Xantrex 3.0 [RE-wrenches]

[Mark Edmunds]

Hi Wrenches -

I have looked in to this - we do monitor product RMA and failure data
(by manufacturing run) for the GT's very closely and what we have seen
is a steady improvement in reliability since the first few manufacturing
runs...which admittedly did have some "teething" issues that we have
since resolved.  Xantrex has shipped well over 17,000 GT Series
inverters since product launch in October 2004, and overall product
reliability has been excellent. We worked hard to weed out any product
issues before launch but as with most new products there have been a few
"opportunities for improvement". Through root cause analysis of failures
we have implemented several design changes to provide better
performance, whenever we have seen an issue arising in the field.  

With regard to the wiring box...it has changed slightly from the early
GT3.0's.  All new GT Series inverters (GT2.5, GT3.0 with part #
864-0001, GT3.3, and GT3.8) share the same wiring box design...the only
exception is the original GT3.0 design (part# 864-0001).  To date we
haven't had enough failures to build up exchange refurbs, so this is why
you got a new GT3.0 in exchange for the 864-0001 version of the GT3.0.
Sorry for the inconvenience with this. 

The "No AC Present" message can come up for many types of different
failures, as anything happening to the inverter bridge will usually take
out the internal fuse...so the inverter sees AC as no longer present.
(which is good!)

Anyway, there is no such thing as a perfect product so we have tried to
make our service program simple to use, with quick swap units and an
installer service fee available to compensate for time. We are trying to
constantly improve the products, and appreciate all feedback.

Cheers,

Mark


Mark Edmunds
Xantrex Technology Inc.


-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Irish [mailto:jeff at hvce.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 12:24 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: RE: Xantrex 3.0 [RE-wrenches]


We just replaced our first GT series field failure, also a "no AC
present"
error and a 3.0.  The pop off the inverter and leave the raceway feature
is great, but didn't work this time because Xantrex seems to have
changed the raceway construction slightly and the new replacement
inverter didn't match up with the older raceway.  So we had to take
everything apart.  Look out for this - caught us by surprise.  Don't
just show up at the site with the replacement inverter.

Jeff Irish
Hudson Valley Clean Energy, Inc. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Truitt [mailto:atruitt at gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 2:08 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: Xantrex 3.0 [RE-wrenches]


I spoke with a Xantrex rep a year ago about the reputation that
Xantrex GTs have of failing and he assured me that, while the early
GTs did have a "slightly higher than average" failure rate, the
problem had been corrected.  I have had to replace 2 but the good
thing is that you don't have to remove the unit - the inverter itself
just pops right out of the bottom of the casing with the removal of a
few screws.

- Andrew


On 10/11/06, Matt Lafferty <mlafferty at universalenergies.com> wrote:
>
> Brother & Sister Wrenches,
>
> Several GT's have gone down on us.  All 3.0's on 240VAC by the way.  I
don't
> have the service records handy at the moment, but the total is
somewhere
in
> the 8-10 unit range.  This is out of approximately 60 to 70 units
installed.
>
>
> Most failures have shown up within 6 months of installation with a
couple
> DOA.  All but 2 of them reported "AC Not Present" on the displays...
Which
> of course was patently false... Three other non-Wrench installers that
I've
> talked with have reported the same "fault" on multiple installations.
>
> We track serial numbers and there hasn't been a correlation so far.  I
hope
> we don't start seeing 1yr+ failures.
>
> Matt Lafferty
> mlafferty at universalenergies.com
>
> From: SOLARPRO at aol.com
> Subject: Re: Xantrex 3.0 [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>
> Eric:
>
> Last week three of our Xantrex GT series went "Off-Line."  Have
replaced
> two of them, and could find no issue to blame.  We have been
installing
> them since they were introduced.  One unit had been in the field  15
months,
> 2nd = 7 months, 3rd = 3 months.
> Prior to this, no problems, whatsoever.
>
> Patrick A. Redgate
> AMECO
> (888) or (562) 595-9570
> _www.amecosolar.com_ (http://www.amecosolar.com/)
>
>
>
> In a message dated 10/10/2006 9:54:43 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> erics at mcn.org writes:
>
> Anyone  had problems with the 3.0 failing??   We have a few with no
> problems, but one customer is now on their 3rd in 4  months.
> Thanks,
>
> Eric
>
>
> - - - -


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