IPN Network Meters vs. OutBack [RE-wrenches]

[Solar Ray]

Hi Chris and Phil;

I too have been burned as a Volunteer Beta Tester, and I too have been
impressed with Outback's responsiveness. (Although they never offered to
replace the Airpax breaker that cracked apart in my hands at about 50 inch
pounds of torque) Chris, I know you guys have thousands of hours into making
this stuff work and you might not be repayed for that R&D for many moons.
I've done a little product development myself and its not pretty.
The gripe I would make that I think Phil was making too is this:  Don't
advertise the features or capabilities until you are prepared to deliver.
We, your monkeys in the field, believe and pass on to our customers
everything we read. If you are still working the bugs out of something just
tell us. We'll continue to help with the beta testing and most importantly
we'll keep our mouths shut until its ready.  Likewise save the big ads in
Homepower until you've got a product that does everything its advertised to
do.
We are all behind you in this effort, the industry needs this new blood, and
I wear my Outback shirt proudly. Keep up the good work, and just remember:
credibility is tough to regain once squandered.

Sincerely,

Ray Walters


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Undercuffler, Positive Energy" <phil at positiveenergysolar.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: IPN Network Meters vs. OutBack [RE-wrenches]


>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Christopher Freitas - OutBack Power" <cfreitas at outbackpower.com>
> >
> > Sheesh - some people want it all immediately - but also want it to be
> > fully developed, tested and on-the-shelf at the same time...
>
> Hear me now.  This is not whining--this is crabbing, and there is a
> difference; the former is unjustified.
>
> There are many things I love about working with Outback.  When I call with
a
> question, I get the guy who wrote the programming.  If we have an untested
> theory as to what something will do I don't get the answer of "gee, maybe
> that would work..."  I will tell the world that I have been in the field
> with the cel phone on one ear as Chris has gone to the testbench and made
> SURE that it would work.  And I have believed him, and it has worked.  We
> haven't sold much Brand X equipment since Outback has become available.
>
> But lest you forget, Christopher, you and Marty came to my very building
on
> 08/13/02 to introduce the FX inverter, MX controller, and the Mate and Hub
> that had been seemingly "two months away" since early that summer.  I will
> not apologize for my cynicism.
>
> It's the product development on my customer's nickel and "that promised
> functionality is not yet supported" that I object to.
>
> Perhaps I'd be happier if I were just shipping boxes, but instead I've got
> to answer questions from my clients.  Heck, not only that, but I've got to
> figure out how to make things work.  So when the documentation is
incomplete
> and everchanging, the hardware is always two months away and the factory's
> response is "sorry, that isn't supported before serial #500, and models
> before #3200 can't stack, and units before 3447 won't show the right
numbers
> at that voltage...." you can just imagine my frustration.
>
> > Phil - you should have made time to come out here to MREF (Michael Welsh
> > says hello to all) before you complain about "vaporware". We have the
> > production HUB and MATEs on demo - we also have already completed two
> > OutBack trainings already which have included working HUBs - and the
> > response at each by all was very positive...
>
> And I am grateful for the effort the Outback team makes to support
training.
> However, I have learned that there is a wide gulf between demo products at
a
> presentation and solutions in the field.  My suppliers do not have HUBs in
> stock, and although their computer shows an estimated ship date of 7/15,
> they follow that with the words "but I don't know how real that is."  I
will
> believe it when I can put my purchase order in the fax machine and
> reasonably expect to receive the UPS shipment within 5 business days.
>
> > The "clunky" aspect of the MATE was in most part due to the lack of the
> > HUB being included - with the HUB included, the ability to jump from a
> > meter or setting on one inverter to the exact same meter or setting on
> > the next with a SINGLE button press - is simply amazing.
>
> Again, I will have to take your word for it.
>
> > The new MATE software allows "one button" EQ and shared battery temp
> > comp sensors - which I think are nice items but not essential to the
> > operation of a system.  We still need to do some field testing of it,
> > admittedly.
>
> Ditto.  And as you acknowledge these are not essential to operation of the
> system--they are just the things you stood in front of me and said loud
and
> proud set you apart from the competitors.  And we've been waiting upon.
>
> > As far as the availability of the Smart Shunt - It will be available
> > when it is done.... Not sooner...
> >
> > Phil - I suggest you be careful with throwing around the term
> > "vaporware" around me again in the future...
>
> And which term would you would prefer?
>
> > If I seem upset - I am. It is very fustrating to put huge amounts of
> > effort and personal time into developing our products - and then have
> > people whine that its not available yet...
>
> See the top of this post.
>
>
> Phil Undercuffler
> Positive Energy
>
>>
>

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