Xantrex GT 3.0 [RE-wrenches]

[Michael Welch]

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Hi gang. 

Cohort Henry Cutler asked me to submit the following info to the list. If you have any questions, please respond to him directly at 
<hhc at solar-guppy.com>.

Matt Lafferty wrote at 11:45 AM 12/13/2004:
  
>Jerry C wrote:
>
>>  Anyone try one of the new straight grid high voltage
>>  string inverters from Xantrex?  I'm curious to hear
>>any reports on performance of the GT 3.0.
>
>I've been getting the same question from a number of people who are
>interested in this inverter, but very gunshy... For reasons I believe we all
>understand.  The question has been asked here, but the only response was
>from the Xannie rep (Mark E) who alluded to "over 20,000 hours of field
>testing.... Extensive reliability testing in the lab.... Positive
>feedback... I'll send you some dealer names offlist"...
>
>This is all well and good as a "consider the source" piece of info, but
>20,000 hours can be made up of a lot of things...  

For the RE-Wrenches , in response to Matt Lafferty and others:

I was a for-hire technical evaluator for the GT3.0 and have been running systems since May of 2004.

I've logged over 4500 hours on my three arrays in these months , the GT's have been run in every conceivable configuration and weather pattern imaginable , their performance , in both efficiency and daily energy harvest is the best I have seen.

My 3 arrays are 2 identical arrays of Matrix Pw-16500-155's which are STC rated 2790 watts and the third array is 22 BP/Solarex 75 watt models at and STC 1650. I have run the GT's in arrays of  8x2 , 10x2 , 12x2 , 8x3 , 8x4 on the Matrix array's , 10x2 , 11x2 and 20x1 , 22x1 on the Solarex arrays. (for the numbers , 8x2 means , quantity 8 , configured for 24 volts , 155 watt panels in series , parallel with another quantity 8 pw-16500-155 panels)

Every minute of every day is logged at minimum 1 second interval , and when logging with the Yokogawa WT2030 , 250ms logging was used for exacting detail of variable irradiance performance. I have analyzed , graphed and provided detailed feedback which yielded many improvements over the months before the general release and I say with 100% certainty , that the GT 3.0 is ready for production

Xantrex designed the GT from the ground up, unlike the Sun Tie which was designed by Trace. To balance your's and other wrenches comments it would be fair to mention that Xantrex invested 3 million dollars to correct the Suntie , at no cost to its owners and replaced the entire field with improved units. I believe this demonstrates a strong commitment to support it's customers

As for derating , I challenge anyone to make a GT3.0 derate ... I did extensive thermal profiling and never used the fan option ... the only way I could make a GT derate , was to cover it in towels , running at full power and after 6 hours , it finally said uncle and started to back off from 3 kW gracefully.

Xantrex has brought to market a unit that is ready for what is becoming the large scale implementation for Solar Products. Xantrex will be standing by their new product lines, including the GT3.0, with excellent support.

If anyone wishes more direct question/answer , you are all welcome to visit www.solar-guppy.com/forum , which is a web-site I host , AD/Spam free for anyone interested in discussing solar products.

One last note , if you would like to see GT units updating with real-time data , my three GT's can be viewed at anytime via the web at www.solar-guppy.com , click on the real-time status link.

Best regards
Henry H Cutler

  
Michael Welch
  
------------------------
"Electricity is but the fleeting byproduct of nuclear reactors. The actual product is forever deadly radioactive waste."
			Michael Keegan, Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Great Lakes
        
Michael Welch, michael.welch at homepower.com
     Home Power magazine
     www.homepower.com
     To reach me: 707-822-7884
     To reach Home Power: 800-707-6585

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