Re: [RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run

[Roland - RES]

Oh,

The replacement Mate 3 with the older firmware, didn't have the power line 
emblem on the main screen. Although it was the one that put the CC into GT 
mode. I didn't leave this plugged in, I was just confirming the mate worked 
before taking it out to a job. 

> Sent from a IPhone, with touch screen keys on the fly. Please excuse 
> shortcuts and typos. 
> 
Roland Shackelford
NABCEP CERTIFIED PV INSTALLER
Vice President 
Renewable Energy Services (RES), Inc. 
Mobile:  808-938-9239
www.renewablenergy.com

> On Feb 13, 2017, at 6:50 AM, Lones Tuss <lt...@outbackpower.com> wrote:
> 
> You said one status screen differed from the other. Just a shot of the home 
> screen on  3.15.3
>  
> Lones Tuss
> Applications Engineer
> OutBack Power Technologies
> 17825 59th Ave NE, Suite B, Arlington, WA 98223
> 360.618.4383 Office | 425.213.8794 Cell
> www.outbackpower.com
>  
> From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On 
> Behalf Of Ray
> Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2017 12:29 PM
> To: RE-wrenches
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run
>  
> I agree, software and firmware issues are becoming my #1 call back issue.  
> Off grid, this is totally unacceptable. I'm not using either company you 
> mentioned for off grid systems at this time because of reliability issues. 
> I've had decent luck with Magnum, and find their control system easier for 
> customers to navigate.
> 
> Some of this becomes our design responsibility, too.  I generally avoid auto 
> start in the first place, and prefer customers that take an active role in 
> the system operation.  A SOC meter with a remote start switch next to it, 
> operated by a competent human is going to be much more effective than any 
> auto start setup.  
> 
> R. Ray Walters
> Chief Technical Officer, RemoteSolar.com
> BS Mech Engineering, 1988
> Former NABCEP Certified, 2004-2016
> Licensed Master ELectrician, Colorado
> 303 505-8760
>  
> On 2/12/17 11:12 AM, Lou Russo wrote:
> Aloha Wrenches,
>  
> I have steered clear of the Mate 3 for as long as possible, I have burned 
> through my stash of FXs and now have been installing the FXRs and using the 
> Mate 3. I typically utilize AGS for my clients in a 2 - wire start with a 
> Diesel Genset setup. On 2 recently installed systems, one a FP2 and the other 
> a FP1, the clients require "Must Run" to function. Of course it does not 
> work. I can get it to work if I set the time for a few minutes later, but not 
> for the next day. I have not used this feature ever in the past but since it 
> is in the manual I wrongly assumed it would work. I am running firmware 
> version 3.015 on both Mates. Tech support just wants me to do a factory reset 
> and reprogram. That did not work. 
>  
> Anybody else having issues getting this feature to work?
>  
> On a related note, software problems are becoming a systemics issue in our 
> industry. Being recently burned by Schneider because of a software issue (to 
> the point of breaking an appliance), now this, and endless other little bugs 
> from almost every manufacturer my frustration level with software in the 
> off-grid world is at a all time high. Given the importance of supplying power 
> I firmly believe our manufactures can not and should not take the same 
> approach to software as Silicon Valley does. "Fail early and often" may work 
> for  Facebook, Google and Uber but it has no place in our industry. Keep it 
> simple and fight the urge to engage in feature creep. PLEASE.
>  
> 
> Aloha,
>  
> Lou Russo
> l...@spreesolarsystems.com
> 440 345 6762
> Spree Solar Systems LLC 
> CT-34322
>  
> 
> 
> 
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Re: [RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run

[Lones Tuss]

You said one status screen differed from the other. Just a shot of the home 
screen on  3.15.3

Lones Tuss
Applications Engineer
OutBack Power Technologies
17825 59th Ave NE, Suite B, Arlington, WA 98223
360.618.4383 Office | 425.213.8794 Cell
www.outbackpower.com<http://www.outbackpower.com/>

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf 
Of Ray
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2017 12:29 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run


I agree, software and firmware issues are becoming my #1 call back issue.  Off 
grid, this is totally unacceptable. I'm not using either company you mentioned 
for off grid systems at this time because of reliability issues. I've had 
decent luck with Magnum, and find their control system easier for customers to 
navigate.

Some of this becomes our design responsibility, too.  I generally avoid auto 
start in the first place, and prefer customers that take an active role in the 
system operation.  A SOC meter with a remote start switch next to it, operated 
by a competent human is going to be much more effective than any auto start 
setup.

R. Ray Walters

Chief Technical Officer, RemoteSolar.com

BS Mech Engineering, 1988

Former NABCEP Certified, 2004-2016

Licensed Master ELectrician, Colorado

303 505-8760

On 2/12/17 11:12 AM, Lou Russo wrote:
Aloha Wrenches,

I have steered clear of the Mate 3 for as long as possible, I have burned 
through my stash of FXs and now have been installing the FXRs and using the 
Mate 3. I typically utilize AGS for my clients in a 2 - wire start with a 
Diesel Genset setup. On 2 recently installed systems, one a FP2 and the other a 
FP1, the clients require "Must Run" to function. Of course it does not work. I 
can get it to work if I set the time for a few minutes later, but not for the 
next day. I have not used this feature ever in the past but since it is in the 
manual I wrongly assumed it would work. I am running firmware version 3.015 on 
both Mates. Tech support just wants me to do a factory reset and reprogram. 
That did not work.

Anybody else having issues getting this feature to work?

On a related note, software problems are becoming a systemics issue in our 
industry. Being recently burned by Schneider because of a software issue (to 
the point of breaking an appliance), now this, and endless other little bugs 
from almost every manufacturer my frustration level with software in the 
off-grid world is at a all time high. Given the importance of supplying power I 
firmly believe our manufactures can not and should not take the same approach 
to software as Silicon Valley does. "Fail early and often" may work for  
Facebook, Google and Uber but it has no place in our industry. Keep it simple 
and fight the urge to engage in feature creep. PLEASE.


Aloha,

Lou Russo
l...@spreesolarsystems.com<mailto:l...@spreesolarsystems.com>
440 345 6762<tel:%28440%29%20345-6762>
Spree Solar Systems LLC
CT-34322





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Re: [RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run

[John Blittersdorf]

Lou,
I have two systems using the must run for a half hour every day to keep
the generator battery charged til we can run 120 AC to the generator
battery charger when the snow is gone.  The problem has been the generator
faulting (usually frozen linkage- no carb heater- also waiting for 120 AC
to the genny) That still requires human intervention to reset the
generator.

John Blittersdorf
Rob Stubbins Solar

On Mon, Feb 13, 2017 at 6:00 AM, jay  wrote:

> Hi Lou,
>
> I”ve had a few customers doing this exact operation with no issues.
> It has been very consistent.
>
> jay
>
> peltz power
>
>
> On Feb 12, 2017, at 8:12 PM, Lou Russo  wrote:
>
> Aloha Wrenches,
>
> I have steered clear of the Mate 3 for as long as possible, I have burned
> through my stash of FXs and now have been installing the FXRs and using the
> Mate 3. I typically utilize AGS for my clients in a 2 - wire start with a
> Diesel Genset setup. On 2 recently installed systems, one a FP2 and the
> other a FP1, the clients require "Must Run" to function. Of course it does
> not work. I can get it to work if I set the time for a few minutes later,
> but not for the next day. I have not used this feature ever in the past but
> since it is in the manual I wrongly assumed it would work. I am running
> firmware version 3.015 on both Mates. Tech support just wants me to do a
> factory reset and reprogram. That did not work.
>
> Anybody else having issues getting this feature to work?
>
> On a related note, software problems are becoming a systemics issue in our
> industry. Being recently burned by Schneider because of a software issue
> (to the point of breaking an appliance), now this, and endless other little
> bugs from almost every manufacturer my frustration level with software in
> the off-grid world is at a all time high. Given the importance of supplying
> power I firmly believe our manufactures can not and should not take the
> same approach to software as Silicon Valley does. "Fail early and often"
> may work for  Facebook, Google and Uber but it has no place in our
> industry. Keep it simple and fight the urge to engage in feature creep.
> PLEASE.
>
>
> Aloha,
>
> Lou Russo
> l...@spreesolarsystems.com
> 440 345 6762 <(440)%20345-6762>
> Spree Solar Systems LLC
> CT-34322
>
> ___
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
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[RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run

[jay]

Hi Lou,

I”ve had a few customers doing this exact operation with no issues.
It has been very consistent.  

jay

peltz power


> On Feb 12, 2017, at 8:12 PM, Lou Russo  wrote:
> 
> Aloha Wrenches,
> 
> I have steered clear of the Mate 3 for as long as possible, I have burned 
> through my stash of FXs and now have been installing the FXRs and using the 
> Mate 3. I typically utilize AGS for my clients in a 2 - wire start with a 
> Diesel Genset setup. On 2 recently installed systems, one a FP2 and the other 
> a FP1, the clients require "Must Run" to function. Of course it does not 
> work. I can get it to work if I set the time for a few minutes later, but not 
> for the next day. I have not used this feature ever in the past but since it 
> is in the manual I wrongly assumed it would work. I am running firmware 
> version 3.015 on both Mates. Tech support just wants me to do a factory reset 
> and reprogram. That did not work. 
> 
> Anybody else having issues getting this feature to work?
> 
> On a related note, software problems are becoming a systemics issue in our 
> industry. Being recently burned by Schneider because of a software issue (to 
> the point of breaking an appliance), now this, and endless other little bugs 
> from almost every manufacturer my frustration level with software in the 
> off-grid world is at a all time high. Given the importance of supplying power 
> I firmly believe our manufactures can not and should not take the same 
> approach to software as Silicon Valley does. "Fail early and often" may work 
> for  Facebook, Google and Uber but it has no place in our industry. Keep it 
> simple and fight the urge to engage in feature creep. PLEASE.
> 
> 
> Aloha,
> 
> Lou Russo
> l...@spreesolarsystems.com 
> 440 345 6762 
> Spree Solar Systems LLC 
> CT-34322
> 
> ___
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
> 
> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
> 
> Change listserver email address & settings:
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Re: [RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run

[Ray]

I agree, software and firmware issues are becoming my #1 call back 
issue.  Off grid, this is totally unacceptable. I'm not using either 
company you mentioned for off grid systems at this time because of 
reliability issues. I've had decent luck with Magnum, and find their 
control system easier for customers to navigate.


Some of this becomes our design responsibility, too.  I generally avoid 
auto start in the first place, and prefer customers that take an active 
role in the system operation.  A SOC meter with a remote start switch 
next to it, operated by a competent human is going to be much more 
effective than any auto start setup.


R. Ray Walters
Chief Technical Officer, RemoteSolar.com
BS Mech Engineering, 1988
Former NABCEP Certified, 2004-2016
Licensed Master ELectrician, Colorado
303 505-8760


On 2/12/17 11:12 AM, Lou Russo wrote:

Aloha Wrenches,

I have steered clear of the Mate 3 for as long as possible, I have 
burned through my stash of FXs and now have been installing the FXRs 
and using the Mate 3. I typically utilize AGS for my clients in a 2 - 
wire start with a Diesel Genset setup. On 2 recently installed 
systems, one a FP2 and the other a FP1, the clients require "Must Run" 
to function. Of course it does not work. I can get it to work if I set 
the time for a few minutes later, but not for the next day. I have not 
used this feature ever in the past but since it is in the manual I 
wrongly assumed it would work. I am running firmware version 3.015 on 
both Mates. Tech support just wants me to do a factory reset and 
reprogram. That did not work.


Anybody else having issues getting this feature to work?

On a related note, software problems are becoming a systemics issue in 
our industry. Being recently burned by Schneider because of a software 
issue (to the point of breaking an appliance), now this, and endless 
other little bugs from almost every manufacturer my frustration level 
with software in the off-grid world is at a all time high. Given the 
importance of supplying power I firmly believe our manufactures can 
not and should not take the same approach to software as Silicon 
Valley does. "Fail early and often" may work for  Facebook, Google and 
Uber but it has no place in our industry. Keep it simple and fight the 
urge to engage in feature creep. PLEASE.



Aloha,

Lou Russo
l...@spreesolarsystems.com 
440 345 6762 
Spree Solar Systems LLC
CT-34322



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[RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run

[Lou Russo]

Aloha Wrenches,

I have steered clear of the Mate 3 for as long as possible, I have burned
through my stash of FXs and now have been installing the FXRs and using the
Mate 3. I typically utilize AGS for my clients in a 2 - wire start with a
Diesel Genset setup. On 2 recently installed systems, one a FP2 and the
other a FP1, the clients require "Must Run" to function. Of course it does
not work. I can get it to work if I set the time for a few minutes later,
but not for the next day. I have not used this feature ever in the past but
since it is in the manual I wrongly assumed it would work. I am running
firmware version 3.015 on both Mates. Tech support just wants me to do a
factory reset and reprogram. That did not work.

Anybody else having issues getting this feature to work?

On a related note, software problems are becoming a systemics issue in our
industry. Being recently burned by Schneider because of a software issue
(to the point of breaking an appliance), now this, and endless other little
bugs from almost every manufacturer my frustration level with software in
the off-grid world is at a all time high. Given the importance of supplying
power I firmly believe our manufactures can not and should not take the
same approach to software as Silicon Valley does. "Fail early and often"
may work for  Facebook, Google and Uber but it has no place in our
industry. Keep it simple and fight the urge to engage in feature creep.
PLEASE.


Aloha,

Lou Russo
l...@spreesolarsystems.com
440 345 6762 <(440)%20345-6762>
Spree Solar Systems LLC
CT-34322
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