Outback MX60 question [RE-wrenches]

Ray Walters walters at taosnet.com
Thu Dec 22 17:51:20 PST 2005


<x-flowed>
Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Is your computer freezing up or slowing down?
Repair corrupt files and harmful errors - protect your PC
Take a 2-minute PC health check-up at no charge!
http://click.topica.com/caaegt3bz8Qcsbz9JC9a/PC PowerScan
-------------------------------------------------------------------

If it makes you feel any better Allan, I've had every other brand of 
controller fail (other than SCI and they aren't MPPT or PWM)
Had my first C40 go bad right out of the box, Xantrex had no explanation 
for the failure.
Blue Sky has sent me one DOA, and I had a Solar Boost 60 fry a few 
months ago when the customer turned off the battery side breaker with 
the array still hooked up. Blue Sky said that was a glitch that they 
started catching maybe a year ago, so any one with an older Blue Sky 
product could have the same problem. (Tell your customers to turn the 
array breakers off first, and they probably won't have this failure.)
Otherwise its just what Allan was saying:
"Solar Bozo to the rescue for more of those good old negative dollars 
per hour."

Maybe we'll have a special place in Nirvana where batteries and 
equipment last forever and the average American actually appreciates 
what we've been doing.
But if us lowly wrenches are in Nirvana, where do all the Manus that 
never pay us for our wasted time go?

Ray


>Wrenches,
>We recently had an in-warranty MX60 failure, and given the explanation from
>Outback, I'm posting here to find out if this is a common enough failure for
>us to plan some pre-emptive replacement of a few other MX60s.
>
>An MX60 in a PS2 offgrid application (1900W 72V array into 48V battery)
>failed and was reported by the customer. He saw blank screen and no output;
>a reboot caused it to actually charge partially. We determined the
>MPPT/voltage conversion had failed, but the straight-through partial
>charging carried the customer along for 5 days until I could get out with a
>replacement. Sent the unit in for repair and got the unit back repaired and
>upgraded.
>
>A call afterwards requesting explanation of what happened taught me this:
>Outback found a "glitch in the silicone in the Atmel processor". The flaw
>would sometimes short the FETs momentarily when the unit turned on. It also
>in the process welds the relay contacts closed (which is what allowed it to
>charge some even though it had failed).
>
>I was told that Outback found a firmware reprogram that worked around the
>glitch, and applied it to all controllers after serial #7385 (I think
>they're somewhere around #11,000 now). They also recalled some distributor
>stock to do this repair before they went into the field.
>
>Who else has had a similar failure? Anyone had more than one? This was an
>expensive callback that was fully on our nickel. Anyone at Outback wish to
>clarify what I have written here? Anybody at Outback wish to offer a recall
>program for MX60s in a certain range, with a reimbursement for the service
>call to do a replacement? (Dream on, solar bozo...)
>
>Thanks for any responses here.
>Allan at Positive Energy
>
>Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor:
>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>Save up to $1,500 on your phone bill with Packet8
>Free Activation, Free Equipment & First Month Free!
>30-day money back guarantee. 1-877-868-1135
>http://click.topica.com/caaegt4bz8QcscjkcSYf/ TMONE
>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  
>

Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Save up to $1,500 on your phone bill with Packet8
Free Activation, Free Equipment & First Month Free!
30-day money back guarantee. 1-877-868-1135
http://click.topica.com/caaegt4bz8Qcsbz9JC9f/ TMONE
-------------------------------------------------------------------

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------



</x-flowed>



More information about the RE-wrenches mailing list