[RE-wrenches] Equipment shortages, long lead times?

[Dan Fink]

With small off-grid equipment, I am seeing lots of substitutions. As in, 
"it might be weeks or months to get you the inverter/charger you spec'd, 
but this other product meets them at a similar cost and can ship right 
now...."

Sometimes that's OK, but sometimes *not* if the product's dimensions, 
electrical terminal locations, and mounting requirements are different. 
When I'm supervising on the day of install and an "inverter / charger" 
turns out to be an "inverter with transfer switch" (but no charger) I 
get really irritated! Happened early this summer.

So -- I open the arriving boxes to check specs and docs, and I keep a 
really keen eye on anything I'm hauling up to the Kenai. When your 
system components have to fly in by float plane or helicopter, costs and 
delays add up fast. Even just a beer run starts at $500....

DAN FINK
Renewable Energy Consultant