Xantrex versus Sunny Boy [RE-wrenches]

[Eric Smiley]

I'm trying to make a similiar decision regarding a 35 kW (STC) system --
12xSB2500 versus, 3xPV10208 versus 1xPV30208.

When a Sunny Boy fails, it can be removed and sent to SMA for repair.
When a PV Series fails, we need to bring a tech up from Livermore. I
think maintance/repair costs may be lower with the SBs.
Also when a Sunny Boy fails we'll lose only 1/12 of the array output.

It's a little tricky estimating life-cycle costs when using multiple
inverters, especially without much information on the probability of
failure. One thing I've realized during this excercise is that inverter
maintenance/repair/replacement makes a myth of the "no maintenance PV
system".

Do any inverter manufacturers provide MTBF info.?

Eric Smiley, BEng, MASc
Project Leader
Photovoltaic Energy Applied Research, Technology Centre
British Columbia Institute of Technology

NE25 - 3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, British Columbia
Canada V5G 3H2

phone: 604.432.8657    fax: 604.436.0286
esmiley at bcit.ca             www.tc.bcit.ca

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