[RE-wrenches] Off Grid Inverter Replacement Questions

[Larry]

Dan and Allan,

I was not going to comment on this thread since my info is a few years 
old. But since you brought up recent failures I will tell my experience. 
A few year ago we were having failures with new FM60 and FM80 
controllers. Brand new DOA controllers were replaced with used, warranty 
repaired controllers. One customer had 3 controllers replaced in 30 
days. After too many calls to Outback and not one penny in compensation, 
we totally quit selling all Outback products.

Since then we have sold hundreds of Magnum Energy inverters. The only 
failure we have had was very recently with their new MSH series. For 
charge controllers we switched to Midnight Classic. We install 10-15 
Classic 150's per month. We have had 1 DOA but Midnite responded well 
and sent a new replacement.

Attention manufacturers...Customer service is everything to me.

Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems

On 2/9/15 12:14 PM, Dan Tittmann wrote:
> AS someone who works almost exclusively with off grid battery based 
> inverters for years.  I would recommend staying away from the outback 
> line of inverters.  We are seeing outback failures in units that are 
> only 2 to 3 years old, once you get through to the Tech Support 
> generally a 30 to 40 min hold time and forget about the "call you back 
> feature" unless you want a call back in three days.  The board 
> replacements that we get are a total crap shoot.  I have had 
> replacement boards fail within minutes and many of them within in 
> months and there is no warranty on the boards.
>
> I would go with Magun Hybrid as it is a 120 V AC unit and has load 
> assist like the old SW's.  We are always sorry to replace the old SW 
> units but after 20+ years of service I guess they have put in their 
> work.  Magnum has provided us with reliable service since we started 
> installing them 6 Years ago.  I hope they keep their product as 
> reliable with the new owners.
>
> my two cents
> Daniel
>
>
>
> Daniel Tittmann
> CTO
> Greenwired
> www.greenwired.com <http://www.greenwired.com>
> daniel at greenwired.com <mailto:daniel at greenwired.com>
> 707-923-2001 (office)
> 707-206-5088 (Cell)

> On Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 8:02 PM, Allan Sindelar 
> <allan at sindelarsolar.com <mailto:allan at sindelarsolar.com>> wrote:
>
>         Esteemed Wrenches,
>
>         ....What I want to know, please, are answers to two+
>         questions: 1) what's the real scoop? what is now made where?
>         and 2) what actual experiences, specifically product failures,
>         have any of you had that directly relate to changes directly
>         attributable to overseas production? In other words, how much
>         of this is real and how much is rumor?....
>
>
>         -- 
>
>         *Allan Sindelar*
>         allan at sindelarsolar.com <mailto:allan at sindelarsolar.com>
>         NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
>         NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
>         New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
>         Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
>         *505 780-2738 <tel:505%20780-2738> cell*
>
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