How would you handle this situation? [RE-wrenches]

douglas bath douglas.bath at realgoods.com
Thu Apr 18 10:45:06 PDT 2002


Wrenches,

Having just attended a SunnyBoy seminar, the engineer was quite clear that,
although the  inverter would perform at 2500 watts, he would rather spec the
unit at 2300 or so, with the argument, "You wouldn't run a genset at 100%
all the time, or an amplifier, why does everyone think an inverter can run
flat out for years? The efficiency is off a bit, the heat is higher, and you
are (statistically) opting for more failures. Who cares if the failure is
under warranty? It's still a hassle that might be avoided if we though of
the appliance as we do other appliances, namely, ask reasonable long term
loading! If you drive pedal to the metal, expect some loose nuts.

Douglas Bath
Real Goods

-----Original Message-----
From: Joel Davidson [mailto:joeldavidson at earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 10:58 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: How would you handle this situation? [RE-wrenches]


Jeff,
I wish it was only one customer, but this one got to me. I like to sell a
baker's dozen, but when this customer looked in the box, he only found 11
donuts. Tonight at dinner my wife said that I'm always complaining about
either
PV module availability or inverter problems. I guess they all get to me.
Happy Trails,
Joel Davidson



Matt Lafferty wrote:

> Joel / Wrenches:
>
> First of all, Joel, you are on the right track in providing "after the
sale"
> service.  This mirrors the last 1-1/2 + years we have spent dealing with a
> similar issue.  We aren't done with it yet.  May go on for a very long
time,
> in fact.  Be glad you only have the one Customer.  We have about 50, not
to
> mention the ones we own.
>
> I personally believe in maintaining integrity in backing up our projects,
> even when the issue isn't related to something we "did wrong".  The
goodwill
> generated is priceless, even when the Customers are screaming with venom!
>
> As far as returning the inverters, I believe the manufacturer should pick
up
> the tab &, as you suggest, do the testing.  A full credit to the
> distributors is in order if the testing proves the inverters cannot
perform
> as advertised.
>
> Regarding "peak power":  This is the tree manufacturers hide behind.  Some
> just hide behind it more than others.  We all know that PV generates in
> "real time" according to all the variables existing at that time.  In a
lab,
> at STC or other favorable conditions, the inverter may produce the 2500
> Watts as advertised.  There has to be a "Standard Test Condition" for
rating
> purposes or else there would be no way to benchmark performance and
ratings.
> If, under their tests, the results honestly show the inverter delivers and
> won't honor the refund request, then you have another thing to think
about.
> How to satisfy your customer, without bankrupting yourself, if he can be
> satisfied at this point.
>
> The best I can offer at this moment is this:  Consider this experience in
> its entirety in the future.  What inverter are you going to select or,
just
> as importantly, NOT select for this type of application in the future?
(Of
> course we are all dying to know!!! ;-) )  And, Don't Quit on Commitment to
> Integrity!
>
> -Matt Lafferty
> pvpro at attbi.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joel Davidson"
> Subject: Re: How would you handle this situation? [RE-wrenches]
>
> > 1) The customer chose the inverters and I agreed with his choice.
> > 2) The customer bought the 2nd inverter to expand his PV system. I
bought
> the
> > 2nd inverter from another distributor because the 1st distributor could
> not give
> > a delivery date and the 2nd distributor had an inverter in stock.
> > 3) Yesterday, both distributors contacted the manufacturer and we await
a
> > response.
> >
> > Back to the original question, but this time put yourself in this
> customer's
> > place.
> >
> > You buy an inverter that is specified to deliver 2500 watts. The
inverter
> never
> > delivers over 2300 watts of power and has other problems that adversely
> affect
> > energy production. You visit another site with the same inverter and see
> the
> > same under-performance and hear about the same other problems. You
> substitute
> > another brand 2500 watt inverter and the 2nd inverter delivers 2500
watts.
> You
> > re-test the 1st inverter with 32 each 120 watt PV modules, but it still
> does not
> > deliver over 2300 watts. You conclude that the inverter can not perform
as
> > specified. The inverter is under warranty so you call the manufacturer.
> "They
> > said they changed the spec and hadn't even publish or put it online
> yet...when I
> > mentioned that my unit would never run over 2300 watts (this is when I
> purposely
> > feed 32 panels into it to prove the unit wasn't running at spec) they
> claimed
> > 2500 was "peak" power what ever that means" (customer's exact words).
> >
> > If I were the manufacturer, this is how I would resolve this situation.
> Send the
> > customer return shipping cartons, pay for the shipping and test the
> inverters.
> > If the inverters produce 2500 watts, return the inverters to the
customer
> with
> > the test results. Charge the expense for 2-way shipping and testing to
> customer
> > service. If the inverters do not produce 2500 watts, first credit the
> > distributors who will credit the retailer so the retailer can refund the
> > customer's money. Next, change the inverter specifications.
> >
> > What do you all think?
>
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