Flexnet DC [RE-wrenches]

[Christopher Freitas --- OutBack Power]

Nick Lucchese wrote:
>   Wondering if anyone out there actually has a Flexnet DC in their 
>   possession yet? Estimated retail price? How about a manual they can 
>   email me in PDF form?  I'm a little unclear if they're shipping yet... 

Yes the FLEXnet DC is shipping - several hundred are out there in  
distribution. List price is $379.00 USD and it does require the lastest 
revision of the MATE software (but we still upgrade MATEs for free and 
also pay for the return shipping).  The DC current shunts are additional 
- but we use the standard 500 amp 50 millivolt type shunts. It can be 
used with a single shunt in the "NET" configuration - or two or three 
shunts in the "T" configuration (where the battery is connected between 
the input and output shunts).   

The FLEXnet DC can be used in several different ways - with the shunt(s) 
configured in the traditional "NET" configuration or in a "T" 
configuration where the shunts are used for inputs and/or outputs 
separately. The "T" configuration gives the benefit that you can see all 
of the power produced and consumed - not just the "net" current. You 
can't mix the shunts in a NET and a T configuration however... it must 
be one or the other.  You can use two or three shunts in parallel for 
either configuration - so this gives up 1000 or 1500 amp capability.
  
The manual is not on the website yet - I will send it to you directly.  
We have a new website going on-line in a few weeks which will have it.  

> Anyone know if they work best or designed just for the newer Flexware 
> boxes? From what I can tell from the spec sheet on Outback's website it 
> appears that the shunts (for montioring up to three channels) are 
> configured in a "T" formation and paralleled with a Bbus. Are there 
> predrilled holes for the placement of this "tri-shunt" configuration? 

The FLEXware boxes include the holes for the three shunts in the "T" 
configuration and the FLEXware BBUS has holes to connect the three 
shunts together - forming the "T" configuration.  Its very tolerant of 
how the shunts are configured - the FNDC actually figures out what each 
channel is doing and self configures - no programming is required for 
each of the shunts.

> I'm really excited for this product as I'm constantly challenged with 
> customers that are unwilling/unable to provide adequate feedback on 
> their system. The Trimetric is great if the customer is technically able 
> but 90% of the time they are left on the "Volts" screen and never 
> re-calibrated. With the 128 day memory log offered I'll finally have a 
> useful tool to monitor system performance since I know this will not 
> change the customers willingness to actually get past the summary 
> screen. 

The FLEXnet DC's two summary screens "DC NOW" and "DC TODAY" has 
everything the normal homeowner needs to see on a regular basis - 
basically, what is happening NOW and how much was produced and consumed 
that day.  This is in addition to the battery voltage and SOC displays 
which is shown on both screens. 

The third summary screen (DC BAT) is valuable to the installer / 
maintenance personnel.  The 128 days of memory is enough time to see 
trends occurring and is enough time for the follow-up visit to see if 
everything is working correctly.  

Showing what is happening in both amps and kilowatts hopefully will help 
the customer better understand how much power they are using and that 
turning off loads makes the battery last longer... maybe?

Christopher Freitas
OutBack Power Systems, Inc.
cfreitas @ outbackpower.com  
www.outbackpower.com
Arlington WA USA
Tel 360 435 6030  


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