be that portable. They just need a couple of kWh to back up their pellet stove for a day. There are loads of battery-and-inverter-in-a-box systems out there, but I have no idea about the quality of components. Does anybody have experience with any of these systems and have any recommendations? Many thanks, Hilton Dier Missisquoi River Hydro LLC Renewable Energy Design ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] discover lithium warranty issues.
Being from Manufacturing I just disagree that warranty should pass on to a different owner. (Unless in writing) Too much chance for failure with a new owner. We do want these folks to stay in business right? Batteries are hard enough in residential when doing everything correct. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-15 10:57 am, Luke Christy via RE-wrenches wrote: I also have had a poor experience with Discover's warranty. I installed 3x 7.4kWh AES batteries for an off-grid customer in 2020. I registered the warranty for all three within a few weeks of installation. Fast forward to 2023, the original customer sold the property and the new owner asked me out to troubleshoot a storage issue. One battery had failed to due a faulty BMS. Discover refused to honor the warranty because the property had changed hands (they tie the warranty to the original registered owner), and the new owner was stuck buying a new battery. Discover did offer the replacement at a slightly discounted price but I thought it was lousy to find out that a 10-year warranty product suddenly has no warranty if the property is ever sold. It really turned me off, and I was left with the feeling that I might have had better luck getting a warranty replacement if I had never registered the batteries at all. Luke Christy Renewable energy consultant NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional(tm): Solar Gain Services, LLC PO Box 531 Monte Vista, CO 81144 sgsrenewables@gmail On Aug 15, 2024, at 9:49 AM, jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I have an installer buddy where i used to live who's having to try and get a discover lithium warrantied. Its 3 yrs old, 2 years installed. The dealer is closed, and the customer doesn't have the POP. Discover is being very difficult. The battery appears to have a dead cell block which makes trying to get info out of the battery all but impossible as it won't stay on long enough to download the info. Does anyone have a contact who could help my installer/friend with this issue? thanks Jay ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] discover lithium warranty issues.
What is a POP Jay? I assume the customer did not fill out the warranty info when new? Big mistake on something with a 10 year warranty. With all of the used junk on ebay/Amazon why would you not be difficult? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-15 8:49 am, jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I have an installer buddy where i used to live who's having to try and get a discover lithium warrantied. Its 3 yrs old, 2 years installed. The dealer is closed, and the customer doesn't have the POP. Discover is being very difficult. The battery appears to have a dead cell block which makes trying to get info out of the battery all but impossible as it won't stay on long enough to download the info. Does anyone have a contact who could help my installer/friend with this issue? thanks Jay ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower connectors
As of July 19,2024 some say that SunPower's announcement to stop new leases, installations, and shipments may indicate the end of the company as an operating business. SunPower's stock has also dropped nearly 93% in the last 12 months Ouch, fair to say the writing has been on the wall or the WallStreet longer than 2024. Better get your parts soon😉 Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-08-01 9:13 am, Dave Tedeyan via RE-wrenches wrote: Evan, I am not sure if this is the same issue, but I have seen a lot of arc fault issues with the E20-327 modules paired with SMA inverters. Every system that we have done repairs on have had the Yukita junction boxes, and there were a handful of failed solder joints on the diodes in the junction boxes. Sunpower is having contractors cut out the diodes and install an external diode per module. The issues related to this have popped up a lot in the past few years, even though the modules were installed roughly around 2015-2018. Cheers, Dave On Thu, Aug 1, 2024 at 12:04 PM Evan M via RE-wrenches wrote: Anyone happen know the make/model of connectors associated with the Sunpower cracking issues a couple years back? News stories do a good job of obscuring it. https://www.pv-tech.org/sunpower-hit-by-us31-million-cracking-issue-warns-of-further-drags-on-q4-results/ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] KiloVault Issues
Another one bites the dust ! From Google. As of March 2024, KiloVault, a solar energy storage company, is no longer in business. "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-07-30 10:55 am, Chris Daum via RE-wrenches wrote: Any ideas on what might be ailing our KiloVault LiFePo4 3600HLX+ batteries? Customer has 8 of the 3600HLX+ (300ah). New outta the box and they aren't holding charge. We hear that KiloVault is out of business? Inverter is the Sol-Ark 15K. Insights on what we can do and other ideas that can provide a direction will be appreciated. Generator is 20KW Generwreck...er...Generac. The installer is the customer's electrician. Thanks so much! Best, Chris Daum Oasis Montana Inc. 406-777- 4321 406-777-4309 fax www.oasismontana.com [1] ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.oasismontana.com [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Mate 3 firmware updates
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=outback+mate3s Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-07-19 4:18 pm, Jim Gowdy via RE-wrenches wrote: I'm somewhat new to the solar industry and I'm starting to break into programming and more computer involved skills of solar. I primarily do small cabins and service work, but have been a part of some decent residential systems. Does anyone have any good literature and/or videos of updating firmware on Outback Mate3 controllers. I've seen instructions, but I hear little tricks/tips that are not at all in the instructions. I'm looking for a really good, detailed instruction sheet so I can keep it for reference. Thanks for any responses. -- Jim with Gowdy Electric Cambria, Ca 93428 business 805 927 2630 cell 805 975 5279 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Another Mate 3 programming issues
MX60 was not networked which was the reason I stopped using them and went to Xantrex around 2005. Not surprised that you could not change MX60 settings on mate. Long time ago... Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-07-19 9:59 am, Chris Schaefer via RE-wrenches wrote: Not sure if this helps but I had installed a full blown Outback twin VFX 3648 with two MX60's with the old green cabinets back in 2005. Last year I had to replace the two inverters with the new FXR as the VFX is discontinued. In order to do this I had to dump the old oval mate and move up to the Mate3s, as well as replace the old Hub 10.1 and use the newer 10.3. When all said and done, the Mate saw the old MX60's but you were unable to make changes or access any data/settings. One other note, the 2nd inverter goes on port 7 of the Hub, not port 2 as we've been use to in the past. Christopher On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 12:30 PM jay via RE-wrenches wrote: HI Chris, Can you give us more data? Like is this a new problem, or it only started after X? Since its not seeing the port ( NA) it could be the CC or the HUB, or the cable. the hub will show an active LED light if its connecting to anything on that port. You can try plugging into the CC directly to see if it reads it, probably easier with another mate. It just sucks to not have tech support or anyone on wrenches from some OEMS Jay On Jul 19, 2024, at 10:13 AM, Christopher Warfel via RE-wrenches wrote: This is grid tied system with all firmware updates that the Mate 3s recognizes. I cannot figure this blank data menu out. I have to program the battery ABS, FLOAT settings from the FM60 CC. System is 12 years old so no Tech support available even if they answer the phone Has anyone have advice for if this is normal, or if there seems to be an issue? Used a spare Mate 3s with no difference. Thank you, Chris -- Christopher Warfel ENTECH Engineering Inc. PO Box 871, Block Island, RI 02807 401-477-5773 [1] Menu.jpg>___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org -- Chris Schaefer's Tel 585-229-2083 or Cell 585-748-1870 5115 S Hill Road ~ Canandaigua New York 14424 _www.solarandwindfx.com [4] ~ E-mail: chris@solarandwindfx.com_ Thomas Jefferson, the author of our great Constitution, once said, "democracy" will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://entech-engineering.com/Home/default.php [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] http://www.solarandwindfx.com___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't
Re: [RE-wrenches] AES RACK MOUNT
Awesome reliability on the AES 6650's we use with XW. Super easy installation. The cons on the new racks are that they are more work to install compared to the 6650. Two ways to install with Schneider though. Discover has said they will automate with the internet the install soon. I would not compare with EG4 as I do not know who is the deep pocket there with them and they are new on the scene. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-07-17 5:58 am, Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: Greetings, Whose using the new Discover Rack mounted batteries? They look like the EG4 line up Pros and Cons ? Thanks Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Ideas and help please. Solar Edge nightmare
You are talking about the LG RESU10 H right? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-07-10 3:20 pm, Peter Giroux via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi my fellow wrenchers, need some help with an older SolarEdge Storedge system. System has 14 kw solar, two 7.6 Storedge inverters and each inverter has one LG RESU 10 battery. System was installed 6 to 7 years ago and has worked great until the LG's started acting up. LG replaced them and in the interim one of the 7.6's went down. SE replaced it. Everything has been up and running for 12 months, SE did all the required firmware updates, batteries and inverters when we finished replacing batteries and inverter. So, the problem is the system comes out of program every 3 to 5 days and luckily my customer knows how to reengage it and reprogram the system ( total consumption ). We have been calling SE Support for months and it hit a peak two weeks ago. They are telling us we need shielded 600Volt CAT5 twisted pair wire for all the comms. We have shielded cat non twisted pair, the wire they had us install 6 years ago ( which has worked just fine. When I asked the tech do I use one or both of a twisted pair he said just one. I asked what is the difference from the wire we are using if you are asking us to use just one of each twisted pair. They could not answer and when asked to get a more senior tech they said until we had shielded cat 5 twisted pair installed we could no longer speak with them. I found some 600 volt, shielded cat 5 twisted pair and installed one section, from one inverter to it battery. Took forever to separate the twisted pair, strip one and insert it. System is now Buggier than it was. The tech could not explain why the system has worked well for 6 years with the shielded single wire and after replacing a inverter and the batteries it is now throwing the programing, just demanded the 600 volt, cat 5 shielded wire. So folks, my apologies for rambling by both my customer and I are at our wits end. We have reached out to the head of tech support but only crickets. Any and all help or ideas appreciated. Thx Peter Giroux American Solar Norcross Ga 678 525 0468 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fortress LFP batteries and Outback charge controller
You and the client lose the ability to monitor it all in one place do you not? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-29 4:48 pm, Kirk Herander via RE-wrenches wrote: All, I'm wondering if there are any precautions if charging a Fortress Evault LFP bank using 1 or more OB charge controllers, in tandem with an Envy inverter PV input. I know it will have to be programmed differently, and it will be open loop, no CC control from the BMU,. This is a net metered system using a Fortress 12 kw inverter. The total PV input of the inverter is 21 kw. Max sell back is 12 kw, while charging batteries at 6 kw. My issue is the customer has his heart set on maxing out the roof capacity at 25 kw. And I don't really need to add a second inverter for critical loads, Only to increase integrated DC-coupled PV capacity. So I feasibly put part of the array on external charge controller(s) , open-looped, and the remainder on a single 12kw Envy inverter. A second inverter also increases the AC capacity, and as a result, involves a more comprehensive review for net metering approval in Vermont (new trigger for additional review is greater than 15 kw AC).. -- Kirk Herander / kirkh@vermont.solar Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC _Celebrating our 33st Anniversary 1991-2024!!_ dba Vermont Solar Engineering 802.559.1225 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
[RE-wrenches] Looking for Powerewall installer for central California
Any wrenches installing the powerwall 3 in central Cali ? https://www.tesla.com/support/energy/powerwall/learn/what-expect-powerwall-3 Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback app
Is this referring to the Android or iOS app? They appear to be dead horses. Optics is functional via a web browser. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-17 2:49 pm, Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Is the Outback app working? I can log into my account but not the app? Thx Jay ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Dual battery bank switch for 48 VDC system
Good Luck ! I look every year and there are never any rated this high. A few knock-off cheap ones but??? I have used the Blue Seas and one other with this app. If you are careful about switching under big loads/EQV's it will last. If this is an insured home, you have to disclose this or be Lawyer fodder in a fire. Even then I would let the client buy it. The other way around is to use 250A rated Midnite or Schneider inverter breakers. It is clunky as you have to know what you are doing when using it. You could easily turn both off and lose power. The 4 position Blue Seas takes that out and is much easier to understand. I did the 250s a few times and it worked well, is not inexpensive, and was legal for Home Insurance. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-15 10:18 am, greg egan via RE-wrenches wrote: Wrenches, I have a customer who has a 2 strings of AGM's @ 48 VDC that we want to split so we can charge them at decent charge rate. Adding more PV and/or larger generator and inverter is cost prohibitive. I've seen Blue Seas (#3002) 4 position 500 amp switches that are rated for 32VDC. Max he could possibly pull at once with his system is less than 100 amps. I would assume the Blue Seas 3002 would work and I'd probably use it in my garage, but I'm not comfortable recommending it to a customer. Any suggestions on a 60 VDC rated unit that could handle say 150 amps and 4/0 cables? Maybe I'm being too cautious since the max load would be < 6KW and the 3002 is rated for 16kW load (32 VDC /500A)? Thoughts? Thank you, Greg Egan Remote Power Inc. Fairbanks, AK ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Xantrex XW6048 HOT!
Yes worrisome. The fault log will show possible causes. The troubleshooting guide will tell you too look for black chunks of mosfet transistors in the right bay of XW down low. Really rare, but in a hot environment 10 years is pretty amazing. All of the docs are on the Schneider site under XW 120. https://solar.se.com/us/en/discontinued-products/ Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-13 2:22 pm, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: Yes, I checked the air flow. It seems equal to the others. It's really strange because after turning off Inverting and Charging, the unit is idle and does not cool down. That's worrisome. Jason Szumlanski Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP) Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956 Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208 On Thu, Jun 13, 2024 at 1:12 PM Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Jason, Have you checked the black removeable air intake filter on the bottom of the inverter to make sure it's not clogged up? Check fan operation with a piece of paper above the inverter - is it blowing air? That's where I'd start. Kevin From: RE-wrenches On Behalf Of Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches Sent: June-13-24 8:01 AM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Jason Szumlanski Subject: [RE-wrenches] Xantrex XW6048 HOT! I'm looking at an off-grid quad inverter setup for a client, not my installation. One of the stacked.inverters is extremely hot, sometimes it goes into F66 and takes down the adjacent inverters with it to F66 probably because of these Xanbus network is broken. I disabled charging and discharging on the inverter that is getting hot, but it's still remains very hot. Any ideas? I tried to put that one inverter in standby, but the generator will not sync with the remaining three and charge the batteries. So I have to leave it in normal operating mode for the moment. Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Xantrex XW6048 HOT!
Disco 250A breaker on bad XW and remove its xanbus RJ45. Assume the bad one is not the master? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-13 8:01 am, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: I'm looking at an off-grid quad inverter setup for a client, not my installation. One of the stacked.inverters is extremely hot, sometimes it goes into F66 and takes down the adjacent inverters with it to F66 probably because of these Xanbus network is broken. I disabled charging and discharging on the inverter that is getting hot, but it's still remains very hot. Any ideas? I tried to put that one inverter in standby, but the generator will not sync with the remaining three and charge the batteries. So I have to leave it in normal operating mode for the moment. Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Xantrex XW6048 HOT!
Going out the door. If the bad inverter is the master. You will need to assign a new master. Since this is 1st generation XW you will need to use SCP and probably use the manual if you are not familiar. Rebuild the xanbus network. That is alot of loading and the usual warnings about heat killing electronics and the need of cooling down your way. Good Luck! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-13 8:26 am, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Disco 250A breaker on bad XW and remove its xanbus RJ45. Assume the bad one is not the master? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-13 8:01 am, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: I'm looking at an off-grid quad inverter setup for a client, not my installation. One of the stacked.inverters is extremely hot, sometimes it goes into F66 and takes down the adjacent inverters with it to F66 probably because of these Xanbus network is broken. I disabled charging and discharging on the inverter that is getting hot, but it's still remains very hot. Any ideas? I tried to put that one inverter in standby, but the generator will not sync with the remaining three and charge the batteries. So I have to leave it in normal operating mode for the moment. Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Two Outback Radian 8048 fails in same week..what is likely wrong in 7+ year inverters?
High temperatures are a major cause of electronic equipment failures, contributing to more than 50% of them. A rule of thumb is that for every 10°C increase in temperature, the failure rate of electronic components will double and their life will be reduced by half. This rule is based on the Arrhenius equation, which can be used to compare damage that accumulates over time at different temperatures. In troubleshooting a very rare failure in XW that sounds like yours, look for little black chunks of Mosfet chips in the power section. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-09 3:49 pm, Scot Arey via RE-wrenches wrote: Longtime Outback user but since the experience of this group is so varied, I'll say 8-years (so you real old-timers don't laugh!). Here is the scenario of two systems: First is a full off-grid customer and we have two stacked 8048s, with four FM80s and a 14kw array that charges a RE2200. After a home fire (not related to the solar!) we got the system back on and it required heavy dual inverter operations to get the home going after a four-month hiatus. Looks like that slave inverter stopped working at end of the day after we re-powered and departed. He can operate with the single 8048. The second situation is a used 8048 I have at the Texas coast that powers a small duck/hunt bunkhouse. It was used system (and I'm a benefitting member) but worked just fine when I put in. Went down to check the batteries (FLA, as AGM nor lithium was in budget) and there was not inverter output and no indication on the MATE like an error code. So my question is - what typically fails in a 8048 from old age or heat stress? Wanted to ask here since so many issues with Outback tech spt during its transition. Neither inverter is in warranty, but trying to field repair anything I might be able to. I do have battery voltage past the two 175A disconnects in the GSLC. No "thump" I typically get when the inverter first gets battery power and no lights. Any troubleshooting tips to identify the culprit part? ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark Support
Optics was down again last weekend and I read this comment below from the Outback forum. Day 11….without communication with our Sol Ark 15k inverter….Thanks Sol-Ark Solar * Quote [4] Post [5] Mon Jun 03, 2024 4:07 pm Who would have known? A conspiracy theorist that is right??? So it is no longer a conspiracy? 😉😎 Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-06-05 11:13 am, Lloyd Hoffstatter via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Howie, Text from FB user Scott Shadle Sol-Ark owners Information network: Migration update (edit at 10 am central...my plant is now populating the new solark app. So...hang in there) Just had a very nice call with Sol Ark tech support. He suggested that perhaps my Facebook update would help reduce the huge number of calls they are getting. I took notes. I don't work for Sol Ark. I have no idea if any of the following is factual other than it is what the tech support person relayed to me. 1. The migration has been challenging. They are using a 3rd party entity to do the work. The did a first test of 100 sites. A second test of 4,000 sites. At that point they did not have any material problems and attempted a full roll out of the remaining sites. They had a lot (no definition of "a lot") of sites that had problems. So, it is accurate that many of you are seeing the migration but a significant number of others (like me) are not getting information on either the old pv pro or the new mysolark. 2. Why? He said they believe it has to do with the wifi dongle. I didn't try to get more specific. Just said that the wifi dongle is not pointing at either site, so...like my situation...you are not able to see any information inside any of the apps...old or new. Nor can you access your 15k to do any remote changes. If you want to make changes you will have to go to the device. 3. Fix and timing? Unknown. He asked that I be patient and give it a week, but hoped it would be resolved sooner. 4. Is there any steps I the customer can take to make this better. No. It is all on their side. 5. Data migration. He suggested that the data migration is still an open topic. I expressed to him that in my emails with the PV Pro tech support they only allow for you to download one day at a time.oruse their reporting screens to get summarized information in graphical format (not the actual data). He said the whole data migration topic is still being worked on by Sol Ark and they are reaching out to their installers and of course end user customers to try and layer in more and more functionality on the data reporting / data harvesting side of things. The suggestion...without any specifics...was that the new site will have much more functionality soonand...they can continue to improve it over time. They did not have that ability with PV Pro. 6. Mobile app. For those not aware, there is a new app (I'm on android and it was easy to download and put in my plant) mysolark. He asked that we be patient. Said tech support is getting swamped with calls and that they (tech support) can't really do anything to help until the 3rd party company fixes the migration issue(s). Nice guy. Reasonable responses. Hopefully this will help some of you who are puzzled by fellow Facebook users on this board that are having no issues. I'm going to give it a week. Best regards - From: Lloyd Hoffstatter Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 2:07:43 PM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Howie Michaelson Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark Support They are swamped with calls while they work to transition, and partially depends on a third party per user comments on Sol-ark users FB group after talking to tech support. Best regards, Lloyd Get Outlook for iOS [1] - From: RE-wrenches on behalf of Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 1:41:07 PM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Howie Michaelson Subject: [RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark Support Is anyone else having trouble getting through to Sol-Ark support? Howie Michaelson ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://aka.ms/o0ukef [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] h
Re: [RE-wrenches] How many times can a rafter have a lag screw put in and out before it is no longer structurally sound? Some roofs getting their 3rd set of new shingles
Scott, For liability you might want a before and after inspection by a really top inspector that you trust. I would also ask your insurance for guidance. My insurance is always telling me that going out of business is the typical last straw for roofers. Build a solar pergola😉 Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-30 11:41 am, Ray Walters via RE-wrenches wrote: I would add to this that the size of the lag is a factor too. 3/8" lags into 1-1/2" wide rafters are going to cause much more damage, and leave larger voids, than the new 1/4" high strength lags I use now. I like the rafter sistering idea, as a solution, as well as moving the rails up or down several inches to get away from the previous hole. A third idea is staggering the mount pattern from rail to rail, which is something we should all be doing anyway to insure the loads are more equally distributed across all the rafters. Then we just change the pattern on the 2nd installation. Unfortunately I think much of this will be lost, since some of the companies that roofers subcontract with to do these remove and replace jobs are not always the top solar contractors. Ray Walters Remote Solar On 5/29/2024 10:17 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches wrote: Scot: Fascinating question. It's a bit ironic that the changing climate is damaging the equipment we are utilizing to combat climate change. A lag unscrewed will damage a wooden member less than a lag ripped out. From your post it seems we are dealing with the former, rather than the latter. If your layout isn't changing there is a likelihood that the new mounting locations will be at our near the old mounting locations. This will be true for a rafter lag or deck mount screw. It seems to me the process of re-screwing in the same spot in a rafter is just as questionable as re-screwing in the same spot in sheeting. I see no benefit in deck mounting and many disadvantages. If severe weather is an issue I would avoid deck mounting unless you have vetted the decking and the applicability of the chosen fasteners to that material. I would not standing-seam mount without knowing how the sheeting panels are secured and finding a method to calculate how many clips are needed given the increasing wind loads. I see two questions about reinstalling screws repeatedly: 1. Is the rafter less able to support loads? Or, 2. Is the rafter (or decking) less able to retain the fasteners holding the PV to the roof? Speculation on the above: 1. Wood fibers adhere to each other. They are not like a bundle of straws. If you damage a fiber in one place, it is supported on either side of the point of damage by this adherence. My guess is by just withdrawing screws a few times you do not compromise the load handling ability of a rafter member. Site built rafters require different considerations than trusses. Site built are a wild-card and need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. 2. If you penetrate wood with screws multiple times in a small area, you are going to make that area "soft." Screw holding capabilities will be drastically reduced. Options that I see: 1. Flashed stanchions. The lags never need to be removed. 2. Blocking, to attach in new locations. 3. Sistering, again to attach in new locations. 4. Not deck mounting (IMHO). Anecdote: We had a tile roof mount inspected one August afternoon. The inspector insisted on looking in the attic. We asked why and he said this city has a particular concern about structural integrity of wood framed roofs. I was aware of this because I have had some silly arguments about this with the lead inspector. Apparently they have seen a lot of big-box solar company installers drive lags carelessly and had the lags blow out the side of the rafter. If they spot this they make the installer hire an engineer and design a system to sister the rafters to engineering standards. I totally get this concern. We use a rafter locator and are really careful. This is not to say we have not had a blow out now and then. You gotta have a feel for the torque resistance of a lag while seating. Thank you for bringing this up. As I said, fascinating (to this wonk). William Miller Solar 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 805-438-5600 www.millersolar.com [1] CA Lic. 773985 From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Scot Arey via RE-wrenches Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2024 3:16 PM To: 'RE-wrenches' Cc: scot.a...@solarcentex.com Subject: [RE-wrenches] How many times can a rafter have a lag screw put in and out before it is no longer structurally sound? Some roofs getting their 3rd set of new shingles With all our Texas hail storms, we now have roof solar systems that might have to come down for the third time as hail-p
Re: [RE-wrenches] Simpliphi Phi 3.8 48V Case Color
All I can add is get the closed loop version with electronics that can interface. It is a huge improvement over open loop. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-29 9:10 am, Darryl Thayer via RE-wrenches wrote: I was under impression that white case has a communication and black has none. Some inverters can communicate some can not with the white case. On a new project have matched inverter and battery. On Wed, May 29, 2024, 6:15 AM Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: Is there a difference in the batteries in a white case vs. black case? Are they compatible in terms of paralleling them? Secondary question - I can't find the maximum number of these batteries in parallel. Is anyone aware of the capacity limit? Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Discover AES exposion
Hey Michael, I heard that it was a pretty small shed, can you comment on that please. Good luck on the trouble shooting. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-27 8:40 pm, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Hey Everybody, I wanted to circle back on the Discover AES explosion that I reported a few weeks ago. As far as we know, there was a thermal runaway situation. Gas from the battery filled the power room and then ignited causing an explosion. It was hot enough that anything plastic melted. The steel man door blew off its hinges. Beyond that, we are still trying to figure out why it happened. For now, what I want to say is that Discover has been awesome. The VP, CEO and crew responded immediately. They are paying for the cleanup of the building by a specialized remediation company, offered to pay to have the building rebuilt, 2nd day shipped new rack mount batteries and a pre-built Schneider system to the site. Are paying a plumbing contractor to replace all of the plumbing (booster pump, pressure tank and significant treatment equipment. Flying Mike Wight (ace off-grid installer and applications engineer for Discover) to the site for the rebuild. And reimbursing me for my involvement. This with no coercion or dawdling about. As soon as they found out, they were on it. I spoke with the VP and CEO and they genuinely care about my clients and want to do right for the sake of doing right, not to avoid litigation. Tell me of another RE company, or any company for that matter that would respond this way. -- Michael Morningstar Morningstar Electric Inc PO Box 1494 Mount Shasta, CA 96067 530-921-0560 CSLB 1116835 mjmornings...@gmail.com ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Water system with Grundfos SQFlex
Hey Brad, Sometimes shooting is best if you tell more on what you have done so far like using the SQF shooting guide, especially on a holiday weekend😉 Assume there is a CU200 controller and pump is in ground still, must be with 100ft head, sorry No high amps? It runs, How old? --Dave Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-26 4:26 am, Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Brad With 2 check valves leaking I'd look for a broken pipe or a corroded fitting. If there is anyway to isolate between the 2 check valves then you could measure the pressure drop on both sides which should point to the direction of the leak. Jay On May 25, 2024, at 7:41 PM, Bradley Bassett via RE-wrenches wrote: I have a water system with a Grundfos SQFlex SQF3-2 pump. I'm getting water flow in reverse either through the pump or a leak up to the pump. My question is if the check valve on the top of the pump is not sealing, will the progressive cavity pump allow water to flow through the pump in reverse? I'd think that with a positive displacement pump it would not, except very slowly or if it turned the motor backwards which I think would be very unlikely. There is about 100 psi head on the pump. I think it's most likely I have a leak somewhere in the plumbing, and of course another failed check valve farther up in the plumbing. It's possible to get failures even with redundant protection if you have two concurrent failures, which I must have here. Brad Bassett Old time solar guy who used to do solar pumping back in the '80's and '90's. Mostly retired now. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback Tech Support
Jay, maybe the price was right? Obvious the old parent corporation wanted into commercial solar. As for EG4 maybe the old lawyer shark saying about eat or be eaten. It was about 5 years back that Schneider sold all commercial solar and it helped their stock. Crossing fingers! Happy hour soon! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-24 3:58 pm, jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Drake, What it says to me is that they either fired everyone or said move to tx. I've always joked that if the potential project I'm to work on starts badly it never gets better. I still don't understand why the owners of EG4 would by a legacy inverter company? Jay On May 24, 2024, at 4:20 PM, Drake Chamberlin via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello All, With the sale of Outback, their tech support seems to have disappeared. Around the time of the sale, tech support had agreed to send me a new control stack for a Radian. After a long delay, they did send it, but were quick to remind me to return the core. When the new control stack was installed, the inverter would not work. The error message was AC Out Voltage Low. I put the old one back in and returned the one they sent. There is no one to talk to, and no one answers email. Do you know if the new owners are planning to honor product warranty? Is tech support coming back? This is a pretty rough transition. It will likely leave a number of people in the dark. Fun Times Indeed! Drake _Drake Chamberlin_ _Athens Electric LLC_ _Ohio Electrical Contractor's License 44810_ _NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional_ -- ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback Tech Support
Marshall Neipert [3]Forum MemberPosts: 11 [4]Joined: Mon May 20, 2024 10:07 amMy RE system: President of Outback Power https://www.linkedin.com/in/neipertContact: Contact Marshall Neipert [5] You should ask him Drake! He is on the forum and responding to some emails. Here is in a link that he is taking suggestions on https://forum.outbackpower.com/viewtopic.php?t=18726 Kind of weird that the president is using a linkedin address but it is their company now. That is the main reason I responded on the Solar edge stock. You have to stay in business to be in business. With that price hit and an address in Isreal right now, beware! I know very little about roof mounted electronics because I do not go on roofs. I totally get it that most here do. I still have my rights I think! FRIDAY ! Stay Safe ! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-24 3:20 pm, Drake Chamberlin via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello All, With the sale of Outback, their tech support seems to have disappeared. Around the time of the sale, tech support had agreed to send me a new control stack for a Radian. After a long delay, they did send it, but were quick to remind me to return the core. When the new control stack was installed, the inverter would not work. The error message was AC Out Voltage Low. I put the old one back in and returned the one they sent. There is no one to talk to, and no one answers email. Do you know if the new owners are planning to honor product warranty? Is tech support coming back? This is a pretty rough transition. It will likely leave a number of people in the dark. Fun Times Indeed! Drake _Drake Chamberlin_ _Athens Electric LLC_ _Ohio Electrical Contractor's License 44810_ _NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional_ -- ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] https://forum.outbackpower.com/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=20772 [4] https://forum.outbackpower.com/search.php?author_id=20772&sr=posts [5] https://forum.outbackpower.com/viewtopic.php?t=18726#___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] I know you've all said, "I told you so..." SolarEdge...
Well to me the final, final straw is their stock price losing 2/3 its value in a year. I tell all of my clients if you ever have to do roof solar, you should use a central inverter and not ever put electronics on a roof. Bad enough to put solar panels up there! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-24 9:10 am, Scot Arey via RE-wrenches wrote: SolarEdge…I keep saying they fixed their reliability issues, but the latest storms in Central Texas leave me again with frustration. Some systems worked, others did not. Worst was ones that were surge-sensitive as grid utility power was restored so a system in backup yesterday turns into a service call with the grid back, as a finicky BUI transfer switch didn't go back to grid power. Make the run to the affected customer and wait and wait and wait for tech support, only for them to finally take my call after I've packed everything up (how long must we wait for a call pickup?) and the first question is "send us pics of the installation." Of course that is to grade the work and despite me saying we replaced a comms card in November, and don't you have that picture still? I get the tier-1 blocking before I get to tier-2. I've had a lot of final straws with SolarEdge, each time assuaged by a "we're fixing reliability…we've improved tech support" but objectively, this company drives most of my reliability frustration. Intra-"box" comms are so finicky. I've told them they have Backup Interface Units that get stuck between grid and backup during the rapid on and off utility outages that come with many storms and they try to say "we have not seen that" but I tell them I gave five examples just from me! Vent over…know many of you have left SolarEdge and I suppose its stock price a manifestation of that. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Optics
by vincjwan [14] » Mon May 20, 2024 10:49 pm it's back online but without Graph and historic data Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [5]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [6] [5] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-21 7:32 am, Todd Cory via RE-wrenches wrote: "OPTICS RE Back Online [1] * Report [2] * Quote [3] Post [1] by Marshall Neipert [4] » 20 May 2024 20:32 Enersys has fixed the issue and Optics RE is back online." Except it is not for me. Todd On Tuesday, May 21, 2024 7:22am, "Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches" said: Anyone who fixes Outback's inability to run closed loop would be great. I think I have seen Outback claim it was coming soon for 5 years now. Hopefully they can get Optics up soon for my 3 clients. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [5]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [6] [5] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-20 5:41 pm, Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: I don't know who's bigger or has more money. EG4 is a manufacturer Signature is a distributor Both are in the same town Some one on this site said EG4 said they bought OB. EG 4 makes more sense as they would have lots of Chinese manufacturing contacts. If OB is coming out with new products, I'd expect they are coming out of China. I could easily see them partnering with any of the large Chinese companies. I guess we will know soon. Jay On May 20, 2024, at 6:16 PM, Steve Higgins via RE-wrenches wrote: At Intersolar (January) San Diego, I heard Bigbatterybox.com purchased Outback. Since then, I've heard it may be Signature Solar. I am unsure who purchased them, but with them being so close to Signature Solar, that makes sense. I'm not sure who purchased them, but they have been asleep at the wheel since then. They can't sell any product in Canada because they have let their CSA certificates lapse. [7] Steve Higgins ⋅ Technical Services Manager t +1.902.597.4020 m +1.206.790.5840 f +1.902.597.8447 e st...@surrette.com [8] [9] [10] [11] - CONFIDENTIALITY: The information transmitted herein is intended only for the addressee and may contain confidential, proprietary and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, distribution or other use of or the taking of any action in reliance upon this information is prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please contact the sender and delete or destroy this message and all copies. - On Mon, May 20, 2024 at 4:45 PM Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches wrote: So here is the scoop, I got it that outback is moving to Dallas and will still be a premium product, and yes the optics shut down had something to do with the sale. Everyone hold on as they say they have new products at SPI this fall. Keep your fingers crossed and let's all wait patiently. Fun times On Sun, May 19, 2024, 10:53 AM Lou Russo via RE-wrenches wrote: I started poking through EnerSys's (The most recent owner of Outback) SEC filings in hopes to find who the new buyer is. I found nothing related to the sale but found this in their most recent quarterly report : On November 8, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors approved a plan to stop production and operations of residential renewable energy products, which include our OutBack and Mojave brands. Management determined that residential renewable energy products no longer fit with the company's core strategy and resources will be better allocated toward commercial energy solutions for enterprise customers. The Company currently estimates that the total charges for these actions will amount to $23.5 million relating primarily to $22.6 million in non-cash charges primarily including inventory and an indefinite-lived intangible asset write-offs and $0.9 million in cash charges including employee severance and retention payments. The plan is expected to be completed in fiscal 2024. During the nine months of fiscal 2024, the Company recorded non-cash charges totaling $6.6 million primarily related to indefinite-lived intangible asset write-off and cash charges of $0.4 million related to severance costs. The Company also recorded a non-cash write off relating to inventories of $16.1 million, which was reported in cost of goods sold. To say I am curious about what is going on is an understatement. Aloha, Lou Russo Owner l...@spreesolarsystems.com 808 345 6762 Spree Solar Systems LLC CT-34322 On Sun, May 19, 2024 at 2:21 AM Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: I agree with you William While there could be all sorts of valid reasons for the downtime. What's not acceptable is the lack of communication and notification that it was going to happen or had happened. If they do have new owners they are not starting well. Jay On May 18, 2024, at 9:42 PM, Willia
Re: [RE-wrenches] Optics
Anyone who fixes Outback's inability to run closed loop would be great. I think I have seen Outback claim it was coming soon for 5 years now. Hopefully they can get Optics up soon for my 3 clients. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [8]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [9] [8] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-20 5:41 pm, Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: I don't know who's bigger or has more money. EG4 is a manufacturer Signature is a distributor Both are in the same town Some one on this site said EG4 said they bought OB. EG 4 makes more sense as they would have lots of Chinese manufacturing contacts. If OB is coming out with new products, I'd expect they are coming out of China. I could easily see them partnering with any of the large Chinese companies. I guess we will know soon. Jay On May 20, 2024, at 6:16 PM, Steve Higgins via RE-wrenches wrote: At Intersolar (January) San Diego, I heard Bigbatterybox.com purchased Outback. Since then, I've heard it may be Signature Solar. I am unsure who purchased them, but with them being so close to Signature Solar, that makes sense. I'm not sure who purchased them, but they have been asleep at the wheel since then. They can't sell any product in Canada because they have let their CSA certificates lapse. [1] Steve Higgins ⋅ Technical Services Manager t +1.902.597.4020 m +1.206.790.5840 f +1.902.597.8447 e st...@surrette.com [2] [3] [4] [5] - CONFIDENTIALITY: The information transmitted herein is intended only for the addressee and may contain confidential, proprietary and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, distribution or other use of or the taking of any action in reliance upon this information is prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please contact the sender and delete or destroy this message and all copies. - On Mon, May 20, 2024 at 4:45 PM Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches wrote: So here is the scoop, I got it that outback is moving to Dallas and will still be a premium product, and yes the optics shut down had something to do with the sale. Everyone hold on as they say they have new products at SPI this fall. Keep your fingers crossed and let's all wait patiently. Fun times On Sun, May 19, 2024, 10:53 AM Lou Russo via RE-wrenches wrote: I started poking through EnerSys's (The most recent owner of Outback) SEC filings in hopes to find who the new buyer is. I found nothing related to the sale but found this in their most recent quarterly report : On November 8, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors approved a plan to stop production and operations of residential renewable energy products, which include our OutBack and Mojave brands. Management determined that residential renewable energy products no longer fit with the company's core strategy and resources will be better allocated toward commercial energy solutions for enterprise customers. The Company currently estimates that the total charges for these actions will amount to $23.5 million relating primarily to $22.6 million in non-cash charges primarily including inventory and an indefinite-lived intangible asset write-offs and $0.9 million in cash charges including employee severance and retention payments. The plan is expected to be completed in fiscal 2024. During the nine months of fiscal 2024, the Company recorded non-cash charges totaling $6.6 million primarily related to indefinite-lived intangible asset write-off and cash charges of $0.4 million related to severance costs. The Company also recorded a non-cash write off relating to inventories of $16.1 million, which was reported in cost of goods sold. To say I am curious about what is going on is an understatement. Aloha, Lou Russo Owner l...@spreesolarsystems.com 808 345 6762 Spree Solar Systems LLC CT-34322 On Sun, May 19, 2024 at 2:21 AM Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: I agree with you William While there could be all sorts of valid reasons for the downtime. What's not acceptable is the lack of communication and notification that it was going to happen or had happened. If they do have new owners they are not starting well. Jay On May 18, 2024, at 9:42 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches wrote: Friends: I am sure you are all acutely aware, but this is not a trivial matter. We depend on Optics for alerts and trouble shooting. We rely on Optics for the history it records to analyze trends and evaluate production and consumption. I doubt the data lost will back-fill. I sell Outback based in great part on the Optics interface. For this system to be down for days at a time is not a good sign at all. I will be lighting up the phone lines on Monday to find out what happened and to emphasize this cannot become a pattern. William Miller Solar 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 805-438-5600 www.millersolar.com [6] CA Lic. 773985 From: RE-wrenches
Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback:
Interesting that Commerce, TX is 20 miles from Sulphur Springs, TX which is the home of Signature Solar. https://www.outbackpower.com/resources/ ... rt-request [4] Shows: 404 Page Not Found Component not found [5] The moderators (not Outback employees) on the forum have an interesting conspiracy thread going if it is a slow Monday. https://forum.outbackpower.com/viewtopic.php?t=18704&start=25 Good info also on using WattPlott earlier in the thread. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-20 8:51 am, William Miller via RE-wrenches wrote: Friends: Optics is still down as of Monday morning. Outback does not answer telephone calls. Options on their automated attendant are Tech Support and Sales. Either selection directs you to sales but no one picks up. I left several messages. I called Zonna Energy to ask. They told me Outback had been purchased and moved to Texas. Zonna has stock and is being promised manufacturing will be continued. Zonna is aware Optics and Tech Support are unavailable but don't know when it will return. Zonna says Outback has been responding to on-line case requests. They seem confident that the Outback line will continue as before. That's what I have learned this morning. William Miller Solar 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 805-438-5600 www.millersolar.com [1] CA Lic. 773985 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.millersolar.com/ [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] https://www.outbackpower.com/resources/technical-support/online-support-request [5] https://forum.outbackpower.com/download/file.php?id=8844&sid=e2971edb8c3c1f4852bd24fddac80465&mode=view___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Optics
Easier to read but still not a good sign! When I worked at HP in the 80's they struggled with keeping old equipment alive. It was terribly expensive and they just stopped after 5 years and let the secondary market do repairs. Even that was expensive and finally just stopped keeping any inventory. Repair by scavenging was the only way. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Optics
On November 8, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors approved a plan to stop production and operations of residential renewable energy products, which include our OutBack and Mojave brands. Management determined that residential renewable energy products no longer fit with the company's core strategy and resources will be better allocated toward commercial energy solutions for enterprise customers. The Company currently estimates that the total charges for these actions will amount to $23.5 million relating primarily to $22.6 million in non-cash charges primarily including inventory and an indefinite-lived intangible asset write-offs and $0.9 million in cash charges including employee severance and retention payments. The plan is expected to be completed in fiscal 2024. During the nine months of fiscal 2024, the Company recorded non-cash charges totaling $6.6 million primarily related to indefinite-lived intangible asset write-off and cash charges of $0.4 million related to severance costs. The Company also recorded a non-cash write off relating to inventories of $16.1 million, which was reported in cost of goods sold. To say I am curious about what is going on is an understatement. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [3]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] [3] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-19 10:51 am, Lou Russo via RE-wrenches wrote: I started poking through EnerSys's (The most recent owner of Outback) SEC filings in hopes to find who the new buyer is. I found nothing related to the sale but found this in their most recent quarterly report : On November 8, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors approved a plan to stop production and operations of residential renewable energy products, which include our OutBack and Mojave brands. Management determined that residential renewable energy products no longer fit with the company's core strategy and resources will be better allocated toward commercial energy solutions for enterprise customers. The Company currently estimates that the total charges for these actions will amount to $23.5 million relating primarily to $22.6 million in non-cash charges primarily including inventory and an indefinite-lived intangible asset write-offs and $0.9 million in cash charges including employee severance and retention payments. The plan is expected to be completed in fiscal 2024. During the nine months of fiscal 2024, the Company recorded non-cash charges totaling $6.6 million primarily related to indefinite-lived intangible asset write-off and cash charges of $0.4 million related to severance costs. The Company also recorded a non-cash write off relating to inventories of $16.1 million, which was reported in cost of goods sold. To say I am curious about what is going on is an understatement. Aloha, Lou Russo Owner l...@spreesolarsystems.com 808 345 6762 Spree Solar Systems LLC CT-34322 On Sun, May 19, 2024 at 2:21 AM Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: I agree with you William While there could be all sorts of valid reasons for the downtime. What's not acceptable is the lack of communication and notification that it was going to happen or had happened. If they do have new owners they are not starting well. Jay On May 18, 2024, at 9:42 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches wrote: Friends: I am sure you are all acutely aware, but this is not a trivial matter. We depend on Optics for alerts and trouble shooting. We rely on Optics for the history it records to analyze trends and evaluate production and consumption. I doubt the data lost will back-fill. I sell Outback based in great part on the Optics interface. For this system to be down for days at a time is not a good sign at all. I will be lighting up the phone lines on Monday to find out what happened and to emphasize this cannot become a pattern. William Miller Solar 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 805-438-5600 www.millersolar.com [1] CA Lic. 773985 From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Lou Russo via RE-wrenches Sent: Saturday, May 18, 2024 11:50 AM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Lou Russo Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Optics All my sites are currently down. Not related but I tried to call tech support yesterday during business hours and got message saying thank you for calling Outback Sales leave a message. I do hope they are just in transition but I got a bad feeling about this. I hope I am wrong. Has anyone heard for sure who bought them? I know they were bought from talking to tech support but that is all I know and the Internet has 0 info on a recent sale. On Sat, May 18, 2024, 6:48 AM Dan Fink via RE-wrenches wrote: Mine all went down yesterday at noon MDT. I wonder if this has to do with the sale of Outback? Dan Fink Owner, Buckville Energy Consulting LLC IREC Certified Instructor for PV and Small Wind Installation NABCEP Certified PV Syst
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fortress Avalon
Hey Darryl, I got involved with the Schneider Home all in one (same thing as Fortress Avalon) Before that I was involved with another Schneider HV all in one long before Solark. Omnia failed to get to market. I get the hee bee jeebies with that kind of voltage offgrid. The numerous various failures of the LG hi voltage batteries. There is no way to replace the battery without waiting for Fortress to help. With 48v, I can go to Costco or Walmart and build a temporary 48v bank in 3 hours. Pretty simple requirement that I have. Especially in this world! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-14 6:33 pm, Darryl Thayer via RE-wrenches wrote: I am looking at going high voltage as opposed to 48 volts. This is my largest battery system, I have a large distance between battery and inverter, 40 feet, the cost of wire, 50 kW, at 50 volts is 1000 amps. I am thinking this is too big for me. On Tue, May 14, 2024, 7:29 PM Mac Lewis via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, I am looking closely at offering the Fortress Avalon system. I would like to hear from anyone that has installed, commissioned and seen them work in the field. Pros and cons, all of your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks! ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fortress Avalon
Huge mistake to me to use high voltage battery. I am biased for offgrid. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-14 5:28 pm, Mac Lewis via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, I am looking closely at offering the Fortress Avalon system. I would like to hear from anyone that has installed, commissioned and seen them work in the field. Pros and cons, all of your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks! ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Discover Xanbus SOC jumpy
You probably checked historical events and analysis below. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-03 10:30 am, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Kent, Battery monitor is internal to 6650 battery. No bat mon! Probably as you said the xanbus comms need a look as Mac said. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-03 10:24 am, Kent via RE-wrenches wrote: Mac, I have a system that does this (or something similar) with all of the Insight data a few times every day. I'm pretty sure it is lost data resulting from communications drop outs. Internet to the site is via StarLink. If you are only seeing this on the SOC data there might be a problem with the Xanbus connection to the battery monitor. Since the SOC returns to the correct value for the next data packet, I'm pretty sure that there is nothing wrong with the battery monitor. Kent Osterberg Blue Mountain Solar On 5/3/2024 6:54 AM, Mac Lewis via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, I have a system that suddenly started seeing quite a few SOC drops and blips, causing generator starts. Here is an example SOC chart: I plan to head up and apply a firmware update on the batteries, check cabling etc but Im curious if anyone has encountered/solved this issue. Much appreciated. -- Mac Lewis "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Discover Xanbus SOC jumpy
Kent, Battery monitor is internal to 6650 battery. No bat mon! Probably as you said the xanbus comms need a look as Mac said. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-03 10:24 am, Kent via RE-wrenches wrote: Mac, I have a system that does this (or something similar) with all of the Insight data a few times every day. I'm pretty sure it is lost data resulting from communications drop outs. Internet to the site is via StarLink. If you are only seeing this on the SOC data there might be a problem with the Xanbus connection to the battery monitor. Since the SOC returns to the correct value for the next data packet, I'm pretty sure that there is nothing wrong with the battery monitor. Kent Osterberg Blue Mountain Solar On 5/3/2024 6:54 AM, Mac Lewis via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, I have a system that suddenly started seeing quite a few SOC drops and blips, causing generator starts. Here is an example SOC chart: I plan to head up and apply a firmware update on the batteries, check cabling etc but Im curious if anyone has encountered/solved this issue. Much appreciated. -- Mac Lewis "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Discover AES explosion!
The 6650 definitely meets all the UL's, ETLs, and UN's. Probably the first one to do this and since Michael said that it is a first for Discover, the jury is out until an FA is complete. Good points by you Larry, but not valid for many thousands of Discover AES 6650s. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-03 9:23 am, Starlight via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Michael, For 11 years I've been in the Li battery business. We formerly designed and installed over a hundred Li battery based systems, mostly mobile installations but UPS and off-grid as well. Since 2018, we no longer do installations. Currently we sell our own Li-ion brand with many thousands sold and in use. We have not had any fire or explosion claims. Most Li batteries sold in the US are not UL1973 or ETL certified. Many batteries are very cheaply made to have the lowest price. Based on my experience I consider any battery not certified as potentially dangerous. I don't know if Discover is certified and make no statement about them. An important question is what will an insurance company do if there is a claim and the product you install is not certified to these high safety standards? Worth considering. Larry Crutcher Starlight Power Systems On May 3, 2024, at 8:21 AM, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Two days ago, one of my clients came home to find the door of his powershed blown off its hinges and a smoldering Discover AES. The case was still intact and the entire room is coated with a fine graphite-like powder. The fire department was unable/unwilling to do anything to cool the battery down and it smoldered for a day. 199 degrees fahrenheit after 18 hours. Discover is taking this seriously and their response has been great. They are in contact with the cell manufacturer to find a "best practices" for the clean up of the room. They also have said that this is a first for them (lucky me). I'm just curious how rare or common LiFePO 4 explosions are? I've never heard of one in the context of residential storage. This has me pretty freaked out. Michael Morningstar Morningstar Electric Inc PO Box 1494 Mount Shasta, CA 96067 530-921-0560 CSLB 1116835 mjmornings...@gmail.com ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Discover AES explosion!
Never heard of one with LFP. The cobalt and Magnesium Lions are definitely out there. Was this a 6650 model Michael? Going to be fun times doing a failure analysis on this one. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-03 8:21 am, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Two days ago, one of my clients came home to find the door of his powershed blown off its hinges and a smoldering Discover AES. The case was still intact and the entire room is coated with a fine graphite-like powder. The fire department was unable/unwilling to do anything to cool the battery down and it smoldered for a day. 199 degrees fahrenheit after 18 hours. Discover is taking this seriously and their response has been great. They are in contact with the cell manufacturer to find a "best practices" for the clean up of the room. They also have said that this is a first for them (lucky me). I'm just curious how rare or common LiFePO 4 explosions are? I've never heard of one in the context of residential storage. This has me pretty freaked out. Michael Morningstar Morningstar Electric Inc PO Box 1494 Mount Shasta, CA 96067 530-921-0560 CSLB 1116835 mjmornings...@gmail.com ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Discover Xanbus SOC jumpy
Which model? Do you see the same dips in voltage? Probably yes. Are all the batts the same firmware? The AES dashboard can be useful for finding a differing module. No I have not seen this and only have had one bad battery that was replaced by AES. Yes check all wiring. Good Luck! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-05-03 6:54 am, Mac Lewis via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, I have a system that suddenly started seeing quite a few SOC drops and blips, causing generator starts. Here is an example SOC chart: I plan to head up and apply a firmware update on the batteries, check cabling etc but Im curious if anyone has encountered/solved this issue. Much appreciated. -- Mac Lewis "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Pro Firmware 2.04 melting devices
To be fare, Schneider does tell you to follow the commissioning guide. It should be in the firmware though and should be a warning. It is only an issue with older XWP BTW. Let us know what you end up doing Kevin please. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-25 11:44 am, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Chris, Thanks. Ugh it's even more irritating to learn this is obviously a known issue. Yes, I tested gen in bypass mode system off and it is all within spec, forgot to mention that. Kevin From: RE-wrenches On Behalf Of Chris Sparadeo via RE-wrenches Sent: April-25-24 11:30 AM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Chris Sparadeo Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Pro Firmware 2.04 melting devices Hi Kevin, Let me chime in here. Last year I experienced something nearly identical to what you are describing. 3 ea. XW pros in an off-grid application. Things were working fine, but wanted to upgrade firmware for a comms issue I was having with closed loop BMS and Insight. After the 2.04 upgrade, when the generator would charge the system, voltage would slowly creep up and after about 20 or so minutes, voltage would hit around 250 VAC with a terrible high pitched grinding noise coming from the inverters. This issue burned 3 of the homeowners UPS and several LED fixtures. I was 99% sure this was a generator issue. After weeks of tech support calls, a new voltage regulator and multiple return service visits... and eventually one brand new generator... I had to come back to the homeowner with my tail between my legs and let them know that it wasn't generator related. Even after reverting back to the old firmware, it seems as though the software eventually affected the hardware. Long story short, homeowner was done with dealing with Schneider and we ended up swapping the Conext gear for 2ea. Sol-Ark 15ks and the system has been issue free for almost a year. Both generator run like a top. Sort of embarrassing to re-read this, but if I can help someone avoid the headache I went through, it's worth it. One easy test method is to deenergize your entire system, turn off batteries and manually bypass your inverters. Let the generator power the loads directly and keep a close eye on your generator frequency, voltage and THD. In my case, I found that the generator behaved well in bypass and terribly when the inverters were present. Good luck on this one! Chris Sparadeo On Thu, Apr 25, 2024 at 1:51 PM Ray Walters via RE-wrenches wrote: That sounds like a generator problem. I've seen many gen sets put out a horrible waveform under load, when battery charging. The waveform, (if you have an O-scope) usually has a spike on the front of the wave, and then the wave flattens significantly after. The peak should be 169 v on a 120 vac RMS sinewave. I've seen it as low as 135v on crappy generators that are over loaded. THD is a great thing to check, but also check your peak voltage, if you have a quick capture feature on your meter. It also could be related to altitude, gen sets can perform badly when they can't get enough air. You didn't mention gen set model, or whether the frequency was a solid 60 hz. I've seen bad things happen when the frequency got out of spec too. I'm guessing a bad voltage regulator on the gen set. Ray Walters Remote Solar On 4/25/2024 11:24 AM, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Wrenches, Curious if anyone else has seen this issue. New XW Pro off-grid system installed Dec 2023. Pretty standard config for us, XW Pro, 5 kW PV, 50 kWh UnigyII battery, 8 kW high quality diesel generator. This system ran fine all winter long - powering customer's big RV they were living in while the house is built, Shop, computer controlled outdoor wood boiler, domestic loads + 3 person construction crew. Gen ran daily on auto start as we don't get much sun Dec - Feb. No issues reported. Couple weeks back I did a new system check up. All performing well, happy client. Part of that service I upgraded the XW firmware from 1.09 to 2.04, and insight from 1.16 to 1.18. Gave the system a quick check, ran gen. Lots of sun now, batteries full so didn't do a long generator test. Yes I set the region codes for off-grid. A week later, while I was out of town and it was not so sunny so gen running, client and their electrician called me in a panic. Two smoke detectors had literally melted, as well as several dimmable LED fixtures all failed. Electrician replaced the burned up devices, only to have the same thing repeat a few days later. Talking with them it was only when the generator was running there were issues. Told them to lock out gen and I will get there when I can. Once back I attended site, fired up gen, and could hear the inverter sounding terrible during gen charging. Lights flickering bad, and I personally verified the smoke
Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Pro Firmware 2.04 melting devices
Good advice Michael! I had one that the grid code got set by FW and reverting did not help. Had to start fresh. I certainly would try the revert as it is so much easier. There just is too much grid firmware being changed and it does not need to be done offgrid. I beg people and Schneider, like Eric to just have an offgrid FW as a choice Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-25 11:18 am, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Go back to V1.11. I had the same thing happen with an XWPRO and a Central Maine Diesel with a DynaGen controller. Frequency and Peak to Peak was less than perfect and the inverter, IF it would qualify the power, sounded like a garbage disposal. Eric B at Schneider suggested reverting back to the old firmware and that did the trick. Like yours, my client is pissed and wants me to replace the inverter because he thinks it was compromised. He might be right. A colleague of mine ran into the same issue which was fixed with old firmware. BTW, no one in tech support, after many calls ever suggested using the old firmware. On Thu, Apr 25, 2024 at 10:51 AM Ray Walters via RE-wrenches wrote: That sounds like a generator problem. I've seen many gen sets put out a horrible waveform under load, when battery charging. The waveform, (if you have an O-scope) usually has a spike on the front of the wave, and then the wave flattens significantly after. The peak should be 169 v on a 120 vac RMS sinewave. I've seen it as low as 135v on crappy generators that are over loaded. THD is a great thing to check, but also check your peak voltage, if you have a quick capture feature on your meter. It also could be related to altitude, gen sets can perform badly when they can't get enough air. You didn't mention gen set model, or whether the frequency was a solid 60 hz. I've seen bad things happen when the frequency got out of spec too. I'm guessing a bad voltage regulator on the gen set. Ray Walters Remote Solar On 4/25/2024 11:24 AM, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Wrenches, Curious if anyone else has seen this issue. New XW Pro off-grid system installed Dec 2023. Pretty standard config for us, XW Pro, 5 kW PV, 50 kWh UnigyII battery, 8 kW high quality diesel generator. This system ran fine all winter long - powering customer's big RV they were living in while the house is built, Shop, computer controlled outdoor wood boiler, domestic loads + 3 person construction crew. Gen ran daily on auto start as we don't get much sun Dec - Feb. No issues reported. Couple weeks back I did a new system check up. All performing well, happy client. Part of that service I upgraded the XW firmware from 1.09 to 2.04, and insight from 1.16 to 1.18. Gave the system a quick check, ran gen. Lots of sun now, batteries full so didn't do a long generator test. Yes I set the region codes for off-grid. A week later, while I was out of town and it was not so sunny so gen running, client and their electrician called me in a panic. Two smoke detectors had literally melted, as well as several dimmable LED fixtures all failed. Electrician replaced the burned up devices, only to have the same thing repeat a few days later. Talking with them it was only when the generator was running there were issues. Told them to lock out gen and I will get there when I can. Once back I attended site, fired up gen, and could hear the inverter sounding terrible during gen charging. Lights flickering bad, and I personally verified the smoke detectors beeping and getting warm and the house smelled like burned plastic. I hooked up my power quality analyser and could see the THD gradually building to over 36%. Gen voltage was at 125/250V a bit high, so adjusted that, but no change. By reducing the charge rate on the XW Pro to 50% was able to get the THD down around 12% and less light flicker. But it's still too high. Image attached shows THD with gen on original programing, then at reduced charge rate. Have now gone from a happy client to a pissed off client threatening legal action for endangering their lives & a bill from the electrician. Ugh. Having a hard time explaining this to the client why a system previously working fine went sideways so badly. Old guy blames the "darned computer stuff" and he's not wrong with that opinion. At another site, similar config but larger system with dual XW's that I upgraded to 2.04 firmware remotely few days ago and now the two inverters are literally fighting each other under generator charge - one load building to +6 kW and one (minus)6 kW. Sure makes me reluctant to upgrade firmware on systems that are working fine. Any suggestions? Kevin ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE
Re: [RE-wrenches] 120 Vac and 12Vdc mixed distribution system
How about just buy an RV? Seriously the reason Jason I am Leary is because of the experiences I have had with what I call Offgrid Squalor. Just have to be careful especially these days of druggies, people in vans with no windows, ex paramilitary that went bad, and you get the picture. If you know the person that is the way to keep you and your loved ones safe. Money does talk sometimes and the lack can of it can be a warning. Also as mentioned, these types of situations, are what gets my accountant telling me if you do not charge enough, no one will listen to your advice. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-24 10:51 am, John Blittersdorf via RE-wrenches wrote: Jason, Just using the converter works fine. They are considered a battery charger or a regulated power supply. I am currently running that way now with the battery cables going nowhere. I was thinking of putting the battery back in the system just for triple redundancy when my inverter hits low battery cutoff voltage on a cold winter night and no fuel for the generator (or it won't start). My Iota DLS puts out a regulated 13.4 volts up to 30 amps. John On Wed, Apr 24, 2024 at 8:25 AM Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: Ah ha! I didn't consider using a small 12V battery with a charger. I was thinking of just using a 120V -> 12V converter to handle the DC loads. Is the 12V battery really necessary, or can I just power the DC loads directly with a converter? If I just have lights and fans on the DC system, the load should be pretty minimal. I could use a separate 12V battery, but I would like to eliminate that cost and complexity if possible. And yeah, I am not considering this a money making opportunity. It's really just a challenge to ward off boredom from the daily grind. Jason Szumlanski Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP) Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956 Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208 On Wed, Apr 24, 2024 at 8:01 AM John Blittersdorf via RE-wrenches wrote: Jason, I have a customer with the same situation except he already has a 12 V VFX inverter, He has a sunfrost fridge and other small loads with a very fancy custom control board originally set up to handle AC and DC systems. We are adding a lot more solar and I was considering a dual battery system but the owner didn't like that idea. We are going with and Iota 12v power supply (i use one at my house for my sunfrost) to power up all his DC loads and will be adding a large 48 V battery bank and over 4Kw of solar using a VFXR3648 directly in place of the 12V inverter. He complained that the existing inverter would not handle all his current AC loads very well. My own house is fully wired for 12VDC as well as AC (lots of #10 copper not being used) and I have been considering getting a small LFP 12V battery to put back on by DC System. Then use the Iota as a secondary charging method with some of my large stash of older modules hooked up for 12V direct with C40 charge controller to recreate my original system just for kicks. I'm only using DC for my Sunfrost and one "emergency light" in the livingroom right now. For your customer, a small LFP 12v battery (approximately $500 or less) to replace his old battery bankm and more larger ones for the new AC side with 48V inverter fed by his generator or through an Iota 48 V charger ifusing a smaller non charging inverter. Unlike Dave, I like these challenges. Maybe thats why I never seem to make money.!! John Blittersdorf offgridvermont.com [3] On Wed, Apr 24, 2024 at 7:22 AM Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: Fortunately, the owner is pretty handy and is willing to live with any negative consequences. That said, I want to offer him something as simple and bulletproof as possible. I am walking into this with eyes wide open, for sure. Jason Szumlanski Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP) Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956 Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208 On Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 5:47 PM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Not being helpful but I walk away from these. It will come back to you. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-23 2:40 pm, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: I have an off-grid client who is working on replacing old equipment at a cabin. He has a lot of 12 volt distribution in the house for lighting, fans, and a 12 volt refrigerator. He also has 120 volt AC loads that run through a separate distribution panel where the only
Re: [RE-wrenches] 120 Vac and 12Vdc mixed distribution system
Not being helpful but I walk away from these. It will come back to you. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-23 2:40 pm, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: I have an off-grid client who is working on replacing old equipment at a cabin. He has a lot of 12 volt distribution in the house for lighting, fans, and a 12 volt refrigerator. He also has 120 volt AC loads that run through a separate distribution panel where the only source is a 2000 Watt Honda generator. There is no inverter present. The batteries are charged through a Trace C40. He currently has a few ancient solar panels and a struggling Bank of AGM batteries. It's time for an upgrade. I can easily supply enough PV power for what he needs. He currently has a 9 kilowatt hour battery capacity that he was happy with when the batteries operated optimally. Nonetheless, I would probably future-proof him with a 10 to 15 kilowatt hour LiPo to double or triple his usable capacity. For convenience, obviously it would be nice to have an inverter to eliminate or reduce the generator requirement. But he seems committed to keeping his 12 volt distribution because it would be costly to replace fixtures. I think he would consider replacing the 12 volt refrigerator if he has an inverter. He definitely wants LiPo batteries. I don't like the idea of 12 volt direct from a battery plus connecting an inverter to that same battery. It is going to be hard to measure and monitor things. I am thinking about using a 48 volt battery with a single phase 120 volt inverter, getting him to change to a 120 volt refrigerator, and using a DC converter to give him somewhere in the range of 100 amps at 12 volts for his existing DC lighting and fan loads. Is this a bad idea? Should I stick with a 12 volt battery system? He does have a tiny 12 volt pressure pump which might be an issue for the converter. I'm not sure. I am a bit worried about the efficiency loss and capacity of DC converters and not sure how to size it. Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] speaking of batteries
It depends on how the BMS shares with the new BMS. A state of life measurement, the charge algorithm, and ? has to account for this for them to charge and discharge well together. Pretty safe to say one year for many makes of battery. Kind of like bussbar use in large systems, is a way to think about this. A good battery system will know and log this also for warranty. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-23 2:03 pm, jay via RE-wrenches wrote: HI All Speaking of batteries I wonder what you all make of this. I was reading the Fortress battery manual and it says they don't recommend adding new lithium batteries to older lithium batteries if the age is over 1 year difference. Thoughts? thanks jay ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Midnite new inverter
I wish bob and the boyz good luck on this product. Always support North American companies!! I do not have much experience in the all in ones, but the one thing I would look for is how it responds to imbalance on split phase loads. The bad experiences on (won't say the Chinese name of inverter) was it had trouble starting a fire pump that was 120vac. it also had trouble with large 120vac air compressors. Even worse, not only did it have trouble starting the load, it shut down the inverter. I would not want that for sure it the fire was raging up the hill. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-10 9:02 pm, Nick A Lucchese via RE-wrenches wrote: I was under the same impression as David. At one point when I looked into it all the electrical specifications appeared identical. Lux isn't made by Deye? Ripping off designs within China isn't just exclusive to the US? Good ole inverter manufacturer family incest? Does the main difference only relate to AGS controls or something along those lines? Even that is within the Lux products, Envy and EG4? I'm not into either personally but was dragged into a Solark system two years ago. Doing my best to keep my back strong with transformer based inverters until I can support Midnite. Nick On Apr 10, 2024, at 10:00 AM, jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi David, I'm going to disagree. The fortress and EG4 are made by LUX. It says so right on the cover. And I've talked to Fortress about this. Sol Ark is made by Deye Jay On Apr 10, 2024, at 10:12 AM, david quattro wrote: I have not installed an Fortress yet, but I know they are made by Deye (same Chinese original manufacturer as SolArk inverters) Here is a link for an excellent instructional by Steve Higgins @ Rolls - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJqBULN9MgI&pp=ygUWcm9sbHMgc3VycmV0dGUgaGlnZ2lucw%3D%3D This assumes that Envy comes with the same programming shortcoming as SolArk, I don't know. In order to effectively use a SolArk with lead acid batteries you have trick it. This process takes several iterations checking specific gravity, which means multiple site visits stretched over perhaps a couple months. The Absorb setting is ineffectual, so Steve's solution is to employ the Equalize setting to actually achieve Absorption. Carefully record the settings (voltage, duration, and frequency) that deliver a consistent specific gravity in range. On the rare occasions you actually need to equalize, you do it in person. When equalization is complete you return the settings back to your curated values. On Wed, Apr 10, 2024 at 7:28 AM jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Can you explain what changes the eg4 18 inverter has vs the Envy as to LA programming? To me the Envy has a big advantage due to it having AGS warm up/cool down that the EG4 does not. Jay ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Mate3s error vs. event log
Hi Kirk, It has been a long time since I used Optics and not sure if this will work but here goes. A few years back Schneider came up with a way to hard wire a tablet for a graphic shot of the system that the user does not have to do anything. It is on 24/7. I have a few older clients that need this. You would have to have optics working. Below is a video on how to do this with a Samsung tablet from Eric Bentsen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuGcZafueic&t=280s Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-04-01 12:08 pm, Kirk Herander via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello All, I have a customer with a OB Radian GS8048A, grid tied, which logs a "charged parms met" message regularly. When it does, the event log LED on the 3s starts blinking. My customer thinks it's an error, and calls me. I Wish I could somehow defeat this event, and any non-error, from blinking the event LED for everyone's sanity. Charged parms met is not an error, but it's crying fire in a theater to have this annoyance occurring. It happens several times a week. Is there any way to keep non-errors from flashing the LED? OB tech support is starting to have long lead times, so I am asking here first. Thanks. -- Kirk Herander / kirkh@vermont.solar Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC _Celebrating our 33st Anniversary 1991-2024!!_ dba Vermont Solar Engineering 802.559.1225 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] AEE closing down operations
For me, it was changing policy to not taking my clients credit card with pre-approval and not taking their check after it cleared their bank. Too many choices out there. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-03-28 1:46 pm, Richard Nicol via RE-wrenches wrote: Probably too many of us stopped using them when they partnered with Sun Run. Sent from my iPhone On Mar 28, 2024, at 4:27 PM, Jeremy Coxon via RE-wrenches wrote: I'm not going to editorialize about this, other than to say - what a damn shame to get this note in my inbox today. 19 years I've been buying from them and I'm sure some you on this list for much longer. Talk about losing sight of the mission. <8c86e00d-c831-fc63-debe-484f5b9af308.jpg> Dear Valued Customer, We hope this message finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that we reach out to share an important update regarding the future of AEE Solar. After careful consideration, we've made the difficult decision to wind down AEE's operations over the next 36 days, with a tentative closing date of May 3rd, 2024. Please be aware that this date may be subject to change, and we will keep you informed of any updates. As a result, we are offering attractive clearance pricing on the majority of our inventory over the next month, which we encourage you to take advantage of. We understand that this news might come as a surprise. Our Customer Support Team and Territory Sales Managers are available to address any questions or concerns you may have during this time. We are committed to transparency and will keep you informed throughout the process, including confirmation of the final closing date, well in advance. If you purchase SnapNrack products from AEE, please reach out to your Territory Sales Manager to explore opportunities to purchase directly from SnapNrack going forward. We want to express our sincere gratitude for your ongoing support. It has been a privilege serving you, and we wish you continued success. We look forward to serving you during this wind-down period. Sincerely, The AEE Solar Team Jeremy Coxon NABCEP Certified MWBE Sent from my iPhone ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] TPM Search
Spendy for the right client, Jeff and Kyle still support/sell the best trackers out there. https://www.wattsun.com/ Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-03-08 3:27 pm, Dave Tedeyan via RE-wrenches wrote: Another one out there that is worth looking at is MT Solar. Cheers, Dave On Fri, Mar 8, 2024, 5:51 PM Kent via RE-wrenches wrote: Jeremy, I think the Solar RacksWorks TPMs are virtually identical to the DPW TPMs. My go to TPM is General Specialties [1]; They are a solid design and I think they are easier to assemble. They also have UL listed TPMs but they have top mounting clamps, and for the life of me I don't understand the logic of of a top mount clamp on a TPM. Kent Osterberg Blue Mountain Solar On 3/8/2024 2:30 PM, Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: With news that PLP has dropped the TPM line, what are you all recommending for a good mount for up to 8 modules , 400 w range. I looked in the archives, but no luck. I thought there was someone formerly at DPW that was making them. Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://www.generalspecialtiesmfg.com/ [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Schneider CSW4048 / Lithium DD5300
Mine work fine closed loop with Discover AES only. I doubt there is much support on other batteries as they all use XW pro which uses the RS 485 protocol to close the loop with different battery brands. To get it going open loop you would use a custom battery menu and probably need an external battery mon and shunt. Ouch ! Sorry about that. Going to be a project! With an AES : 42-48-3000, 42-48-6650 it is just plugging in xanbus and you are done. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-03-06 11:35 am, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, Has anyone been able to get a CSW4048 inverter to work with battery type set to Lithium? When I try that it gives a F89 battery discharge over-current error within a few seconds. The battery is at 100% SoC and there was only the inverter idle loads present. The CSW manual refers to document 976-0319-01-01 for specifics on Lithium. I have not been able to locate that document. Schneider tech support suggests try using custom battery setting, but it won't go lower than 56V when the battery specs request 55V max. I specified the CSW4048 inverter for a Lithium installation not realizing until too late that the CSW doesn't actually offer closed-loop BMS integration. Using the Insight device it does interface to the BMS and allows the MPPT controllers to integrate for BMS derived SoC based charge control. Unclear if the BatLev gauge on the SCP will accurately display SoC values from the BMS. Kevin ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
[RE-wrenches] Fwd: Re: Older Sunny Islands charging newer Lithium's
I think it is the battery that is most important in closed loop, as that is where the cost/warranty is. I have an email out on this for another friend and will get back. Below is the SMA Island manual for Discover AES battery link. Each Inverter company has a manual from AES for their battery. Not sure why an Inverter make would not want to do this but... https://discoverbattery.com/s4x_files/resources/des-lynk-2-sma-manual.pdf Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-03-01 5:06 pm, Glenn Burt wrote: Again, just because a battery manufacturer says they are compatible with an inverter, does not mean the inverter manufacturer agrees, supports it, or will answer service calls regarding it. Not a risk I am willing to take. -Glenn Sent from my 'smart'phone, so please excuse typos and spelling errors. -- Original message-- From: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches Date: Fri, Mar 1, 2024 8:03 PM To: RE-wrenches; Cc: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar; Subject:Re: [RE-wrenches] Older Sunny Islands charging newer Lithium's AES is closed loop with 7 inverter manufacturers (not Outback and I do not know why) including SMA. Not sure on the particulars but you should check them out with Lync2 interface. I just use them closed loop with XW and they can charge 40% faster. https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 [2] On 2024-03-01 4 [3]:43 pm, Glenn Burt via RE-wrenches wrote: I recently went through this wxwrcise with an old customer of mine as well. I spent a lot of time researching options. Manufacturers and conversations with SMA regarding their support of a conversion to Life storage. Bottom line for me was that SMA does not support any lithium battery manufacturer available in the US. I stuck with exact replacement batteries for those that were exhausted, Concorde AGM's. -Glenn Sent from my 'smart'phone, so please excuse typos and spelling errors. -- Original message-- From: Peter Giroux via RE-wrenches Date: Fri, Mar 1, 2024 3:52 PM To: 'RE-wrenches'; Cc: pgir...@mindspring.com; Subject:[RE-wrenches] Older Sunny Islands charging newer Lithium's My fellow wrenchers. Have sought help from SMA but they just defer to owner's manuals and the older batteries listed.. I have a customer with two SMA 5048's, roughly 11 years old and appear to be working fine. Customer wants to move to LIPO batteries and keep his SMA's. Has anybody made these transitions and how did you do it, not sure the SMA programing for LIPO's works the way Lithium's need. Any and all help and ideas appreciated. Thx Peter Giroux American Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions inc ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] tel:2098130060 [3] tel:2024-03-014 [4] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Older Sunny Islands charging newer Lithium's
AES is closed loop with 7 inverter manufacturers (not Outback and I do not know why) including SMA. Not sure on the particulars but you should check them out with Lync2 interface. I just use them closed loop with XW and they can charge 40% faster. https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-03-01 4:43 pm, Glenn Burt via RE-wrenches wrote: I recently went through this wxwrcise with an old customer of mine as well. I spent a lot of time researching options. Manufacturers and conversations with SMA regarding their support of a conversion to Life storage. Bottom line for me was that SMA does not support any lithium battery manufacturer available in the US. I stuck with exact replacement batteries for those that were exhausted, Concorde AGM's. -Glenn Sent from my 'smart'phone, so please excuse typos and spelling errors. -- Original message-- From: Peter Giroux via RE-wrenches Date: Fri, Mar 1, 2024 3:52 PM To: 'RE-wrenches'; Cc: pgir...@mindspring.com; Subject:[RE-wrenches] Older Sunny Islands charging newer Lithium's My fellow wrenchers. Have sought help from SMA but they just defer to owner's manuals and the older batteries listed.. I have a customer with two SMA 5048's, roughly 11 years old and appear to be working fine. Customer wants to move to LIPO batteries and keep his SMA's. Has anybody made these transitions and how did you do it, not sure the SMA programing for LIPO's works the way Lithium's need. Any and all help and ideas appreciated. Thx Peter Giroux American Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions inc ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment
You should start a new thread and not use this one. You will get more response! Good Luck! --- Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-20 9:42 am, Tom McCalmont via RE-wrenches wrote: I have an LG RESU-10H Gen2 Type R battery that has discharged so far that the display will no longer turn on. Apparently, there is a recovery process for this situation that involves using an LG-sanctioned charger that will properly manage the BMS throughout the recovery process. I have access to the correct charger for this purpose. However, I have searched the Internet and Youtube and cannot find any instructions that explain how to operate the charger and recover the LG battery. Does anyone on this group have experience with this situation and can help? Is there a service manual for the LG RESU battery that explains how to recharge it in this situation (again, can find nothing but the installation manual on the internet). Many thanks for any insights. Tom McCalmont On Feb 20, 2024, at 8:59 AM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Someone asked about the loss on the discover AES rackmount. "The contactor is bi-stable so it doesn't require extra holding current in either state. The ON state loss is 7.49mA." https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount Also below is a response from Schneider on closing the loop with EG4. Thanks for the feedback Dave. I visited Signature last year to offer training. The EG4 is available in the dropdown menu for BMS Setup in v1.18 InsightLocal firmware. Integration with XW Pro has worked well from what I have seen. Eric Eric Bentsen Auburn, WA United States [3] [4] Download mySchneider app [4] 24/7 support. Mobile catalog. Access to expert help. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] Genera - Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 Original Message Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment Date: 2024-02-16 3:11 pm From: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches To: RE-wrenches Cc: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar Reply-To: offgridso...@sti.net, RE-wrenches Howie, I think you should also look again at the Discover rack mount system in the link below. Nice 75 year old company that made it's name on Locomotive batteries. Their prices are way down around 14 K for 30Kwh with heaters. If you have not looked at Lynk2 their gateway closed loop into SMA, Schneider, Solark, Morningstar and a few others you should. The only problems I have with Schneider are pretty easy and get resolved because I only use them and take all of the training. Conext Insight is a home run for my clients. Schneider also hired me to test their first closed loop system with LG back in 2017 and it still is working fine. https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount [12] Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-16 2:02 pm, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: We gave EG4 and Signature another chance after promises from their dealer oriented support department that we could expect better service from them. We had an EG4 BMS crap out a couple months ago after only a few months. Lots and lots of communications with Signature and we still don't have a BMS or replacement battery. It's been a shit show with them. I think we are going to remove them and install 3rd party BMS's and find some use for them. Maybe donate them. We've only had luck with Schneider/Discover pairings in closed loop. A large system we did with Sol-Arks never really worked in Closed loop, despite Discover coming to the site. Most likely it's a Sol-Ark issue, but we've reached Sol-Arks technical expertise limits. Even with Schneider/AES, there have been some issues that are causing me to re-consider Li for offgrid. I just had a conversation this morning with a long time off-grid pro and he said the same thing. It used to be, we'd install a wet lead acid bank and then ten years would pass before hearing from the client when it was time for another bank. Sometimes fifteen years. Our call backs with systems over the last ten years, first with a decline in equipment quality and then the switch to Li are costing us too much money and causing a lot of heartburn for our clients. Rant Over On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:57 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I've searched the archives for info pertaining to EG4 inverters and batteries. The comments have been mostly positive. I have stayed away from EG4 u
Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment
The LG charger probably generates the Heartbeat signal you need to fool the contactor to be on for charging. I Think! My experience is with the 48V RESU 10 and not the RESU 10H that is a 400vdc battery. There were a few people on here with 10H so hang on. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-20 9:42 am, Tom McCalmont via RE-wrenches wrote: I have an LG RESU-10H Gen2 Type R battery that has discharged so far that the display will no longer turn on. Apparently, there is a recovery process for this situation that involves using an LG-sanctioned charger that will properly manage the BMS throughout the recovery process. I have access to the correct charger for this purpose. However, I have searched the Internet and Youtube and cannot find any instructions that explain how to operate the charger and recover the LG battery. Does anyone on this group have experience with this situation and can help? Is there a service manual for the LG RESU battery that explains how to recharge it in this situation (again, can find nothing but the installation manual on the internet). Many thanks for any insights. Tom McCalmont On Feb 20, 2024, at 8:59 AM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Someone asked about the loss on the discover AES rackmount. "The contactor is bi-stable so it doesn't require extra holding current in either state. The ON state loss is 7.49mA." https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount Also below is a response from Schneider on closing the loop with EG4. Thanks for the feedback Dave. I visited Signature last year to offer training. The EG4 is available in the dropdown menu for BMS Setup in v1.18 InsightLocal firmware. Integration with XW Pro has worked well from what I have seen. Eric Eric Bentsen Auburn, WA United States [3] [4] Download mySchneider app [4] 24/7 support. Mobile catalog. Access to expert help. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] Genera - Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 Original Message Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment Date: 2024-02-16 3:11 pm From: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches To: RE-wrenches Cc: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar Reply-To: offgridso...@sti.net, RE-wrenches Howie, I think you should also look again at the Discover rack mount system in the link below. Nice 75 year old company that made it's name on Locomotive batteries. Their prices are way down around 14 K for 30Kwh with heaters. If you have not looked at Lynk2 their gateway closed loop into SMA, Schneider, Solark, Morningstar and a few others you should. The only problems I have with Schneider are pretty easy and get resolved because I only use them and take all of the training. Conext Insight is a home run for my clients. Schneider also hired me to test their first closed loop system with LG back in 2017 and it still is working fine. https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount [12] Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-16 2:02 pm, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: We gave EG4 and Signature another chance after promises from their dealer oriented support department that we could expect better service from them. We had an EG4 BMS crap out a couple months ago after only a few months. Lots and lots of communications with Signature and we still don't have a BMS or replacement battery. It's been a shit show with them. I think we are going to remove them and install 3rd party BMS's and find some use for them. Maybe donate them. We've only had luck with Schneider/Discover pairings in closed loop. A large system we did with Sol-Arks never really worked in Closed loop, despite Discover coming to the site. Most likely it's a Sol-Ark issue, but we've reached Sol-Arks technical expertise limits. Even with Schneider/AES, there have been some issues that are causing me to re-consider Li for offgrid. I just had a conversation this morning with a long time off-grid pro and he said the same thing. It used to be, we'd install a wet lead acid bank and then ten years would pass before hearing from the client when it was time for another bank. Sometimes fifteen years. Our call backs with systems over the last ten years, first with a decline in equipment quality and then the switch to Li are costing us too much money and causing a lot of heartburn for our clients. Rant Over On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:57 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: H
Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment
Someone asked about the loss on the discover AES rackmount. "The contactor is bi-stable so it doesn't require extra holding current in either state. The ON state loss is 7.49mA." https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount Also below is a response from Schneider on closing the loop with EG4. Thanks for the feedback Dave. I visited Signature last year to offer training. The EG4 is available in the dropdown menu for BMS Setup in v1.18 InsightLocal firmware. Integration with XW Pro has worked well from what I have seen. Eric Eric Bentsen Auburn, WA United States [9] [10] Download mySchneider app [10] 24/7 support. Mobile catalog. Access to expert help. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] Genera - Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [7]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [8] [7] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 Original Message Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment Date: 2024-02-16 3:11 pm From: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches To: RE-wrenches Cc: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar Reply-To: offgridso...@sti.net, RE-wrenches Howie, I think you should also look again at the Discover rack mount system in the link below. Nice 75 year old company that made it's name on Locomotive batteries. Their prices are way down around 14 K for 30Kwh with heaters. If you have not looked at Lynk2 their gateway closed loop into SMA, Schneider, Solark, Morningstar and a few others you should. The only problems I have with Schneider are pretty easy and get resolved because I only use them and take all of the training. Conext Insight is a home run for my clients. Schneider also hired me to test their first closed loop system with LG back in 2017 and it still is working fine. https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount [18] Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [7]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [8] [7] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-16 2:02 pm, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: We gave EG4 and Signature another chance after promises from their dealer oriented support department that we could expect better service from them. We had an EG4 BMS crap out a couple months ago after only a few months. Lots and lots of communications with Signature and we still don't have a BMS or replacement battery. It's been a shit show with them. I think we are going to remove them and install 3rd party BMS's and find some use for them. Maybe donate them. We've only had luck with Schneider/Discover pairings in closed loop. A large system we did with Sol-Arks never really worked in Closed loop, despite Discover coming to the site. Most likely it's a Sol-Ark issue, but we've reached Sol-Arks technical expertise limits. Even with Schneider/AES, there have been some issues that are causing me to re-consider Li for offgrid. I just had a conversation this morning with a long time off-grid pro and he said the same thing. It used to be, we'd install a wet lead acid bank and then ten years would pass before hearing from the client when it was time for another bank. Sometimes fifteen years. Our call backs with systems over the last ten years, first with a decline in equipment quality and then the switch to Li are costing us too much money and causing a lot of heartburn for our clients. Rant Over On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:57 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I've searched the archives for info pertaining to EG4 inverters and batteries. The comments have been mostly positive. I have stayed away from EG4 until now in part, for the reason the Michael Morningstar suggested last June - that is, they seemed very oriented to the DIY market and not real serious contenders in the lasting marketplace. However, I was at RE+ Boston this week and was quite surprised to see that the EG4 18k inverter is, for all I could tell, identical to the Fortress Envy 12k, in both physical layout as well as menu structure. I have very limited experience with the Envy (having just installed my 1st one last week, in order to compare it to the Sol-Ark 15). I don't have any thoughts about it yet, except that the font on the screen is quite small and the opening screen is not as intuitive as the Sol-Ark, but that might just take familiarizing myself more to the Envy (and/or the EG4). My question is, for folks who have had either the Envy or the EG4 inverters installed for a decent period of time, what is your current take on their functionality, durability, and for the EG4, the quality of support? Also, what experience have folks had similarly with the EG4 LLI batteries? I'm not unhappy with the Sol-Ark or in general the Fortress eVault Max battery, but there are some att
Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment
Surrette and Full river AGM's Been berry berry good to me! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-17 9:43 am, Drake Chamberlin via RE-wrenches wrote: I fully agree that off grid solar has taken a major downturn. Once the equipment became software based, the reliability dropped. Sure, there are nice features available with these cyber enhanced systems, but the cost in reliability makes being energy independent off the grid hard to accomplish. There are good reports on Samlex products. Has anyone tried their new 120/240 split phase units? Are they stack-able yet? As far as batteries go, I'm pretty much in the Lead Head club, especially for off grid. That being said, lead acid batteries, especially AGMs have gotten really expensive and it seems the quality isn't what it used to be. What is the best AGM battery these days? Thanks, Drake --- On 2024-02-16 17:02, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: We gave EG4 and Signature another chance after promises from their dealer oriented support department that we could expect better service from them. We had an EG4 BMS crap out a couple months ago after only a few months. Lots and lots of communications with Signature and we still don't have a BMS or replacement battery. It's been a shit show with them. I think we are going to remove them and install 3rd party BMS's and find some use for them. Maybe donate them. We've only had luck with Schneider/Discover pairings in closed loop. A large system we did with Sol-Arks never really worked in Closed loop, despite Discover coming to the site. Most likely it's a Sol-Ark issue, but we've reached Sol-Arks technical expertise limits. Even with Schneider/AES, there have been some issues that are causing me to re-consider Li for offgrid. I just had a conversation this morning with a long time off-grid pro and he said the same thing. It used to be, we'd install a wet lead acid bank and then ten years would pass before hearing from the client when it was time for another bank. Sometimes fifteen years. Our call backs with systems over the last ten years, first with a decline in equipment quality and then the switch to Li are costing us too much money and causing a lot of heartburn for our clients. Rant Over On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:57 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I've searched the archives for info pertaining to EG4 inverters and batteries. The comments have been mostly positive. I have stayed away from EG4 until now in part, for the reason the Michael Morningstar suggested last June - that is, they seemed very oriented to the DIY market and not real serious contenders in the lasting marketplace. However, I was at RE+ Boston this week and was quite surprised to see that the EG4 18k inverter is, for all I could tell, identical to the Fortress Envy 12k, in both physical layout as well as menu structure. I have very limited experience with the Envy (having just installed my 1st one last week, in order to compare it to the Sol-Ark 15). I don't have any thoughts about it yet, except that the font on the screen is quite small and the opening screen is not as intuitive as the Sol-Ark, but that might just take familiarizing myself more to the Envy (and/or the EG4). My question is, for folks who have had either the Envy or the EG4 inverters installed for a decent period of time, what is your current take on their functionality, durability, and for the EG4, the quality of support? Also, what experience have folks had similarly with the EG4 LLI batteries? I'm not unhappy with the Sol-Ark or in general the Fortress eVault Max battery, but there are some attractive things about the Envy and potentially the EG4 18k, and the price point and seemingly smart configuration of the EG4 LLI batteries are certainly eye-catching. I'm also currently starting to lean toward using Lithium batteries and inverters from the same manufacturer, as I'm growing weary of the mismatching firmware updates that are causing somewhat frequent issues between the 2 components. Although the inverter/battery integrated units (i.e. Sonen, Tesla, etc.) don't seem ideal, since the market is so volatile at the moment. If one component fails, I'd like the option to replace it with a different brand without having to replace the other component as well. Using the same manu doesn't necessarily cut down the problems, but it certainly will help in the troubleshooting process by hopefully having less of the "not my problem" or "we haven't seen that problem" responses from tech support. I really don't like making forays into bleeding-edge technologies, so I'm hoping to gain some experienced insight. Thanks, Howie Michaelson Sun Catcher ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here:
Re: [RE-wrenches] EG4 Equipment
Howie, I think you should also look again at the Discover rack mount system in the link below. Nice 75 year old company that made it's name on Locomotive batteries. Their prices are way down around 14 K for 30Kwh with heaters. If you have not looked at Lynk2 their gateway closed loop into SMA, Schneider, Solark, Morningstar and a few others you should. The only problems I have with Schneider are pretty easy and get resolved because I only use them and take all of the training. Conext Insight is a home run for my clients. Schneider also hired me to test their first closed loop system with LG back in 2017 and it still is working fine. https://discoverlithium.com/products/lithium-batteries/aes-rackmount Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-16 2:02 pm, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: We gave EG4 and Signature another chance after promises from their dealer oriented support department that we could expect better service from them. We had an EG4 BMS crap out a couple months ago after only a few months. Lots and lots of communications with Signature and we still don't have a BMS or replacement battery. It's been a shit show with them. I think we are going to remove them and install 3rd party BMS's and find some use for them. Maybe donate them. We've only had luck with Schneider/Discover pairings in closed loop. A large system we did with Sol-Arks never really worked in Closed loop, despite Discover coming to the site. Most likely it's a Sol-Ark issue, but we've reached Sol-Arks technical expertise limits. Even with Schneider/AES, there have been some issues that are causing me to re-consider Li for offgrid. I just had a conversation this morning with a long time off-grid pro and he said the same thing. It used to be, we'd install a wet lead acid bank and then ten years would pass before hearing from the client when it was time for another bank. Sometimes fifteen years. Our call backs with systems over the last ten years, first with a decline in equipment quality and then the switch to Li are costing us too much money and causing a lot of heartburn for our clients. Rant Over On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:57 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I've searched the archives for info pertaining to EG4 inverters and batteries. The comments have been mostly positive. I have stayed away from EG4 until now in part, for the reason the Michael Morningstar suggested last June - that is, they seemed very oriented to the DIY market and not real serious contenders in the lasting marketplace. However, I was at RE+ Boston this week and was quite surprised to see that the EG4 18k inverter is, for all I could tell, identical to the Fortress Envy 12k, in both physical layout as well as menu structure. I have very limited experience with the Envy (having just installed my 1st one last week, in order to compare it to the Sol-Ark 15). I don't have any thoughts about it yet, except that the font on the screen is quite small and the opening screen is not as intuitive as the Sol-Ark, but that might just take familiarizing myself more to the Envy (and/or the EG4). My question is, for folks who have had either the Envy or the EG4 inverters installed for a decent period of time, what is your current take on their functionality, durability, and for the EG4, the quality of support? Also, what experience have folks had similarly with the EG4 LLI batteries? I'm not unhappy with the Sol-Ark or in general the Fortress eVault Max battery, but there are some attractive things about the Envy and potentially the EG4 18k, and the price point and seemingly smart configuration of the EG4 LLI batteries are certainly eye-catching. I'm also currently starting to lean toward using Lithium batteries and inverters from the same manufacturer, as I'm growing weary of the mismatching firmware updates that are causing somewhat frequent issues between the 2 components. Although the inverter/battery integrated units (i.e. Sonen, Tesla, etc.) don't seem ideal, since the market is so volatile at the moment. If one component fails, I'd like the option to replace it with a different brand without having to replace the other component as well. Using the same manu doesn't necessarily cut down the problems, but it certainly will help in the troubleshooting process by hopefully having less of the "not my problem" or "we haven't seen that problem" responses from tech support. I really don't like making forays into bleeding-edge technologies, so I'm hoping to gain some experienced insight. Thanks, Howie Michaelson Sun Catcher ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings:
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fortress
So this is all open loop with outback correct? I can't even get into Simplyphi. website today. Maybe the windows update... The battery below was suppose to be networkable but it looks like not much progress. * Model: AmpliPHI 3.8kWh * Inverter compatibility: Sol-Ark, SMA (coming soon), Schneider Electric (coming soon) A question, it looks like Outback is not closed loop with any battery company. I hope I am wrong! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-15 8:57 am, Darryl Thayer via RE-wrenches wrote: Is it similar to my problem with my Simplify batteries? Over time, the BMS did not allow all cells to charge the same. To correct this, I had to charge each battery separately, and after this, they stayed equivalent for more years. On Thu, Feb 15, 2024 at 7:50 AM Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi william Could you share the equipment used and what issues you had? Thx Jay On Feb 14, 2024, at 3:13 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches wrote: Peter: I have only purchased one set of Fortress batteries. There have been issues, I am sure many of them self-induced. Fortress has been overall very responsive. There have been a few days where I could not get through to technical support but with persistence I always manage. Fortress has offered truck-roll compensation at a reasonable rate as well. William Miller Miller Solar 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 805-438-5600 www.millersolar.com [1] CA Lic. 773985 From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Peter Giroux via RE-wrenches Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2024 6:47 AM To: 'RE-wrenches' Cc: pgir...@mindspring.com Subject: [RE-wrenches] Fortress Good morning my fellow wrenchers. While I see the comments on SunPower and the challenges, are any of you having similar issues with Fortress? Their bms boards from the early classics have not held up and even after replacement there are still issues ( parallel batteries and stand alone not showing accurate #'s, ). While support has been, well supportive, the issues persist. Any thoughts or fixes you have come up with?? I just had a customer unplug the coms cable from their sol-ark and bring their readings to volts VS %% and it is starting to work a bit better. Any and all help or ideas appreciated. Thx peter Giroux American Solar Norcross Ga ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.millersolar.com/ [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-w
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fortress
Hi Peter, I was called in to consult on a new existing 4x Fortress E flex / Schneider XWP system that worked fine open loop but never communicated with the Schneider gateway. Fortress to their credit sent a tech out and he did Fortress FW and a PC exchange. Still not working. The owner was upset and replaced with Discover AES 42-48-6650. There was zero configuration to do which surprised the installer. Worked fine closed loop from the start. I do not like to be negative about companies in North America and I still think Fortress could have fixed this with more time. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-02-14 6:46 am, Peter Giroux via RE-wrenches wrote: Good morning my fellow wrenchers. While I see the comments on SunPower and the challenges, are any of you having similar issues with Fortress? Their bms boards from the early classics have not held up and even after replacement there are still issues ( parallel batteries and stand alone not showing accurate #'s, ). While support has been, well supportive, the issues persist. Any thoughts or fixes you have come up with?? I just had a customer unplug the coms cable from their sol-ark and bring their readings to volts VS %% and it is starting to work a bit better. Any and all help or ideas appreciated. Thx peter Giroux American Solar Norcross Ga ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Temperature coefficient versus Power
10+ years ago I thought that Sunpower Solar wrote the best info. Their module technology was superior and the classic 327 module output was amazing in high temperature and also in cloudy skies. They were the first to have really good warranty for both workmanship and output over time. I have little to say about the current crop of modules. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-01-30 6:02 am, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote: I'm having a hard time finding concrete information on the relationship of temperature coefficient and power output. Solar panel temperature coefficients are determined at Pmax. My question is, at lower irradiance levels, say where power output would be 50% of Pmax at 25C, would the temperature coefficient be greater, less, or the same? Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] SMA String inverters
Hi August, I was told Tesla has LFP battery now. True? Thanks ! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [3]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] [3] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-01-10 3:25 pm, August Goers via RE-wrenches wrote: We're starting to install the Tesla Solar Inverter with good results: https://www.tesla.com/support/energy/solar-inverter/tesla-solar-inverter It is going to be a tough product for others to compete with - the price point is low and features are high. 4 x MPPTs with low tracking voltage (60 VDC), built in consumption monitoring, one SKU to handle 7.6 kW, 5.7 kW, 5 kW, 3.8 kW AC rating via software programming, built in ethernet/WiFi/cellular and the rapid shutdown can meet the NEC hazard control system requirements meaning that only one Mid-Circuit Interrupter (MCI) is needed for every three modules. All in all, a solid offering with lots of design flexibility. Time will tell how reliable they are. Best, August On Wed, Jan 10, 2024 at 10:04 AM William Miller via RE-wrenches wrote: Jeremy: We generally avoided using the 41 series inverter for reasons specified here [1]. If you find a new string inverter in the SMA lineup, you might want to check to see if they have resolved some of the shortcomings. I have not had reason to use string inverters because, other than Solar Edge, they do not offer intrinsic rapid shutdown. Careful reading of the NEC indicates that even ground mount arrays require RSS unless the PV feeders run to a building with the sole use being to house solar equipment. Having said that, I would imagine that if an inverter were mounted on the ground-mount rack, the requirement for RSS could be avoided. William Miller Miller Solar 17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 805-438-5600 www.millersolar.com [2] CA Lic. 773985 -Original Message- From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches Sent: Monday, January 8, 2024 1:44 PM To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Cc: Jeremy Rodriguez Subject: [RE-wrenches] SMA String inverters What are you wrenches that used to install the SB-41 units sourcing now? Looks like there is a new model on their website Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://millersolar.com/MillerSolar/case_studies/SMA_40_Series/Whats_wrong_with_40_Series.html [2] http://www.millersolar.com [3] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [4] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one
Re: [RE-wrenches] Schneider Rapid shutdown with 2023 compliance
You said that very nicely Kevin ! If this were for offgrid, I would make the inspector happy and do even more than Kevin suggests after he is gone. 😉 Link to RS shutdown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMoVXq4m1wk&t=10s Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2024-01-02 10:24 am, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Mac, I've just gone through a couple installations with a similar situation. The hardware you list does work as intended. I had to go through three different suppliers to get all the components. One thing that I didn't find clear in the MPPT RS documentation is when a shutdown is initiated, it shuts __everything__ on the Xanbus network down. All devices go into standby mode. Gen shuts down if running. Power is off. Not just the PV via Tigo modules. Had to develop client instruction sheet as to how to power up after a shutdown. On one hand, I can see why a single point shutdown is desired outcome. But it concerns me that it's vulnerable to abuse. If the whole system shutdown is not desired, the Xanbus connection can be omitted and then RS will be limited to the PV modules only. Kevin From: RE-wrenches On Behalf Of Mac Lewis via RE-wrenches Sent: January-01-24 12:00 PM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Mac Lewis Subject: [RE-wrenches] Schneider Rapid shutdown with 2023 compliance Hello Wrenches, I need to retrofit a Schneider XW+ system with a rapid shutdown system. The owner purchased this equipment about 4-5 years ago but is trying to get it past a very intense inspector. To me, it looks relatively straightforward to get NEC 2023 rapid shutdown compliant using Tigo TS4AF, and adding Schneider's MPPT Disconnect RS and external rapid shutdown initiator. It's a little strange though because it has 2017 NEC compliant all over the documentation but I believe we are good through NEC 2023 because shutdown occurs at a module level and the Disconnect RS can take care of arc-fault monitoring. Does anyone have any documentation for the MPPT Disconnect RS that doesn't specifically call out (only) NEC 2017 compliant? Or if this is not a good approach and is not reliable, I would appreciate your input as well. Cheers! -- Mac Lewis "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] OpticsRE
Did you try it on another ISP? I sometimes hear this about Schneider Insight and it never is down. It always is the ISP or cell. Good Luck Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-12-18 3:16 pm, Foxfire Energy via RE-wrenches wrote: Anyone know what's going on with OpticsRE? Their sites been down since last Friday. TIA Sent from my iPhone ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Grid Tied Inverter back feed to Generator
Picture tells one alot also. You can't have 2 or more sources without isolation, batteries or not. Cheers! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-12-01 4:16 pm, Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches wrote: Wrenches Without batteries uou do not want to do this, l have tested small generators to excite larger solar inverters to run constant loads but if the inverters out power the loads then the smoke comes out so not advisable But hey thats just a guy that has been in the business for many years. Fun times. On Thu, Nov 30, 2023, 5:20 PM Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: Has anyone experienced a grid tie inverter back feed a whole house backup generator after a utility outage? What can happen ? Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Big Ag water
Just did one. You have to do the math for costing the grid, a genset, and solar direct. The genset usually wins if the grid is not an option. You can easily find/replace pumps that are not solar direct. If you do the solar, you still need a genset and the electronics to support it. It is not an easy thing to do if someone is not living there. Most Ag run big gensets if no grid is available. If you can add the grid, it will improve the property for the owner. Not sure about that in California anymore. Happy Hour ! Good luck ! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-11-08 1:23 pm, Bill Battagin via RE-wrenches wrote: Ag water wrenches, I've been asked about the feasibility of pumping 2,000 gallons/minute (mid-day) from a pond to open discharge at 40 feet of head, 1,000 ft run. PV direct. Multiple Grundfos pumps? Any experience appreciated Bill Feather River Solar Electric 4291 Nelson St. (Shipping) 5575 Genesee Rd. (USPS, UPS) Taylorsville, CA 95983 530-284-7849, 258-1641(cell) CA. C10 Lic # 874049 Solar Powered since 1982 Home of the Sunny Side Up [1] Virus-free.www.avast.com [1] ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Wattnode AC Coupling Monitoring on Insight Cloud
Hi Howie ! I see the same thing except if you read the last line, they are saying soon on the cloud. Good that it is working local though! Version: v1.18 Build 041 [25 July 2023] Please clear your web browser cache before logging in to web GUI. Download the latest firmware (.epkg) from https://solar.schneider-electric.com/product/conext-gateway/ https://solar.schneider-electric.com/product/insighthome-and-insightfacility-edgedevices/ Features Summary of features * Support for AC1 Generator * Support WATTNODE CT3 setup to monitor AC coupled solar automatically * Support for AC coupled power flow displayed on dashboard via WATTNODE meter * Add UI for XW Pro AC Output Voltage Calibration * Support closed loop battery configuration pass through to MPPT * Support to download HSM trace log file via web API * Add battery temperature data on XW Pro status screen * Support for operating without SD card * Upgrade IotHubAgent to v3.1.8 * Support XW Pro 2.10 BN25 Summary of fixes provided: * Fix for Modbus time registers returning fixed values * Fix for value setting on "External Contactor" * Fix for not being able to enable Grid support thru Insight Facility * Fix for Aux Relay Time of Day Trigger not working issue * Fix for Low Battery Cut out Warning Offset setting issue * Fix for manual refresh causing XW parameters changes issue * Fix for secondary XW Pro going back into grid forming when in standby mode * Improvement for exported PDF file format * Fix for TPM test failure issue 2 Conext(tm) Gateway Release Notes Internal * Improvement for WATTNODE device status page * Change IEC 61727-2014 grid code name to IEC 61727-2004 Summary of new supported batteries: * DISCOVER AES 44-48-3000 * DISCOVER AES 42-48-6650 * FortressPowerEvaultMax 18_5 * DISCOVER HELIOS 46-48-1540 * DISCOVER ELEMENT 48-48-5120 * PYLONTECH UP5000 * PYLONTECH US5000 * PYLONTECH PELIO * HOMEGRID MQ_1 * HOMEGRID MQ_2 * HOMEGRID MQ_3 * HOMEGRID MQ_4 * HOMEGRID MQ_5 * HOMEGRID MQ_6 * HOMEGRID MQ_7 * HOMEGRID MQ_8 * HOMEGRID COMPACT * EG4-LifePower4 * EG4-LL * DEKA_DURATION_DD5300 Known Limitations * Analog and Digital I/O is not supported * After downgrading an XW device, the gateway must be restarted * Upgrading from v1.07 and earlier to v1.08 and later will cause the cloud to be disabled, requiring the user to re-enable the cloud via the Web UI * The gateway does not have a web server trusted root certificate * PDF Generation does not work correctly in Internet Explorer * Temperature will not be shown in Battery Summary page if only MPPT device installed BTS (Battery Temperature Sensor). * Upgrade from old version to v1.18 may cause the BMS setup status change from "successful" to "modified", re-apply it, or leave it alone. * After changing or applying BMS setup, refreshing configuration is required to make the UI configuration match device value. * AC coupled power flow on InsightCloud & InsightMobile will be coming soon. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-26 9:26 am, Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, Has anyone successfully implemented the new AC coupled monitoring function using a Wattnode meter (Gateway firmware V1.18) so that it shows up on Insight Cloud? I have been able to get it to display on Insight Local, but not on the Cloud. I have spent perhaps 20-30 hours on getting this function to work (working with Eric Bentsen as well as countless other Schneider support personnel). I've been told that if it shows up on Insight Local but not the Cloud, then that is an issue at Schneider's end. Now I'm wondering if there is something about the oler Gateway (not a "Home" device) which is causing this issue. Just wondering if anyone has been successful at implementing this feature so that it shows up on the Cloud. Thanks, Howie Michaelson Sun Catcher ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org Th
Re: [RE-wrenches] Off Grid, Cloudy Days, Solar Tilt Question
Kirk, Can you reference your paper on this? So many variables and each location will be different. Most dual axis trackers can always be left flat or any angle so that does not make sense to me. You have to design for winter offgrid if the location is worth it. Or, alot of hours on a genset. Super large arrays in your area will help give you more days/hours before you need the iron genoa. You have to decide if it is worth the money. The home has to have the ability to shed some loads also. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-25 3:46 pm, Kirk Bailey via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All! We don't do a lot of pure off-grid systems and I recently ran across something I wanted to run by folks with more experience in this area: Optimal array tilt for our very cloudy PNW winters! My understanding has always been that latitude plus 10-15 degrees was the best tilt to address our winter energy shortage. However a paper I recently read (1), makes a compelling case for a much shallower tilt in situations where the cloud cover is so heavy that "diffuse" solar radiation is all that makes it through. They indicate that under those conditions a horizontal array will produce significantly more energy than even a two-axis tracker! Given that the challenge in our off-grid setups always seems to be making it through the really cloudy stretches, and that there is usually enough energy the rest of the time, should we be installing off-grid arrays at a shallower angle? Anyone tried this? Kirk Bailey k...@abundantsolar.com www.abundantsolar.com [1] (1) Kelly, N.A., Gibson, T.L, 2011, Increasing the solar photovoltaic energy capture on sunny and cloudy days. Solar Energy 85, 111-125. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.abundantsolar.com [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Drop in replacement inverter
On the latest firmware V1.18 both AC1 and AC2 have the same wide frequency and voltage choices. This is for watt-node in a self consumption grid mode and also for adding AC coupling to show up on conext insight on or offgrid. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-25 12:06 pm, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Not getting this Kevin, AC2 has always been the generator input as it allows wider frequency and voltage settings for drifting gensets. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-25 11:57 am, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Physically it is all the same. Software is way more complex. As Dave mentioned, you have to follow the commissioning process. AC1 will no longer accept generator input, it's grid-only now. So if you have a genset you will need to move that to AC2. This is one of the most irritating changes with the XWPro. Makes dual-generator configs a lot more complex now. Kevin From: RE-wrenches On Behalf Of Chad Waits via RE-wrenches Sent: October-24-23 2:18 PM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Chad Waits Subject: [RE-wrenches] XW Drop in replacement inverter Wrenches, We have a client that had us construct a solar trailer for them back in 2014-2015 timeframe. The Current XW6048-120/240-60 is cooked and I'm wondering if the Schneider rep (or you savvy off grid guys) on here could tell me if the newer XW Pro 6.8kW 120/240 is an exact drop in replacement for a system including the the old power distribution panel accessories. Thanks! Chad Waits President - Net Zero Solar 945 W. Silverlake Rd, Tucson AZ 85713 Cell: (520) 270-4873 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Drop in replacement inverter
Not getting this Kevin, AC2 has always been the generator input as it allows wider frequency and voltage settings for drifting gensets. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-25 11:57 am, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Physically it is all the same. Software is way more complex. As Dave mentioned, you have to follow the commissioning process. AC1 will no longer accept generator input, it's grid-only now. So if you have a genset you will need to move that to AC2. This is one of the most irritating changes with the XWPro. Makes dual-generator configs a lot more complex now. Kevin From: RE-wrenches On Behalf Of Chad Waits via RE-wrenches Sent: October-24-23 2:18 PM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Chad Waits Subject: [RE-wrenches] XW Drop in replacement inverter Wrenches, We have a client that had us construct a solar trailer for them back in 2014-2015 timeframe. The Current XW6048-120/240-60 is cooked and I'm wondering if the Schneider rep (or you savvy off grid guys) on here could tell me if the newer XW Pro 6.8kW 120/240 is an exact drop in replacement for a system including the the old power distribution panel accessories. Thanks! Chad Waits President - Net Zero Solar 945 W. Silverlake Rd, Tucson AZ 85713 Cell: (520) 270-4873 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Drop in replacement inverter
Hi Chad, Yes XWpro 6848 is a drop-in replacement. Exact fit & all connections are the same as way back to 2006 when the "grey box" XW 6048 was sold. You need a connext insight home or facility device to do the initial configuration. It is a one time need for the insight home device to set the mode for offgrid. There are numerous new settings that will not work with the old SCP he has, but you do not need them for a replacement. You should not need to change firmware either as long as the system was working. Most new firmware is for the closed loop support of 10 different LFP battery systems and new grid features. There is one LFP battery Discover AES that all settings are hard written and read by connecting one xanbus network cable. https://solar.se.com/us/en/xw-pro-commissioning-guide/ Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-24 2:17 pm, Chad Waits via RE-wrenches wrote: Wrenches, We have a client that had us construct a solar trailer for them back in 2014-2015 timeframe. The Current XW6048-120/240-60 is cooked and I'm wondering if the Schneider rep (or you savvy off grid guys) on here could tell me if the newer XW Pro 6.8kW 120/240 is an exact drop in replacement for a system including the the old power distribution panel accessories. Thanks! Chad Waits President - Net Zero Solar 945 W. Silverlake Rd, Tucson AZ 85713 Cell: (520) 270-4873 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Schneider Tech Support
Some of you folks are using really old Phone info.The number changed almost 3 years ago I believe. 1 833 391 8640 5 am to 8 pm Pacific time Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-24 10:38 am, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-23 8:16 pm, Vince McClellan via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Michael I appreciate the info. I'll give that a try tomorrow. Even though I haven't used Schneider equipment much in the last few years, I still have a bunch of systems out there with their products. Vince McClellan Energy Design NABCEP PV Installation Professional p. (541) 485-8122 f. (541) 338-8202 If you have received this email and are not the intended recipient, please delete this email. Copying or using any part, content, or attachment of this email is strictly prohibited. On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 5:36 PM Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Vince, You'll want to register with them and get the "special number". You'll also get the grid code password. I tried reaching them two weeks ago and last week and couldn't get through. Kinda bummed as Schneider has been my go to for several years. On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 5:29 PM Vince McClellan via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Have any of you been in contact with tech support at Schneider? I haven't worked with their equipment in several years. I'm working on repairing another contractor's system, and when I tried to call tech support in the middle of the day, no one answered the call. I remember several years ago there was a special number to press once you were in the Schneider tech support answering system, but if you followed the prompts you wouldn't actually get to tech support. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help, Vince McClellan Energy Design NABCEP PV Installation Professional p. (541) 485-8122 f. (541) 338-8202 If you have received this email and are not the intended recipient, please delete this email. Copying or using any part, content, or attachment of this email is strictly prohibited. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org -- Michael Morningstar Morningstar Electric PO Box 1494 Mount Shasta, CA 96067 530-921-0560 mjmornings...@gmail.com ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http:/
Re: [RE-wrenches] 2007 Kohler: Wrenches, can you help with parts or smarts?
In the dead of winter a client paid over 2K$ for the PCB. He now has surge protection on the lines from gen out to the XW. I did not say to him I told you so, but I am saying here. Pop a midnite spd on gensets that stay connected all year. If it was nearby lightning, he was lucky it did not jump the transfer relay into the inverter electronics! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-23 10:05 am, Mick Abraham via RE-wrenches wrote: Me again, Mechanix~ 'Tis the season...for generator problems. Here's mine: Kohler model # 8.5RES air cooled propane Serial number 2159521 Spec number GM29253-GA6 This machine has delivered many off-grid running hours; I suspect a lightning whack took it down. The main DC battery breaker inexplicably tripped the same day; inverter etc. are all OK. How many hours? "A Lot." I can't be more specific b/c the electronic box with the display is black. The 12v cranking battery seems to have adequate energy but the black box is truly "blacked out" & doesn't respond to the red Run button. Three glass fuses near the ADC2100 control box all have continuity. The physical space in the power shed accommodates this machine housing but I doubt if any new machine would fit as well. That "ADC2100" control box in my photo shows several different p/n's on eBay & I haven't done much more sleuthing. I have only a fuzzy picture of ours, but squinting at the p/n, ours might be GM28707. Are they all interchangeable? The ideal case would be if one of the Wrenches has a "known good" control box even if it's used or dusty. Clients might be sad if I persuade them to spend $1k or more for an eBay part then we put it all together only to find the machine still won't run. Contact me off-list if you have a part or parts to sell, or a "value added" parts vendor to suggest. We're in southern Colorado. If something else may have also been damaged, can I get suggestions as to the likely culprits? Finally, how far should we go if the clients really want a new lease on life for this machine? Are there shops that could do an engine overhaul? Assuming that the generator windings are OK, are there bearing replacements or other TLC items to address if we haul it to a shop? I'm aware that the 2023 stationary propane machines may not have the "slam it out" longevity that the clients have enjoyed with this one. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. The Wrench List is the Bomb! Mick Abraham, Proprietor www.abrahamsolar.com [1] Landline: 970-731-4675 Cell phone or for text messaging: 970-946-6584 ᐧ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.abrahamsolar.com [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Cleaning PV mods
Definitely heard stories and have seen a few insurance claims for cracked glass. I have had clients send me pictures of "solar" guys walking on the panels on their roof. I guess it is OK to do this if you change your business name every 5 years😉 Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [11]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [12] [11] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-23 6:44 am, White, Will via RE-wrenches wrote: I worked with a guy who had done installs in Arizona. He had an off-grid customer spray down their array with cold well water in the middle of the day, which shattered the module glass. I'm sure it was an isolated incident, but it happened. Thanks, Will From: RE-wrenches On Behalf Of Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches Sent: Friday, October 20, 2023 4:47 PM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Jason Szumlanski Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [RE-wrenches] Cleaning PV mods CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. I don't understand the thermal shock nonsense. It routinely starts downpouring here when it's blazing hot out (sun showers) and the rain is way cooler than ground water in summer. It makes no sense. If hose water from the ground is going to hurt solar panels, you better not put them where it rains! I replied privately to Dana, but for the benefit of the group, it takes a heavy soiling to make any appreciable difference. I have done numerous tests at times of high pollen and found little to no benefit to cleaning solar panels. Certainly it would not be worth paying someone to do it. Other climates may have different results. My suggestion would be to test first. Module level power electronics can provide incontrovertible proof. Jason On Fri, Oct 20, 2023, 4:21 PM Dave Tedeyan via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Dana, See attached from REC. I would imagine these guidelines would apply to all modules. Cheers, Dave On Fri, Oct 20, 2023 at 3:56 PM Dana Orzel via RE-wrenches wrote: Hey ally 'all, Ok bad solar installer! 7 years & I have never cleaned my modules & live on a dirt road. Yeah rain does a good job with the dust but there is a film mostly on the edges. What does everyone do for cleaning? My array is 16'+ tall on a hill side. I have a pressure washer & was going to pick up a large sponge type mop & mount it on a painters extension pole. Good Biodegradable cleaning solutions? _ Dana OrzelGREAT SOLAR WORKS! C - 208.721.7003 E - d...@solarwork.com W - www. greatsolarworks.com [1] www.solarwork.com [2] _"Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988!"_ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org [3] List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org [4] There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ [5] http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org [6] List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm [7] Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org [8] -- [9] Dave Tedeyan, P.E. Owner | Sungineer Solar p: he | him | his a: 1653 Slaterville Rd. | Ithaca, NY 14850 w: www.sungineersolar.com [10] c: (607) 270-0370 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org [3] List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org [4] There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ [5] http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org [6] List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm [7] Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org [8] - Please be advised that this email may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us by email by replying to the sender and delete this message. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches
Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Pro failures
Eric has been great! You may have to remind him in a follow-up as he has a very busy schedule. I know he appreciates the people who show-up for the training webinars. I must say that I hardly ever see anyone from the list here in the live webinars. Maybe they watch the replays? I also am amazed that an installer would need to call tech-support to do a first install. Why would someone pay you to learn on their power system? If you really feel you have been wronged by Schneider inside the 10 year XWpro warranty, get me your case number and I will follow up with the other side of your argument. There always are 2 sides. 😉 https://solar.se.com/us/en/xw-pro-commissioning-guide/ Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-13 9:47 pm, Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Wallace, Interesting. Eric has in the past been responsive to my queries. I emailed him over 1 week ago about my most recently failed XWPro and have not heard back. I see he is replying fairly rapidly to your query. I shall bug him more next week. Kevin From: RE-wrenches On Behalf Of Wallace Stahle via RE-wrenches Sent: Friday, October 13, 2023 5:05 PM To: RE-wrenches Cc: Wallace Stahle Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Pro failures Hey bleeding edgers, So being alarmed at what I was reading and halfway through purchasing a dual stack XW Pro package I emailed Eric Benson with my concerns and pasted your four descriptive posts with it and my plans to reconsider my choice before committing to problems some have had and I dont need. I pointed out the many solid installs some have had and that this appears to be a new problem in the unit, not the installation or older production runs. Here is his initial response including reaching out to him if tech help is uh, unresponsive. Begin forwarded message: From: Eric Bentsen Subject: Re: XW Pro problems Date: October 13, 2023 at 4:09:44 PM PDT To: Wallace Stahle Hi Wallace, It sounds like someone loaded the wrong firmware, or they attempted calibration without reading the guide. We have thousands of successfully installed XW Pro units in single and multi-unit systems. If anyone on wrenches needs assistance and is unable to reach tech support, they can reach out to me directly. Most issues installers face in the field related to loud buzzing are because they don't follow the commissioning guide on the website, which includes upgrading firmware in InsightLocal first, then upgrade XW Pro unit(s), then restore each XW Pro to ALL factory defaults, finally apply region code. These steps are necessary, in the correct order, to have a smooth commissioning experience. Let me know how I can help. Eric Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone Get Outlook for Android [1] Internal - From: Wallace Stahle Sent: Friday, October 13, 2023 3:12:47 PM To: Eric Bentsen Subject: XW Pro problems [External email: Use caution with links and attachments] - Hello Eric, So I just ordered a pair of MPPT 600/100 controllers and PDP for two inverters ahead of the 2 XW Pros that will go in later and I read some posts from experienced installers and realize I can not proceed with the install given these reports from four Re-Wrenches. See pasted comments below. The customers need for reliable power supply is critical. I can not afford the time, trips, on hold phone time and frustration involved with remedies for these problems even if covered under warranty. Tech help generally presumes installer error when problems arise and getting them/you to acknowledge faulty product is an uphill rock rolling experience. Your thoughts? Wallace Stahle Future Electric Energy Co PO Box 236 Willits, CA 95490 707-459-0474 Lic.#C10-762093 fut...@pacific.net Hello Wrenches, Curious if anyone else is dealing with failed Schnieder XW PRO6848's this year? In recent months I've had 2 DOA (one producing 180/360VAC; one charger had this nasty building THD and ugly noise until it tripped out), and 2 fail after few weeks in service. One charger just failed, and another have yet to take the long drive to figure out but it's gone dark. I've sold, serviced, and installed 100's of XW's starting with Beta 001 and can't think of any that just failed like of recent. Unplanned return service calls are costly as we all know. Tech support has been wildly inconsistent and presently unresponsive. Thanks, Funny you should say that. One that I just installed is acting weird and sounds horrible. Waited an hour on the phone for tech support to no avail. Will be a really long drive back to sort things out. Never had an XW with issues before. I have a buddy that has had two different stacked pairs with issues. It took months of back and forth on the one which they did replace them howe
Re: [RE-wrenches] XW Pro failures
It must be an XW+ that died. The XW pro field circuit validation testing beta was complete in early 2019. That XWP is still working fine for me. Not many failures unless the installer did not use surge protection. If it was an XWP and you filled out the 10 year warranty, they might have your back still. If you troubleshoot xw and find it is the power bridge PCB, I see them available on Ebay. Schneider has not provided parts for out of warranty devices for 10 years now. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-13 7:54 am, Lou Russo via RE-wrenches wrote: I had a 7 year-old one die 1.5 months ago. F41 APS Under Voltage. No ugly sounds. Just no power. I don't have many out there but this is the first. Aloha, Lou Russo (808) 345 6762 On Fri, Oct 13, 2023 at 4:47 AM Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Funny you should say that. One that I just installed is acting weird and sounds horrible. Waited an hour on the phone for tech support to no avail. Will be a really long drive back to sort things out. Never had an XW with issues before. On Thu, Oct 12, 2023 at 9:29 PM Kevin Pegg via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, Curious if anyone else is dealing with failed Schnieder XW PRO6848's this year? In recent months I've had 2 DOA (one producing 180/360VAC; one charger had this nasty building THD and ugly noise until it tripped out), and 2 fail after few weeks in service. One charger just failed, and another have yet to take the long drive to figure out but it's gone dark. I've sold, serviced, and installed 100's of XW's starting with Beta 001 and can't think of any that just failed like of recent. Unplanned return service calls are costly as we all know. Tech support has been wildly inconsistent and presently unresponsive. Thanks, Kevin Pegg EA Energy Alternatives Ltd. Telkwa, BC V0J 2X2 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org -- Michael Morningstar Morningstar Electric PO Box 1494 Mount Shasta, CA 96067 530-921-0560 mjmornings...@gmail.com ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Well pump with Sol-Ark
The Franklin with capacitor Jbox at top of well helps with the surge. It is not what you would call soft start! An ammeter (or a loud generator) on a soft start pump will tell you what you have. A nice slow over 10 seconds ramping up of amps or gen noise when the pump is energized. You won't get this with a Franklin and Jbox. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-11 12:13 pm, Darryl Thayer via RE-wrenches wrote: I have off grid customers where I have them install 1/2 HP pump, also Franklin soft start seems to help, low cost but I do not know how it works, it has a start capacitor I think. On Wed, Oct 11, 2023, 1:23 PM James Jarvis via RE-wrenches wrote: On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 1:14 PM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: Even the SQ pump without the controller will soft start and should work with any inverter built for offgrid. The SQ pumps work great off grid. Easily run on 24 volt Magnum inverters without even flickering the lights. Super reliable. I would avoid residential size VFD driven constant pressure pumps. I ended up with one at my current house. The VFDs go pretty regularly. My well service company can swap out a VFD in about 20 minutes and they always have a whole bunch of them on their shelves. They apparently do it quite a bit. -James Jefferson Jarvis APRS World, LLC +1-507-454-2727 http://www.aprsworld.com/ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Well pump with Sol-Ark
Look at a variable speed pump from Grundfos. Not as many choices for large pumping apps. The SQ Flex pump is basically a VFD when used with the controller. It can direct run from solar which tells you there is no surge. Even the SQ pump without the controller will soft start and should work with any inverter built for offgrid. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [3]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] [3] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-11 7:26 am, Glenn Burt via RE-wrenches wrote: Based on the youtube video of the Sol Ark vs Schneider, I would never promise a customer it would reliably start up a motor load... -Glenn Sent from my 'smart'phone, so please excuse typos and spelling errors. -- Original message-- From: frenergy via RE-wrenches Date: Wed, Oct 11, 2023 10:11 AM To: Chris Sparadeo via RE-wrenches; Cc: frenergy; Subject:[RE-wrenches] Well pump with Sol-Ark I'm looking for opinions and/or real world experience on recommendation for the largest 240V submersible well pump the Sol-Ark 12KW inverter can start/run. Assume 500 watt load prior to starting the pump, static level of water in well is 75 feet, system psi when it starts is 40. Thanks, Bill Feather River Solar Electric Bill Battagin, Owner 4291 Nelson St.(shipping) 5575 Genesee Rd. (USPS, UPS) Taylorsville, CA 95983 530.284.1925 Office/ 530.258.1641 [1] Cell CA Lic 874049 Solar powered since 1982 -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com [2] ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] tel:530.258.1641 [2] http://www.avast.com [3] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [4] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Nuance ground racking
Interesting and the closest I have done to this is a ballast mount. I will say I have broken quite a few cordless drills and killed Lithium batteries with big torque. My vote is a genset/ extension cord. Good Luck! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [3]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] [3] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-09 7:32 am, Dave Tedeyan via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi all, I am going to try out the Nuance OSPREY PowerRack as a ground mount option that does not require an excavator. I am wondering two things about it: 1. Does anyone have experience with this, and do you like it? 2. What drill do you use for the drive rod? It seems like the Milwaukee 2" SDS max drill is the standard - https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/5342-21 I am wondering if it is possible to use a cordless drill though. DeWalt makes both a cordless and corded version that claim to have the same impact energy as each other, although both are less than the Milwaukee Drill. Milwaukee has 19.9 ft-lbs of energy and the DeWalt ones have 19.4 Joules, which is 14.3 ft-lbs of energy. Cordless Kit - https://www.dewalt.com/product/dch773y2/60v-max-2-brushless-cordless-sds-max-combination-rotary-hammer-kit Corded Kit - https://www.dewalt.com/product/d25773k/2-sds-max-rotary-hammer The cordless drill is tempting because I already have a bunch of DeWalt equipment, and it would be nice to avoid needing a generator or some very long extension cords. Thanks! -Dave -- [1] Dave Tedeyan, P.E. Owner | Sungineer Solar p: he | him | his a: 1653 Slaterville Rd. | Ithaca, NY 14850 w: www.sungineersolar.com [2] c: (607) 270-0370 ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://www.sungineersolar.com/ [2] http://www.sungineersolar.com/ [3] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [4] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Schneider BTS
They do come in the XWP box. You can contact me off list for one. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-10-05 9:46 am, Chris Schaefer via RE-wrenches wrote: G'day All, Having a difficult time locating a distributor for Schneider BTS cables for a twin set of XW Pro 6848's. Schneider will not sell these to installers. Please provide me with a source/supplier. Much Appreciated, Christopher- Chris Schaefer's Tel 585-229-2083 or Cell 585-748-1870 5115 S Hill Road ~ Canandaigua New York 14424 _www.solarandwindfx.com [1] ~ E-mail: chris@solarandwindfx.com_ Thomas Jefferson, the author of our great Constitution, once said, "democracy" will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.solarandwindfx.com [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Dab Esybox Mini 3 pump
No experience but I am interested. I see your pump but it has not been out there long. I can't find it a Home Depot which I depend on for really remote clients. Can you get one fixed in the US or parts? Will it be affected by well water? The Scala2 has had failures and seems to last 3 years if the input water has sediment. Grundfos is a pain but they are there and will help for 2 years. Home Depot will give your money back if you use their CC for a year. All ears on this one! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-09-30 11:02 am, Mick Abraham via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi, Mechanics~ Any experiences with the pump in my subject line? It's variable speed (constant pressure) in a similar category as Grundfos Scala2. I see the Scala2 has garnered some bad reviews for leakage problems, etc. The Esybox Mini seems to mostly have 5 stars. I'd be using it with an unpressurized holding tank, & prolly I can arrange for flooded suction. Thanks in advance. The Wrench List is the Bomb! Mick Abraham, Proprietor www.abrahamsolar.com [1] Landline: 970-731-4675 Cell phone or for text messaging: 970-946-6584 ᐧ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.abrahamsolar.com [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Propane range options for off-grid?
Happiness is a great stove! Can I get the Viking model number Dana. Please PM or Wrench it! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-09-26 4:16 pm, Dana Orzel via RE-wrenches wrote: Our 6 burner Viking only draws 15 watts off-grid, just saying J one form of happiness is a great stove! ___ Dana Orzel c- 2087217003 e - d...@solarwork.com ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Propane range options for off-grid?
Hey David, I wish I could convince my clients to use a no AC power source ignition for baking and broiling. I gave up years ago and never could convince my wife. The power system needs enough storage for winter use of appliances. The ranges now all have convection cooking and some can air fry. There would be a higher divorce rate by trying to avoid the use of 500 watts to run an igniter. Wife acceptance factor or significant other. 😉 If I had to, I would specify another Premier or the Unique. I have a few clients that have a 2nd range in the garage and that is their spare. It avoids the need of service in the dead of winter offgrid. It would be a fantasy to have good appliance service where many of my people live. Good Luck! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-09-26 2:36 pm, David Palumbo via RE-wrenches wrote: I have old off-grid friends looking for advice on replacing an old LP Gas range. Here is their email they sent me. Wrench advice will be appreciated! * Dave Palumbo << We are ready to replace our cook stove, it is a Premier & we love it but have had problems finding parts for it & people to work on it. The only major appliance co who makes a cordless/non-convection oven range is Hotpoint, which is pretty basic but could work. https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/hotpoint-specs/RGBS200DMWW#tab2_ The other one we are looking at is a Unique Appliances brand propane stove - for off-grid use - their "classic retro" model doesn't have great reviews but the basic model sounds good. Off-Grid Classic 30" Propane Range (Battery Ignition) [1] uniqueappliances.com [1] I'm wondering if you are familiar with the Unique Appliances brand & if you'd recommend them? We also considered the Premier "Pro Series" ranges but they are spendy & I'm afraid we'll run into the same trouble finding parts & someone who will work on them, which could also be an issue for Unique. Any thoughts or suggestions on the topic? >> ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://uniqueappliances.com/product/off-grid-classic-30-propane-range/ [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Generator question
I would trigger genset on Soc. Is that what you are doing? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-09-25 9:20 am, Chris Daum via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi folks: We have a situation where the Sol-Ark 12kW Inverter isn't able to adequately manage the loads and perform auto-gen start other than low battery level. And despite thorough understanding of the customer's initial loads, after he's bought the system, he's continued to add more and more loads - a severe case of load creep. He's got a 38KW generator and we're looking for the components to make the generator _load responsive_ instead of just kicking on when the battery voltage is low. Are there any ideas on switching equipment that can do this and work with the Sol-Ark? We're waiting for a reply from Sol-Ark, but thought you folks may have some ideas. The original design was for a larger solar system and inverter, but the customer balked at the cost and said he'd reduce his loads accordingly. Unfortunately, that has not happened! Now we're trying to bend the laws of physics and have his 38KW generator make up the difference. We need to come up with a means of accommodating the compromised design and now are faced with additional loads -- along with a significantly reduced solar array. Is there a way to make this (2 wire start) generator more load responsive? Thanks for any and all advice! Chris Daum Oasis Montana Inc. 406-777-4309 or 4321 www.oasismontana.com [1] ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.oasismontana.com [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Power conditioner for Trace inverter
I would do a load test on the inverter. It may have a damaged FET or two. They do not last forever! Good Luck Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-09-08 12:30 pm, Darryl Thayer via RE-wrenches wrote: New washing machines are small loads 400 Watts about. On Fri, Sep 8, 2023, 2:27 PM Darryl Thayer wrote: I once used a ferro-resonant transformer to clean up a sine wave. You have to know the power. On Fri, Sep 8, 2023, 1:59 PM Chris Daum via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi folks: I have a fellow with a Trace SW5548, purchased from us in 2001. It's been working great for him all this time, but the dilemma is he's gotten a new Hotpoint washing machine, and its electronics don't like the old inverter. Is there some sort of power conditioner or 'line tamer' available that will work for this appliance's operation? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. He's rather loathe to replace his inverter if he doesn't need to. Best, Chris Daum Oasis Montana Inc. 406-777-4309 or 4321 406-777-4309 fax www.oasismontana.com [1] ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.oasismontana.com/ [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Iron Edison Lithiums
Iron Edison or the MFG company in China? Just curious as I have a few clients with their LFP and they are concerned. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-08-30 12:19 pm, Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: I'm working with the manufacturer to get a replacement, as these are two year old batteries. Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. On Aug 29, 2023, at 21:14, Jerry Shafer wrote: Jeremy, Wrenches So clean all of it off water is best then dust it with flower even dust and see where it gets wet, it can be traveling down from the cap but if the caser is cracked then maybe epoxy if you can get it clean enough, the battery chemistry is hard on the skin so be careful. Fun times On Tue, Aug 29, 2023 at 4:54 PM Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: Leaking from somewhere mid way in the battery case I'm guessing. The liquid followed a cable down to the BMS board and corroded it badly. Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. On Aug 29, 2023, at 10:30, Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches wrote: Jeremy, wrenches It's been some time since as they don't pencil very well, where are you seeing the leakage, case top or elsewhere Fun times On Tue, Aug 29, 2023, 6:53 AM Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: If anyone has had issues with the Iron Edison lithiums leaking, please contact me off list But , feel free to comment here if needed. Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org [1] List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org [1] List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org [1] List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://re-wrenches.org [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't
Re: [RE-wrenches] Iron Edison Lithiums
Yes Iron Edison is closed. They had an out of business sale earlier this year. The epoxy fix of leaking fluids is best done by using a fast cure blend and expanding out until the leak stops. You can do this with a diesel fuel tank leak or an oil pan leak. It just needs to be clean and dry long enough for the epoxy to cure. The final coat can be with a quality epoxy like JB weld. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-08-29 5:49 pm, Chris Sparadeo via RE-wrenches wrote: It's my understanding that Iron Edison went out of business earlier this year. I did have an issue with a few bad cells in a RB48V300, but after the RMA, no issues to date. And certainly nothing explosive in nature, although I do remember a previous thread about an RB cover blowing off. The take away was...these are not field serviceable units. On Tue, Aug 29, 2023 at 8:04 PM Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Can you send pictures? Jay On Aug 29, 2023, at 5:54 PM, Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: Leaking from somewhere mid way in the battery case I'm guessing. The liquid followed a cable down to the BMS board and corroded it badly. Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. On Aug 29, 2023, at 10:30, Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches wrote: Jeremy, wrenches It's been some time since as they don't pencil very well, where are you seeing the leakage, case top or elsewhere Fun times On Tue, Aug 29, 2023, 6:53 AM Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches wrote: If anyone has had issues with the Iron Edison lithiums leaking, please contact me off list But , feel free to comment here if needed. Jeremy Rodriguez Solar Installation / Design All Solar, Inc. 1453 M St. Penrose Colorado 81240 Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org [1] List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fronius USA available 2023 & 2024 ?
Mick, I would look at the workings of the Schneider back-up control switch and it's internal watt node. Recent webinar training. This will allow AC coupled power to show on Insight. I am not advocating it though, certainly not for offgrid. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [2]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [3] [2] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-08-26 4:56 pm, Mick Abraham via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi, Team and >>gosh<< I must apologize to connell.christop...@fronius.com and to Fronius. I'm sorry that I inadvertently fueled an untrue rumor about Fronius USA. Chris, I should have tracked you down for the correct answer before putting my question on the List. I will also correct this with my Greentech branch manager on Monday, Heaven permitting. I freaked out when my Greentech rep told me Fronius had left the building but I'm glad I don't have to re-shop the string inverter component after all. I did an AC coupled off grid project using Fronius Symo in 2019: No Drama, No Trauma. For those Wrenches who've wondered, "Why, Mick, why..." about off grid AC coupling: most of the rooftops that need PV for my 2023 opportunity will be inconvenient for running DC wires to the battery location. These same rooftops, however, will have AC sub-panels close by, so I had an "A-ha, negative loads!" moment. At least some of the PV will run through a charge controller in any case. I think the wattage from any AC coupled string inverters won't show up on Schneider Insight, so that's another reason for me to heed those Wrenches who suggest DC coupling for all of the PV. Thanks to all who've contributed to this thread. I think the thread should now extinguish & moderator Michael may wish to delete it from the archives. I appreciate accessing the "hive mind" on various 2023 PV inverters and again, Chris, I'm sorry to have caused a temporary smudge on Fronius USA. The Wrench List is the Bomb! Mick Abraham, Proprietor www.abrahamsolar.com [1] Landline: 970-731-4675 Cell phone or for text messaging: 970-946-6584 ᐧ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.abrahamsolar.com [2] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [3] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Fronius USA available 2023 & 2024 ?
I think Fronius has left the building. The reason I know is they stopped sending me AFCI repairs about 2 years ago. There was not any support from their installers in remote places like the Sierra range. I would second Tump on picking a good company with real money and products. Below is a new one this fall. https://shop.se.com/us/en/schneiderhome Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [4]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [5] [4] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-08-25 3:55 am, Tump via RE-wrenches wrote: Mick, I would avoid trying to use a manufacture that has little NO support OR product availability. IF your using the Schnieder Pros, I would suggest you consider the 600/100 CC. This product is more then capable of handling 7kW of input. They are available, compatible w/ their (Schnieder's) battery monitoring AND offer a system that is able to "talk" to itself. Off grid should be uniform in design so clients/caretakers and you, have little adding to confusion IF/when their is an issue. Lord knows Im not saying there won't be an issue w/ Schnieder's product, but we DO have a product, tech support & other persons w/in the company we are able to call on. AC coupling, for off grid while we have Hi V CCs available is for me a thing of the past. My$0.02 worth TUMP On Aug 24, 2023, at 4:23 PM, Mick Abraham via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi, Mechanix~ I asked a Greentech location about quantity four Fronius string inverter PRIMO 6.0-1. (6kW AC output, single phase 240 volt 60 hz) This p/n is in the Greentech portal but my particular branch hasn't done much with Fronius. Today the branch manager told me "Fronius no longer exists." Can any of you confirm or correct this report? I have an off-grid opportunity for which I wish to AC couple some of the PV. If Fronius USA has indeed "left the building", are there other string inverters that can be selected for country code "off grid 60 hz"? I'd like for the PV inverters to only curtail their output wattage if there's a frequency shift from the grid forming inverter (frequency/watt). Schneider XW Pro units would be forming the grid. Schneider has a white paper # 990-6421 on AC coupling but this document is almost three years old & no help at all in finding compatible PV inverters. Rapid shutdown is not mandated for this gig & each array would be evenly illuminated. IIRC, the List hasn't been highly enamored with SolarEdge in recent years; is that still the consensus? Thanks as always; the Wrench List is the Bomb! Mick Abraham, Proprietor www.abrahamsolar.com [1] Landline: 970-731-4675 Cell phone or for text messaging: 970-946-6584 ᐧ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Tump [2]3...@gmail.com www.SWNL.net [3] Solarwinds Northernlights __ _ Serving Mid Coast Maine & Northern California_ _ 207-832-7574 Cl. 610-517-8401 _ _ __Blair "TUMP" May_ MAINE'S CHARTER _ __ NABCEP"Certified PV Installer"_ MAINE'S CHARTER _Trace Xantrex "Certified" Dealer / Installer"_ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.abrahamsolar.com/ [2] blocked::mailto:t...@swnl.net%22%20%5Co%20%22blocked::mailto:t...@swnl.net [3] blocked::http://www.swnl.net/%22%20%5Co%20%22blocked::http://www.swnl.net/ [4] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [5] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http
Re: [RE-wrenches] 1/2HP ECM booster pump
How is the quality (sediment) of the water? Most of the Scala1 and Scala2 series will not last more than 3 years without really good filtration. I have lost a few to rainwater also The MQ series is not made anymore so check for warranty. Nice quiet pumps but Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [3]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [4] [3] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-08-20 10:32 am, Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches wrote: Dana, wrenches Grunfus makes 120 vac booster pumps, MX Series as l recall they are a variable speed tech Fun times On Sun, Aug 20, 2023, 9:56 AM Dana Orzel via RE-wrenches wrote: Hey all you wise ones! I am looking for a recommendation on a 1/2HP ECM domestic water booster pump source if one exists. Currently the existing 3/4HP pump it is a 120 VAC but could be 230VAC. They don't need 3/4HP in this small cabin & not irrigating the vegetation. Thanks in advance Dana Orzel Great Solar Works, Inc. C - 208.721.7003d...@solarwork.com Idaho Contractor - # 028765 Idaho PV # 028374 www.greatsolarworks.com [1]www.solarwork.com [2] "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988" P Please consider the environment before printing this email. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.greatsolarworks.com/ [2] http://www.solarwork.com/ [3] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [4] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark 15k Conduit Entries
Very nice Install Michael! Was that the project on the xxCloud River we talked about? It looks like you have kept the gutter heat gain down to protect electronics. "the rule of thumb is that every 10°C increase in temperature reduces component life by half" https://www.electronics-cooling.com/2017/08/10c-increase-temperature-really-reduce-life-electronics-half/ Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" [1]https://offgridsolar1.com/ [2] [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-08-03 10:08 am, Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi Drake, Those are single phase combiner panels. I would have loved to set this up as a three phase system, but there was already a mile of underground single phase run throughout the property. We ended up running a half mile 15KV line from the power site to the estate. This is an aside, it's kind of hard to see, but for seperation, we attached the pv circuits to the back of the gutter using through bolted adhesive backed cable tie holders. Often we use gutter dividers. They originate in the tall cabinet at the end which houses controls, secondary PV disconnects, AC and DC egauges, Tigo hub, Battery hub and (Lynk II). On the opposite end is a similar cabinet for the collection and distribution of AC circuits. Also, above and below the batteries are small gutters for communications and CT wires that run from the transfer switches to eguage. One transfer switch to alternate usage (alternating relay) or bypass between Gen 1 and Gen 2, and the other switch to select inverter or generator power, locally or remotely. In the AC cabinet there is a 400a contactor and time delay relay to achieve a generator cooldown as the janky Sol-Arks don't do that and it's hell on new diesels not to have that function. ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org -- Michael Morningstar Morningstar Electric PO Box 1494 Mount Shasta, CA 96067 530-921-0560 mjmornings...@gmail.com Links: -- [1] http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [2] https://offgridsolar1.com/___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] 200a manual xfer switch w/ small aux contact : who makes it?
You saw the back-up control switch from Schneider? Probably not what you want. https://solar.se.com/us/en/product/backup-control-switch/ Might be good for something else? Whole home or partial home backup made easy. When paired with Schneider Electric XW Pro inverters, the Backup Control Switch (BCS) automatically disconnects from the grid during an outage, allowing the system to provide backup power to the home. Certified to UL standards for USA, The Backup Control Switch is used for larger XW Pro systems requiring up to 200 A rated MID or service entrance installation. Flexible Installation * Whole home backup or subpanel backup with up to 200 A rating * Service entrance rated when installed with a main breaker * Top or bottom entry for grid input * Optional non-backup circuit, making it easy to backup an existing panel and remove select non-critical loads * Configurable for export limiting with integrated meter Reliable * Fast 50 ms transfer from grid connected to backup power operation * Reliable backup power and load starting performance with the compatible XW Pro inverters * Connect up to 4 XW Pro inverters for up to 27 kW continuous and 48 kW peak backup power capability * Outdoor rated enclosure * 10 year limited warranty Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-07-26 3:24 pm, Mick Abraham via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi, Mechanix~ My off grid project needs dual 40kW diesel generators with easy manual selection between "A" or "B". The output from the manual switch would feed AC into a set of XW Pro inverter/chargers. I seek a 200a manual xfer switch that can also changeover the 12v+ generator automation wire with the same handle. Schneider DTU324N is 3 phase (solid neutral) so that does get me a third blade but since the trigger wire is only a few amps this p/n seems like overkill on size/weight and on cost. The manual switch unit doesn't need to make or break live power because folks always tend to shut down any nearby noisy engine before they do any switching. We also don't need 100k short circuit current rating because the machines can't fault as big as grid power can. Non-fusible seems best b/c each genset will have a 200a main breaker. I'd prefer to buy the switch inside a NEMA1 enclosure rather than getting a bare switch that would require me to mount it into a housing. The project won't be code inspected, so thanks in advance for any suggestions. The Wrench List is the Bomb! Mick Abraham, Proprietor www.abrahamsolar.com [1] Landline: 970-731-4675 Cell phone or for text messaging: 970-946-6584 ᐧ ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://www.abrahamsolar.com___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Inverter output fluctuations
Hey Howie, Can't remember but did you try disabling the charger in XW+ for a pulsation test ? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-07-23 9:37 pm, Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Don, Thanks, but this is not the issue here. The fluctuations happen anytime the AC coupled inverter connects to the XW+'s "grid", not just when the batteries are full. The frequency only changes about 1/10 of a herz when it connects, but it doesn't matter what the voltage is of the batteries, the pulsation starts. Going over the settings with Eric Bentsen, we shut off the AC coupled option to prevent the frequency shifting - this made no difference. We do have a contactor installed that disconnects the inverter from AC when the voltage starts elevating past the charge voltage and it has worked well for years. If I set up an AC coupled Off-Grid open loop system in the future, I'm thinking that I would look to disconnect the DC input as the batteries reach charged voltage - generally an easier cycling for the system to endure. There is also a smaller, legacy DC coupled array in this system which takes care of the finishing charge of the batteries through a charge controller. Again, it has all worked well in the past, only having any issues with AC fluctuations due to having the generator charging load set too high for the existing generator. This was solved by simply turning down the charge rate of the batteries and the visible light fluctuations stopped. Howie On Sun, Jul 23, 2023 at 11:42 PM don energysolarnow.com [1] wrote: Howie- it sounds like the XW+ is trying to curtail the Solar Edge by shifting frequency, and the loads don't like it. When off-grid and batteries are charged there is no place for all that AC coupled solar power to go. This is an issue windmill folks have too. The solution can be as simple as a dump load such as a water heater to absorb the excess energy. Tell the customer to turn the hot tub up high, or something like that. Heat up a bathtub in a greenhouse and plant bananas. DonBarch Energy Solar From: Howie Michaelson To: Dave Angelini , RE-wrenches Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Inverter output fluctuations Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi, I was finally able to get to the site with the light pulsating issue. It turns out it is that it directly corresponds to the AC coupled SolarEdge HDwave 6kW inverter. Moreover, the pulsating gets stronger with higher output of the SolarEdge inverter (as more sun pouches more current through the inverter). And the hum of the XW+ very noticeably fluctuates in direct proportion to light fluxuations. It affects all the lights in the house, regardless of manufacturer, wattage or age. I did not have an oscilloscope, but looking at the Hz, it does sag very slightly to 59.9 when the SolarEdge is producing, down from a rock solid 60 Hz when the SE is not producing. The output voltage does not change at all. The fluctuations in both the lights and the inverter hum immediately stops when the SolarEdge production is shut off. So it is clearly some interaction between the 2 inverters causing this issue. Has anyone dealt with this issue before? Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this, short of replacing the SolarEdge with a Schneider high voltage Charge Controller? Thanks, Howie ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] http://energysolarnow.com___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Inverter output fluctuations
Take the covers off XW+ Boss ! Go to webinar this Thursday below. Happy Sunday ! --- Hi Friends, Because we ran out of time during the XW Pro Troubleshooting webinar, we weren't able to take any questions. I wanted to give you the opportunity to join this follow-up webinar, and this time I promise to leave plenty of time for Q&A. This session will encapsulate all of the most popular and informative topics into one session. ✅ Understanding what sets XW Pro apart from the competition ✅ Essentials of designing a system ✅ Monitoring options ✅ Q&A Register today! https://solar.se.com/us/en/event/xw-pro-performance-design-and-monitoring/ [1] I look forward to seeing you then .Eric Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-07-23 7:40 am, Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Jay, I'm not sure what Schneider has to say, since Tech Support has been impossible to reach this week (apparently something is wrong with their phone system) and it was only recently that we determined the cause. It should be under warranty, unless there is lightning damage. I will write to my support contacts and see if they have anything helpful to offer via email, although I find that form of communication with them to often be less than satisfactory. Howie On Sun, Jul 23, 2023 at 8:54 AM Jay via RE-wrenches wrote: Given that it worked fine for years it would appear that the XW+ has an issue. I don't see how the SE could cause this. Is it still under warranty? What does Schneider say about the issue. Jay On Jul 22, 2023, at 10:33 PM, Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Michael, that is my last ditch choice as I will be eating the cost and time. When I installed this setup 4+ years ago, having done a few similar installations (although mostly on grid), I had not seen any issue with the design, nor heard anyone else suggesting that this design might cause this type of issue. And this did not become an issue at this site until a few months ago, having operated well until then. As I am now hearing, the XW+ is not well equipped to handle voltage regulation when dealing with AC coupled inverters. I don't really understand why the issue is just now showing up, although I suppose it could possibly be due to lightning damage. If the only solution is to install a high voltage charge controller, so be it. Unfortunately this won't be an insignificant cost in dollars and time, a cost I'm not excited to be affording, particularly right now after taking on some substantial losses due to our recent historical flooding. If there was another, less expensive solution, I'd be happy to hear about it. Sorry to sound whiny, I'm just not very happy about this eventuality... Howie Sun Catcher Solar Electric Systems Sales & Service 802-272-0004 On Sat, Jul 22, 2023 at 11:49 PM Michael Morningstar via RE-wrenches wrote: Replacing SE with Conext 600-100😊, Seriously, everything will then play nice together, and it's only a matter of time before the SE has to go. On Sat, Jul 22, 2023 at 4:02 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi, I was finally able to get to the site with the light pulsating issue. It turns out it is that it directly corresponds to the AC coupled SolarEdge HDwave 6kW inverter. Moreover, the pulsating gets stronger with higher output of the SolarEdge inverter (as more sun pouches more current through the inverter). And the hum of the XW+ very noticeably fluctuates in direct proportion to light fluxuations. It affects all the lights in the house, regardless of manufacturer, wattage or age. I did not have an oscilloscope, but looking at the Hz, it does sag very slightly to 59.9 when the SolarEdge is producing, down from a rock solid 60 Hz when the SE is not producing. The output voltage does not change at all. The fluctuations in both the lights and the inverter hum immediately stops when the SolarEdge production is shut off. So it is clearly some interaction between the 2 inverters causing this issue. Has anyone dealt with this issue before? Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with this, short of replacing the SolarEdge with a Schneider high voltage Charge Controller? Thanks, Howie On Mon, Jul 3, 2023, 7:09 PM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches wrote: I think I would try eliminating things. Turn off the AC coupling for a few days and get results. Turn of DC solar and get results. Measure AC voltage with a scope or just observe voltage during the flicker. Are all of the lights flickering? Are they on dimmers? Are there any loads failing that could be the source? Is the output with-in spec? Rock solid 60 HZ right. Do an AC bypass of XW wi
Re: [RE-wrenches] Generator start trigger limits XW+
firmware might help this issue. Without knowing what revisions you have now, and the fact that XW+ is really only a voltage based charger... XWpro is voltage and Soc based and is really the best choice for this combo. There will be some things you just can't do with XW+ and I'd say if you are this far into a good installation, it may be best to leave it alone. Sleep on it 😉 The battery was designed for XW and you won't have all the issues that the Outbacks do with LFP. Good Luck! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-07-21 2:50 pm, Mac Lewis via RE-wrenches wrote: Hello Wrenches, I just installed a set of Discover LFP on an older XW+ system. The communication seems to work great and the battery via Xanbus automatically updates the charge settings and inverter settings and the battery is viewable on the Xanbus network. For some reason, the auto gen start module won't allow me to drop the start trigger below 40%. I am wondering if a firmware update will open that range or if I need to replace the AGS. Any suggestions for me? I'll update all firmware but if I can save a trip, that would be great. Thanks! -- Mac Lewis "Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Damaged PV module cells
Hi Kent, How is output and how old are the panels? Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-07-16 2:58 pm, Kent via RE-wrenches wrote: Found some damage to a customer's Grape CS-S-180-DJ PV modules this morning. Unlike anything I've ever seen; so I'm hoping that someone on this list can tell me the cause. I've put several photos of the cells online [1] so you can inspect them. While it looks like there has been some localized heating on the traces, there isn't any evidence of damage on the rear of the PV modules. These are on an off grid system charging some 12-volt batteries. Thanks. Kent Osterberg Blue Mountain Solar ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org Links: -- [1] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nQhTqahEx4whmmWyy89tqaEEGvzkvEps?usp=sharing___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Inverter output fluctuations
I think I would try eliminating things. Turn off the AC coupling for a few days and get results. Turn of DC solar and get results. Measure AC voltage with a scope or just observe voltage during the flicker. Are all of the lights flickering? Are they on dimmers? Are there any loads failing that could be the source? Is the output with-in spec? Rock solid 60 HZ right. Do an AC bypass of XW with the genset and check for flicker symptoms. Are they on Insight? They really need it for you to monitor. Are there any faults, warnings or events ? Check history. There are a few settings in the old XW+ that could have been glitched by a surge or nearby lightning strike. XW+ could have a damaged FET. Open the unit and do a visual. There would be a smell and transistor fragments on the bottom right side of the power bridge. 90% of XW failures have visual evidence. While you have it open, Check the DSP sensing and control board, both LEDs (light-emitting diodes) D24 and D25 are on. Last thing is a DC power down of the unit and the DC buss for 5 minutes. If that does not work, then a reset to factory values. This is off an old list I got from Support many years ago and combined with my findings over the years. Really rare for this kind of weirdness and why it would be getting worse without visual evidence. Good Luck Howie! Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-07-03 12:42 pm, Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi All, I upgraded an old clients' off-grid system about five years ago to a Schneider XW6848+ and 2 Blue Ion 2.0 cabinets (32kWh). When the batteries were moving toward full, if the charge rate was on the higher side via generator or solar (AC coupled w/SolarEdge 6kW and DC coupled with an FM 80), they would start to get pulsating lights similar to symptoms of other older inverters when using a generator for charging. The solution for this pulsation has usually been to kick back the AC charge amperage just enough so the pulsating calmed down to a tolerable inconsequential level. And that worked in this case as well. However, a few weeks ago, the pulsating became more noticeable and has now become fairly intolerable. To my knowledge, no settings changes we made within the previous year, and these clients would be loath to make any changes, so I doubt there were any. More puzzling is the pulsating has started to happen at seemingly random times not related to charging. It happens at night or pre-dawn mornings without the generator, or during the afternoons with solar charging. And it is getting progressively worse. Anyone have any thoughts on why that would start getting worse now? Howie ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] Manufactured homes
I lived in Mariposa CA before moving to Nevada. The workaround was to buy a metal roof structure like a car barn and cover the M home with it. The metal car barn had the snow load engineering. This made the building department happy. I definitely would not put solar on a manufactured home and expect any support from the AHJ. Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridso...@sti.net text 209 813 0060 On 2023-06-30 2:14 pm, Bruce Erickson via RE-wrenches wrote: Hi California guys, We have a couple of leads that are manufactured homes, that have to be permitted through the CA Housing and Community Development office. The HCD wants roof engineering, and we are having trouble finding anyone local who will do this. Has anyone worked with an engineering firm anywhere in CA that is willing to deal with manufactured housing? (The builder of the houses has been no help other than providing non-stamped drawings.) Thanks, Bruce Erickson Mendocino Solar Service 707-937-1701 PO Box 1252 Mendocino, CA 95460 "Serving the Solar System" ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org