Re: [RE-wrenches] Old Outback Mate question

[drake . chamberlin]

A client found one on eBay.

- Original Message -
From:
 "RE-wrenches" 

To:
"RE-wrenches" 
Cc:

Sent:
Fri, 6 Sep 2019 08:57:56 -0700
Subject:
Re: [RE-wrenches] Old Outback Mate question

 Allan,

 I believe the original Mate is still available. At least my
distributor still has them in stock.

 Kent Osterberg
 Blue Mountain Solar

On 9/5/2019 8:01 PM, Sindelar Solar wrote:

Wrenches, 

I have a customer with a 2005-era Outback VFX3648-based off grid
residential system. Her original Mate had lost response on several of
the six buttons. I told her that the Mate is no longer made, and a
Mate3 is larger (won't fit her space), expensive and overkill for her
needs. I offered to attempt to repair hers, as it seemed to me that it
would be a simple task. I removed the cover and the silicon button
molding, and used a Q-tip with a bit of electronic cleaner and
lubricant from Radio Shack to clean the contacts. When I put it back
together none of the buttons made active contact. 

- Any idea what I might have done wrong to cause further failure? I'm
wondering if the cleaner included an oil that hindered conductivity,
rather than enabled it, and whether trying again with denatured
alcohol (or something more potent still?) might resolve the problem.

- Any suggestions about how to correct the (fairly common) problem of
the buttons not making contact after years of service? 

- Anyone repairing older Mates that you might pass on? 

- Any way to buy a new or refurbished Mate? 

Thank you for any help here., 

Allan
 -- 

ALLAN SINDELAR

al...@sindelarsolar.com
 [1]

NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
 New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
 Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.

505 780-2738 CELL

  

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Re: [RE-wrenches] Old Outback Mate question

[Kent Osterberg]

Allan,

I believe the original Mate is still available. At least my distributor 
still has them in stock.


Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar


On 9/5/2019 8:01 PM, Sindelar Solar wrote:


Wrenches,

I have a customer with a 2005-era Outback VFX3648-based off grid 
residential system. Her original Mate had lost response on several of 
the six buttons. I told her that the Mate is no longer made, and a 
Mate3 is larger (won't fit her space), expensive and overkill for her 
needs. I offered to attempt to repair hers, as it seemed to me that it 
would be a simple task. I removed the cover and the silicon button 
molding, and used a Q-tip with a bit of electronic cleaner and 
lubricant from Radio Shack to clean the contacts. When I put it back 
together none of the buttons made active contact.


- Any idea what I might have done wrong to cause further failure? I'm 
wondering if the cleaner included an oil that hindered conductivity, 
rather than enabled it, and whether trying again with denatured 
alcohol (or something more potent still?) might resolve the problem.


- Any suggestions about how to correct the (fairly common) problem of 
the buttons not making contact after years of service?


- Anyone repairing older Mates that you might pass on?

- Any way to buy a new or refurbished Mate?

Thank you for any help here.,

Allan

--

*Allan Sindelar*
al...@sindelarsolar.com 
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
*505 780-2738 cell*


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Re: [RE-wrenches] Old Outback Mate question

[John Blittersdorf]

Allan,
  Contact me off list.  I have many good MATE’s needing a home.  I have
sold many customers on the OpticsRE so I have a lot of orphaned Mates still
in good condition.

John Blittersdorf
CV Wind Service
200 West Road
N Chittenden, VT 05763

802-770-8625
john.blittersd...@gmail.com

On Thu, Sep 5, 2019 at 11:01 PM Sindelar Solar 
wrote:

> Wrenches,
>
> I have a customer with a 2005-era Outback VFX3648-based off grid
> residential system. Her original Mate had lost response on several of the
> six buttons. I told her that the Mate is no longer made, and a Mate3 is
> larger (won't fit her space), expensive and overkill for her needs. I
> offered to attempt to repair hers, as it seemed to me that it would be a
> simple task. I removed the cover and the silicon button molding, and used a
> Q-tip with a bit of electronic cleaner and lubricant from Radio Shack to
> clean the contacts. When I put it back together none of the buttons made
> active contact.
>
> - Any idea what I might have done wrong to cause further failure? I'm
> wondering if the cleaner included an oil that hindered conductivity, rather
> than enabled it, and whether trying again with denatured alcohol (or
> something more potent still?) might resolve the problem.
>
> - Any suggestions about how to correct the (fairly common) problem of the
> buttons not making contact after years of service?
>
> - Anyone repairing older Mates that you might pass on?
>
> - Any way to buy a new or refurbished Mate?
>
> Thank you for any help here.,
>
> Allan
> --
>
> *Allan Sindelar*
> al...@sindelarsolar.com
> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
> Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
> *505 780-2738 cell*
>
>
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Old Outback Mate question

[Bruce Geddes]

The rubber button pad is available as a replacement part.  The carbon contacts 
degrade over time and cleaning does not always restore functionality.  Same 
with the buttons on the MX and FM controllers.

Bruce Geddes

PowerOn



From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf 
Of Sindelar Solar
Sent: Friday, 6 September 2019 3:01 p.m.
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Old Outback Mate question



Wrenches,

I have a customer with a 2005-era Outback VFX3648-based off grid residential 
system. Her original Mate had lost response on several of the six buttons. I 
told her that the Mate is no longer made, and a Mate3 is larger (won't fit her 
space), expensive and overkill for her needs. I offered to attempt to repair 
hers, as it seemed to me that it would be a simple task. I removed the cover 
and the silicon button molding, and used a Q-tip with a bit of electronic 
cleaner and lubricant from Radio Shack to clean the contacts. When I put it 
back together none of the buttons made active contact.

- Any idea what I might have done wrong to cause further failure? I'm wondering 
if the cleaner included an oil that hindered conductivity, rather than enabled 
it, and whether trying again with denatured alcohol (or something more potent 
still?) might resolve the problem.

- Any suggestions about how to correct the (fairly common) problem of the 
buttons not making contact after years of service?

- Anyone repairing older Mates that you might pass on?

- Any way to buy a new or refurbished Mate?

Thank you for any help here.,

Allan

--



Allan Sindelar
 <mailto:al...@sindelarsolar.com> al...@sindelarsolar.com
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
505 780-2738 cell





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[RE-wrenches] Old Outback Mate question

[Sindelar Solar]

Wrenches,

I have a customer with a 2005-era Outback VFX3648-based off grid 
residential system. Her original Mate had lost response on several of 
the six buttons. I told her that the Mate is no longer made, and a Mate3 
is larger (won't fit her space), expensive and overkill for her needs. I 
offered to attempt to repair hers, as it seemed to me that it would be a 
simple task. I removed the cover and the silicon button molding, and 
used a Q-tip with a bit of electronic cleaner and lubricant from Radio 
Shack to clean the contacts. When I put it back together none of the 
buttons made active contact.


- Any idea what I might have done wrong to cause further failure? I'm 
wondering if the cleaner included an oil that hindered conductivity, 
rather than enabled it, and whether trying again with denatured alcohol 
(or something more potent still?) might resolve the problem.


- Any suggestions about how to correct the (fairly common) problem of 
the buttons not making contact after years of service?


- Anyone repairing older Mates that you might pass on?

- Any way to buy a new or refurbished Mate?

Thank you for any help here.,

Allan

--

*Allan Sindelar*
al...@sindelarsolar.com 
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
*505 780-2738 cell*

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