[RE-wrenches] TR Inverter Problems

[Ray Walters]

I'm sooo glad I didn't sell the customer this inverter.   I checked, and 
the E panel for an Outback inverter is the same size, so I think we're 
going to keep the E-Panel all wired into everything else, and just swap 
the door (and inverter) out.

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

On 5/1/2013 3:24 PM, Jonathan Hill wrote:
> I gotta agree with Bobbo on this one. What a hunk of garbage! It has 
> about a 50% failure rate in my experience. I guess that means you've 
> got a 50-50 chance of not having a problem though!
> Jon Hill
> solarjon at gmail.com <mailto:solarjon at gmail.com>
> 530-559-3781
>
> On Apr 30, 2013, at 4:54 PM, Bob-O Schultze 
> <bob-o at electronconnection.com <mailto:bob-o at electronconnection.com>> 
> wrote:
>
>> The TR is a classic example of what I call 3C. Cheap Chinese Crap. If 
>> Xantrex had any ethics at all they would have killed that line and 
>> refunded everyone's dough years ago.
>> Bob-O
>>
>> On Apr 30, 2013, at 3:44 PM, Kent Osterberg wrote:
>>
>> Ray,
>>
>> I've got a customer that has the same problem with a dual TR inverter 
>> system. When we first complained, Xantrex promised they were working 
>> on a fix. That never materialized and now the TR is out of 
>> production. It's a lousy product and customer service has been the 
>> same. A few months ago, I was asked to participate in a survey 
>> regarding Xantrex products and service. My responses must have got 
>> someone's attention because I got a follow-up call about the survey. 
>> There never has been a follow-up to correct this customer's problem 
>> inverter.
>>
>> Kent Osterberg
>> Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
>> www.bluemountainsolar.com <http://www.bluemountainsolar.com>
>> t: 541-568-4882
>>
>> On 4/30/2013 3:19 PM, Ray Walters wrote:
>>> Hi Folks:
>>>
>>> I just finished up another ugly rewire project for a customer that 
>>> had another"installer" put in a Xantrex TR inverter.
>>> We fixed numerous wiring issues, including neutral bonded to ground 
>>> in 7 different places!
>>> The issue we're having now though, is that the TR inverter output 
>>> voltage fluctuates when running CF lighting, and the refrigerator.
>>> You can literally see the lights cycling brighter and dimmer, and 
>>> hear the compressor on the fridge running up and down in frequency. 
>>> Xantrex/ Schneider Tech support said that:
>>> A) The TR doesn't do well with CF lighting, and that we should 
>>> switch to all incandescent........ hmmmm.
>>> B)  We should set the search watts to zero (which I already did)
>>> C) We need to increase the loads on the TR, as it doesn't regulate 
>>> output voltage and frequency very well at lower loads........ 2nd 
>>> big hmmmmm.
>>>
>>> I knew there was a reason I quit installing Xantrex inverters about 
>>> 5 years ago, but I couldn't recall the details.  Now its all coming 
>>> back to my feeble, aging brain.  So aside from switching out the 
>>> inverter , (which I just installed on a beautiful Midnite E-Panel) 
>>> does anybody have any cures for our ills?  How would LED lighting 
>>> behave?  Should I throw a capacitor across the output? or perhaps I 
>>> should just retire early and sail around the Caribbean? (I can 
>>> afford a canoe/ no sail......)
>>>
>>> As always, thanks in advance for this wonderful technical (and 
>>> emotional) support group,
>>>
>>
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