[RE-wrenches] Problems with the Xantrex XW6048

Sat Nov 29 07:01:58 PST 2008

I would check to see if the home owner has added any loads to those  
circuits. The system status screen does show the loads being used .

I have noticed the fluctuation of the AC1 watts and the load watts  
also . I have a 1 KW PV array and a 2.5 KW wind turbine running  
through a XW6048. The wind turbine fluctuates naturally anyway so I  
haven't been overly concerned. You will also have to figure for  
battery charging loses as the charge control is floating the batteries.

Aside from a replacing a smoked board in the XW 6048 a few months  
after installing, I have been happy with it.  It is a big improvement  
over the SW series inverters it replaced. Being able to swap out  
boards without removing it from the wall and sending to a repair  
center is a relief.
Though it would be nice not to have to repair anything in the first  
place.

Jon

Jon Haeme Innovations
NABCEP certified solar PV installer  # 102503-19
Kempton, IL

On Nov 28, 2008, at 5:48 PM, Peter Parrish wrote:

> Good point. The loads are fairly small, totaling about 270 W. The  
> security system, a medical oxygen pump, telephone system, a portion  
> of the basement lighting; totaling about 270 W. That’s why I said  
> “in excess of 3.0 kW”. I expect 3.2-3.4 kW total production at  
> local noon, perhaps less this time of year (the array is a flush  
> mount on a 5:12 roof; dead South). Charge control does show the  
> full amount. I am less concerned, at least at this point about the  
> top end AC sell power; I just want the system to settle down and  
> produce 3.0 kW+ at Noon this time of year.
>
>
> - Peter
>
> Peter T. Parrish, President
> California Solar Engineering, Inc.
> 820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065
> Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax 323-258-8885
> CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26
> peter.parrish at calsolareng.com
>
> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches- 
> bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Jon Haeme
> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2008 10:59 AM
> To: RE-wrenches
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Problems with the Xantrex XW6048
>
>
> What are the loads on the sub-panel being backed up by this  
> system ? Any power being used on that sub-panel would not show up  
> on the screen showing power being sold to the grid . Does your  
> charge control show the full rated output from the array ?
>
>
> Jon
>
>
> Jon Haeme Innovations
>
> NABCEP certified installer #102503-19
>
> Kempton, IL
>
>
>
> On Nov 28, 2008, at 12:22 PM, Peter Parrish wrote:
>
>
>
>
> I was hoping that I would not have to post the message, but I have  
> been unable to sort this problem on my own, and I am attempting to  
> gather information and advice from this august body.
>
>
> We install about two grid-tied battery backup systems a year in the  
> Los Angeles basin and will probably continue to do so at this rate  
> or greater for the foreseeable future. I might add, that it is  
> difficult for us to support these installs and sales because of the  
> added complexity of the systems and the extra knowledge and  
> terminology we have to master. Those of you for whom the off-grid  
> market is your primary market, know this stuff backwards and forwards.
>
>
> Having said that, the information I am looking for is any  
> experiences and advice that the wrenches may have and are willing  
> to share with me about the Xantrex 6048 (or similar) systems.
>
>
> We purchased a XW6048 with two MPPT60-150 charge controllers. We  
> also have a System Control Panel and all four boxes are wired up  
> using Cat5+ Ethernet cables (and terminations). The rest of the  
> system consists of 30ea Sharp 142W modules and 8ea 8A8D 12V/225Ah  
> batteries. The PV modules are configured as six strings of five  
> each and the batteries are configured as two strings of four each.  
> The module strings are combined using fusible combiners of three  
> strings each and fed into the charge controllers separately. The  
> batteries are hard wired using 2/0 cable within the strings and 4/0  
> cable after combining. We are using SS bolts/washers/nuts on lead  
> terminals. The XW system and batteries are located in a fully  
> furnished basement in an air-conditioned home in Los Angeles (i.e.  
> the temperature in the basement varies no more than 65F to 80F.
>
>
> Here’s the problem: I monitor the system around local noon on a  
> sunny day, and expect to see the system producing in excess of 3.0  
> kW, with the batteries fully charged. Here’s what we see: the  
> system is in sell mode and he output power goes through an  
> oscillation from about 2.15 kW to 2.90 kW and back down again. The  
> period of the oscillation is ~5 secs on the rise and ~2 secs on the  
> fall.
>
>
> In consultation Xantrex, here is what we have done:
>
> (1)   Fiddled with the GS voltage. Currently it is 53.0 V
>
> (2)   Upgraded the firmware to Rev. 1.03.00
>
> (3)   Fiddled with the max sell current, now 17.5 A
>
> (4)   Fiddled with 2-stage vs 3-stage charge cycles. 3-stage on  
> charge controller and 2-stage on inverter/charger
>
> (5)   Several other tweaks of no consequence
>
>
> We have made a total of six trips to this customer after  
> commissioning the system, each time with a different set of  
> suggested tweaks courtesy of four different members of the  
> technical support staff. One of the trips was solely for the  
> purpose of the firmware upgrade. All in all, I have been working  
> the problem now for over four months.
>
>
> At this point in time, I have been unable to reach a live tech  
> support person after four tries spread out over two weeks. About  
> five weeks ago, one of the tech support individuals commented that  
> this oscillation in output power was a known phenomenon, but this  
> was the same individual that thought the problem would be fixed  
> with the firmware upgrade. I’m at my wits end. Leaving messages is  
> a waste of my time.
>
>
> I apologize in advance for the long narration, but I was hoping to  
> get all the facts out there at once and minimize the amount of Q&As.
>
>
> (1)   Has anyone seen this phenomenon in the XW systems?
>
> (2)   If so, what was the fix?
>
> (3)   What is the knowledge level and responsiveness of Xantrex  
> Tech support on this system?
>
> (4)   Is anyone experiencing a general decrease in the quality of  
> Tech Support at Xantrex?
>
> (5)   To whom at Xantrex should I escalate this problem I am  
> having? In specific, I have spoken on two occasions with Erica  
> Yedid, who I understand is in charge of post-sales tech support for  
> the SW system.
>
>
> - Peter
>
> Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D., President
> California Solar Engineering, Inc.
> 820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065
> Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax 323-258-8885
> CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26
> peter.parrish at calsolareng.com
>
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