[RE-wrenches] XW6048 parts problem
Drake Chamberlin
drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
Sun Sep 20 17:09:21 PDT 2009
Hi Peter,
Do you need the extra fan? The VFX has an
internal fan. Are there a lot of heavy loads
that push the limits of the Outback? If not,
take out the fan or swap it for a cover with no
fan. Many VFX inverters didn't come with cover
fans. I don't know if they are standard now, or not.
Or, have the fan go on whenever the direct grid
tie inverter is being called on to charge
batteries instead of feed the grid. If loads are
not real heavy, battery charging, by back feeding
the AC Out, may be the time when the fan is needed the most.
Before inverters started controlling generators,
we used a device called the Simple Switch, which
was a voltage controlled contact. (We'd use it
with a GenWiz). I'm not sure what is out there
these days. You could use the Atkinson GSCM,
generator start module, which senses the voltage.
If you need this solution, I'd call AEE.
Thanks for the heads up on the Xantrex. I just
heard another horror story about the Xantrex 6024
system. According to the installer, the owner
shut off an AC switch and the array cooked a bank
of Surrette 25CS 25 PS batteries. I don't know
the new Xantrex line and don't understand how
this could happen. Is this really possible?
-Drake
At 06:43 PM 9/20/2009, you wrote:
>Hi Drake (and everyone else interested in this thread),
>
>Armed with the information from my esteemed
>colleagues, we went ahead and purchased a
>SunWise “Solar Ready-Grid Tie Battery System”, a
>SRB3.6 to be exact. The heart of the system is a
>GVFX3648. I ordered it without the Charge
>controller and purchased a SB3000 and 3150 Wdc of PV to go with it.
>
>I also purchased a Grainger 2P2T relay with a 12
>V coil in a NC configuration (to disconnect the
>SB when the batteries are fully charged in
>off-grid mode) and an Outback PSX-240 to
>transform the 240 Vac to 120 Vac (in order to interface with the GVFX3648.
>
>When we looked into hooking the relay up to the
>AUX-OUT of the GVFX3648, we discovered that it
>was already dedicated to the fan
>
>So it looks like we will need to put something
>together to sense the battery voltage and
>energize the relay coil, when we exceed the
>threshold. Any recommendations for a add-on HVD?
>And exactly what threshold voltage should we use
>for 8ea 6V 305 Ah (C/24) AGM batteries?
>
>And for Drake: I gravitated away from Xantrex
>because of a very unsatisfactory experience with
>a XW6048. The system failed to work properly and
>Xantrex “hemmed and hawed” for over six months.
>Bottom line: we made six service calls, two
>firmware upgrades and probably two dozen calls
>to largely clueless group tech supporters.
>Through it all, I lost the customer’s confidence
>and he chose another integrator to do a follow
>on commercial project. The last part of course
>was the worst part of the experience.
>
>- Peter
>
>Hi Peter,
>
>The Outback inverter will not regulate battery
>charge while AC coupled. The SMA is the only
>system designed to give a regulated charge to
>batteries in the AC coupled mode. The Outback
>auxiliary relay can be used to drive a relay
>that will disconnect the input to the inverter,
>to regulate battery charge when grid is down. I
>like an "Ice Cube Rely" (such as Idec) to
>control a contactor. The coil of the Idec uses very little power.
>
>Why did you gravitate toward Xantrex from Outback?
>
>Drake
>
>
>
>At 09:25 PM 8/4/2009, you wrote:
>
>I would like to start a thread on AC-coupled
>grid tied battery backup systems. We do a fair
>number of GTBBSs (four to five a year) and I
>have gravitated from the Outback solution to the
>Xantrex XW solution. I am not happy with the XW
>product and especially not happy with Xantrexs
>post sales technical support. I know I have more
>to learn about these puppies in general, so I am
>genuinely disappointed with the uneven TS from Xantrex.
>
>I also had this nagging feeling that the heart
>of a GTBBS should be the tried and true high
>voltage inverter. Enter the SunPower positive
>ground requirement, and now an AC coupled system seems the best solution.
>
> >From the white paper that Outback sent me,
> there was no mention of a heavy duty relay.
> Doesnt the Outback inverter regulate the battery charge control?
>
>Has anyone tried to order a SunWize Solar Ready
>Battery Assemblywithout the charge controller
>(e.g. P/N SRB3.6). It would seem that this is a
>nice package for small energy needs (13 to 26 kWh of battery backup).
>
>- Peter
>[]
>Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D., President
>California Solar Engineering, Inc.
>820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065
>CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26
><mailto:peter.parrish at calsolareng.com>peter.parrish at calsolareng.com
>Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax
>323-258-8885
>
>
>
>
>----------
>From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>[ mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of William Miller
>Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 5:55 PM
>To: jryago at netscape.com; RE-wrenches
>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] XW6048 parts problem
>
>Jeff:
>
>I have a spare. They are not kept in the socket
>but are loose in a bag. Send me your mailing
>address off list. I leave tomorrow for a week,
>so I hope I see your address before I go.
>
>William
>
>
>
>
>At 04:59 PM 8/4/2009, you wrote:
>
>Just completed a large residential
>grid/gen/solar/battery system using a XW6048 inverter.
>
>We are using a SunnyBoy inverter at the array
>and doing an AC coupled backfeed. To do this we
>have installed a heavy duty relay in the output
>of the SunnyBoy, and are using the aux. relay
>contacts on the XW unit to close this relay when
>battery voltage is at high limit (during no load
>power outage to prevent over-charging)
>
>Not sure if we lost it during installation, if
>it shook loose in shipment and fell out, or was
>missing to begin with, but to connect to the
>aux. contacts in th XW requires a very small
>green flat 5-pin connector which is missing.
>
>I contacted multiple people at Xantrex and their
>service center, waded through their web site,
>and finally talked to a service tech. He
>advised that "he was looking for an extra one of
>these connectors 6 months ago and still has not
>received it, as these compoments are made and
>assembled in China and they do not stock
>anything that is considered an assembly part
>used in China to build their units."
>
>First, I did not realize these inverters were
>being assembled in China, and second, who ever
>heard of not stocking a replacement part just
>because its made in China. If that were true,
>95% of everything sold today in US would not be
>able to order replacement parts.
>
>Anybody out their know if there is a Radio Shack
>type supplier where I can order a bag of these
>and get on with the system startup and my life?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jeff Yago
>
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>William Miller
>Miller Solar
>Voice :805-438-5600 Fax: 805-438-4607 email: william at millersolar.com
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>License No. C-10-773985
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>Drake Chamberlin
>Athens Electric
>OH License 44810
>CO License 3773
>NABCEP TM Certified PV Installer
>Office - 740-448-7328
>Mobile - 740-856-9648
>
>
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Drake Chamberlin
Athens Electric
OH License 44810
CO License 3773
NABCEP TM Certified PV Installer
Office - 740-448-7328
Mobile - 740-856-9648
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