[RE-wrenches] OutBack v. Xantrex (SqD)
I don't do much off-grid no mo' and would appreciate some advice. I've got a client who's going to be purchasing a power panel with either an OutBack 3648 or Square D/Xantrex 4548. Also included would be the AC and DC switchgear integrated into the panel as well as either the OutBack or Xantrex MPPT charge controller. I welcome your recommendation and why. Thanks, marco ___ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] OutBack v. Xantrex (SqD)
No recent experience with Xantrex, but Outback panels have been great. Flexpower panels come factory wired with charge controllers as options. The final connections are pretty simple. I'm doing a quad inverter Outback Flexware 1000 system now, and just finished with a dual inverter Flexware 500 system. The one thing to watch out for is make sure you are ordering exactly what you expect to get. For example, at one point the dual inverter Flexpower system literature did not show the X240 autotransformer included (preinstalled), but it did, in fact, come with it. They may have changed that after I pointed it out to them. If you go with Flexware components rather than a Flexpower prewired power center, make sure you are clear on what you are getting (i/o bypass assembly, terminal bus bars, etc.) There's nothing worse than getting on-site and finding out you are missing something. The A/C breakers are pretty cheap. I'd put a couple extra in the A/C panel for future expansion (if this will be the main load center). If I had one complaint about the Outback gear, it would be the charge controller brackets, which I find to be pretty flimsy. If I had to come up with one more complaint, maybe the positive battery connection to the breaker could be easier, but I fixed that by using 45 degree Magnalugs on my cables. The finish on the Outback panels seems to be more durable compared to the finish on the old Xantrex SW5548 power panels I used to buy, but I haven't seen any recent Xantrex equipment. That's probably not real important, but I thought I would opine. Jason Szumlanski Fafco Solar From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Marco Mangelsdorf Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 3:29 PM To: 'RE-wrenches' Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] OutBack v. Xantrex (SqD) Nope. HI Marco, The first issue is do you need/want 240v? Jay Peltz power On Dec 29, 2010, at 11:45 AM, Marco Mangelsdorf wrote: I don't do much off-grid no mo' and would appreciate some advice. I've got a client who's going to be purchasing a power panel with either an OutBack 3648 or Square D/Xantrex 4548. Also included would be the AC and DC switchgear integrated into the panel as well as either the OutBack or Xantrex MPPT charge controller. I welcome your recommendation and why. Thanks, marco ___ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1191 / Virus Database: 1435/3346 - Release Date: 12/29/10 ___ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
Re: [RE-wrenches] OutBack v. Xantrex (SqD)
From our experience there is no comparison with regards to customer service, should you need it after purchase/install..Outback has been accessible and knowledgeable. Xantrex has not.. -- Sunny Regards, Kirpal Khalsa NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer Renewable Energy Systems www.oregonsolarworks.com 541-218-0201 m 541-592-3958 o On Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 1:08 PM, Jason Szumlanski ja...@fafcosolar.comwrote: No recent experience with Xantrex, but Outback panels have been great. Flexpower panels come factory wired with charge controllers as options. The final connections are pretty simple. I’m doing a quad inverter Outback Flexware 1000 system now, and just finished with a dual inverter Flexware 500 system. The one thing to watch out for is make sure you are ordering exactly what you expect to get. For example, at one point the dual inverter Flexpower system literature did not show the X240 autotransformer included (preinstalled), but it did, in fact, come with it. They may have changed that after I pointed it out to them. If you go with Flexware components rather than a Flexpower prewired power center, make sure you are clear on what you are getting (i/o bypass assembly, terminal bus bars, etc.) There’s nothing worse than getting on-site and finding out you are missing something. The A/C breakers are pretty cheap. I’d put a couple extra in the A/C panel for future expansion (if this will be the main load center). If I had one complaint about the Outback gear, it would be the charge controller brackets, which I find to be pretty flimsy. If I had to come up with one more complaint, maybe the positive battery connection to the breaker could be easier, but I fixed that by using 45 degree Magnalugs on my cables. The finish on the Outback panels seems to be more durable compared to the finish on the old Xantrex SW5548 power panels I used to buy, but I haven’t seen any recent Xantrex equipment. That’s probably not real important, but I thought I would opine. Jason Szumlanski Fafco Solar *From:* re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *Marco Mangelsdorf *Sent:* Wednesday, December 29, 2010 3:29 PM *To:* 'RE-wrenches' *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] OutBack v. Xantrex (SqD) Nope. HI Marco, The first issue is do you need/want 240v? Jay Peltz power On Dec 29, 2010, at 11:45 AM, Marco Mangelsdorf wrote: I don’t do much off-grid no mo’ and would appreciate some advice. I’ve got a client who’s going to be purchasing a power panel with either an OutBack 3648 or Square D/Xantrex 4548. Also included would be the AC and DC switchgear integrated into the panel as well as either the OutBack or Xantrex MPPT charge controller. I welcome your recommendation and why. Thanks, marco ___ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org -- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1191 / Virus Database: 1435/3346 - Release Date: 12/29/10 ___ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org ___ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
