GC-1000 and EarthSafe Systems [RE-wrenches]

[Peter Parrish]

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Although I have never installed an EarthSafe system from Shell or an AEI
GC1000 inverter, I sure get a lot of calls from folks who own one and are
looking for an installer to come out and fix one that isn't working.

 

I generally turn down these invitations, but if the poor soul is within a 10
mile radius, and I have business in the vicinity, I will go by and see what
I can do.

 

I have done this 3 times now in the past 6 or 7 months - and I have gotten
about 10 calls altogether. In 2 of the cases a 10A DC string fuse was blown
and in the other 1 case, the 15A AC fuse was blown. In all 3 cases, I
replaced the fuse and explained to the customer what I did. If they seemed
inclined, I showed them how to de-energize the inverter and pull and replace
the fuse. Two of the inverters that blew DC fuses, blew them again in a few
months.

 

After talking with folks in the industry including a very knowledgeable Los
Angeles DWP inspector, it seems that the fuse clips are poorly designed. The
clips do not make adequate electrical contact with the fuse, and the
resulting contact resistance causes heating of the clip and fuse, which
anneals the clip, causing the contact to further degrade, etc. until the
fuse blows due to overall heating of the fuse body and local heating of the
fuse link.

 

Of course AEI is out of business, but my question is as follows: if Shell
Solar sold a pre-engineered solar electric system to a retailer/installer,
and a component of the system turns out to be a "lemon", does Shell have any
responsibility to provide a warranty replacement kit to the purchaser (the
retailer or installer)? I'm not talking about the service call itself,
because the installer should step forward, but how to deal with demonstrably
inferior components?

 

I know that there was some discussion earlier about reimbursement for
warranty service calls; this seems to be another facet of the general
problem.

 

Peter Parrish

California Solar Engineering

info at calsoalreng.com

 

 


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