SW Plus [RE-wrenches]

Joel Davidson joeldavidson at earthlink.net
Sat Feb 7 09:24:57 PST 2004


Allen, thanks for the feedback. The old SW4048 pre-GTI was/is great for
grid-tied net-metered PV systems. Although this market has shrunk, what are
you all installing now for people who want grid-tie and battery backup?
Joel Davidson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allan Sindelar" <allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
To: "New wrenches posting" <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 8:22 PM
Subject: SW Plus [RE-wrenches]


> Fellow Wrenches,
> I have noticed that nobody has posted any evaluations of the SW+
> inverter. Here are my observations, comparing the SW+ with an Outback FX.
I
> used an early Outback FX2024 (Ser. #55 with later internal upgrades to
> current specs) for about 6 months last year, then switched to a SW+2524 in
> December. This is a straightforward 24V offgrid system in my own home.
>
> SW+ Pros:
> 1. The clearest and best-written manuals I have yet seen in our industry.
> 2. The Plus is very easy to program and set up, with three successive
> levels. Very user-friendly this way, and more straightforward than
Outback's
> Mate.
> 3. Good AC charging. It held 68A DC during a deep charge from a Yamaha
> 3000iSE (at 6700', so around 2300 watts @120VAC after altitude deration)
up
> to over 29 volts. The FX charged at about 57A initially, but ramped back
to
> around 45A over the same duration as the nonvented unit heated up.
>
> Cons:
> 1. This new unit has a search adjustment down to 8W, rather than the old
16W
> of the SW. However, at 8W, my unit wouldn't go into search mode, even with
> the AC input/output breakers shut off.
> 2. It's quieter than the SW and way quieter than the PS, but still noisier
> than the FX.
> 3. It's not sine wave. I first noticed this when I picked up inverter buzz
> in the speakers on my older Dynaco home stereo system. No buzz with the
> Outback.
> 4. It uses a nicely-designed AC disconnect with built-in IBS and DIN rail
> for four additional QOU breakers. However, this ACCB is 10 3/4" wide. The
> NEC-required DC disconnect is the same size, and isn't set up to hold
> anything, so it can't be used in place of a DC175 (or Outback PSDC). So
the
> width of a SW+ with AC and DC conduit boxes and DC disconnect and 2"
offset
> nipple is (21 + 10 3/4 + 10 3/4 + 10 1/2 + 2 =) 55". This is huge
visually.
> 5. No series/parallel autoformer stacking.
>
> My opinion:
> 1. It does what it does very well, but the mod-sine waveform makes it
> inferior in the current era of true sine waveforms.
> 2. I'm not sure what its market niche is. Its size with conduit box(es)
> makes it hard to fit into an existing system as an inverter upgrade. The
> Xantrex DC175/250 has long been limited as a DC enclosure for all but
simple
> systems, and Outback's PS2 integrated system fits a full package of modern
> products into a smaller package. So unless Xantrex has a major BOS system
> package on the way with better features than Outback's current offerings,
> I'm not sure as a Wrench where to specify it in a system design.
>
> Just my $.02. Anyone else chime in here?
> Allan at Positive Energy
>
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