Lemming's [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

No matter how conservative you are, there is a universal law that DOA inverters
must be shipped to the most difficult jobsite right before nightfall, rainfall,
snowfall or a very long weekend.

All PV equipment has the potential for problems. Problem frequency ranges from
almost never (UL listed, glass encapsulated, standard production solar modules)
to occasional (the first 1k or so new inverter design) to frequent (bleeding
edge, unfinished, poorly designed, poorly built stuff). Although I bought one of
the first GC1000s (#30 I think), I prefer post-bleeding edge stuff so my MTBF is
very high (so someone must be having failures every day).

I try to match the customer with the right equipment and separate customers into
emerging technology advocates (who want to see the parts that make their meter
spin) and early adoptors (who are less inclined to look under the hood). Both
type customers have a high degree of tolerance, but early adoptors get upset at
repeated problems. There's another customer group that I call "trouble waiting to
happen," but my hassle radar is pretty good so I avoid them (so someone must be
getting all the troublesome customers).


"Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection" wrote:

> Matt etal,
> It's a conundrum all right. On one hand, testing new products on our
> customers sucks. On the other, new products generally have something
> to offer by way of increased efficiency, better pricing, whatever. So
> there may be definite advantages to them to have the latest and
> (hopefully) greatest.
> I agree with Tom Lane that we should be testing this stuff on
> ourselves first. Of course, that presents it's own problems. For
> example, I live offgrid, so testing an Outback FX or MX is fairly
> easily done. (I swear to god one of these days I'm going to install
> wing nuts on all my wiring) At the same time, I'd be less than
> worthless testing a Sunny Boy. So we do what we can and rely on our
> fellow Wrenches for what we can't. Who we shouldn't rely on is our
> distributors or the manus themselves. Not that they would
> deliberately mislead us, but after all, they stand to make a profit
> so their opinions and recommendations are at least suspect. When a
> new product comes out that I might want to sell and I CAN test, I
> generally contact the manu directly and ask for an evaluation unit.
> Some will give you one for free, some at a deep discount. It is in
> their best interest to do so. If they wont, then my ears go up and my
> interest in their goodies goes down.
> Best, bob-O
>
> >Hi Graham,
> >
> >You're O-so-right about being cautious in utilizing "cutting-edge"
> >technology. The problem is, and always has been, that without being willing
> >to stick your neck out, progress would never happen at all. I see this
> >situation as being a metaphor for the solar and wind energy as a whole, and
> >actually technology in general.
> >I have noticed that the majority of wrenches who have come from the ranks of
> >conventional electrical contracting tend to be the most conservative in
> >their willingness to be the guy on point.
> >
> >There has been plenty of discussion on this list about the trend toward
> >standardization, accepted electrical methodology, safety issues and
> >less-than-prime-time equipment but, the fact remains; without risk and the
> >pioneering spirit technology grinds to a halt. In the late 70's and early
> >80's everything we installed was experimental in the extreme, except for
> >flooded batteries. Personally, I prefer that time because of the freedom and
> >latitude to innovate that was the "zeitgeist" of the period, over the
> >current normalization and standardization paradigm. Sure, things are way
> >more predictable and reliable now, but how do you think they got that way?
> >
> >The big hope in this business has always been to be able to make a good
> >living at it while still having fun.
> >Are we having fun yet?
> >
> >New and improved, fully attached flame shields up!
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
>
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