[RE-wrenches] Equipment manuals

Thu Dec 10 10:33:44 PST 2015

Manufacturers:

I had a friend (now deceased) that had a mechanical engineering degree & a K-12 EDU certificate that was hired by Hughes Aircraft in Tucson, to write assist Hughes engineers with writing manuals for the aircraft & components they were producing for: ground crews, pilots & maintenance workers. The previous manuals were so obtuse that the manuals were becoming a hazard due to the left field jargon & descriptions the design engineers were putting out there in manuals. 

His mandate was to produce manuals that everyone from the maintenance crews to the variety of additional folks could: have both technical info & non-technical folks could grasp the concept and make decisions too. I think of him every time I open a manual or talk with a programming engineer who expects everyone to think like they do. There is a real art to being able to cross this gap & communicate it clearly, concisely, & accurately. 

I joke with most of my clients that (as in an early Trace manual stated) "if you have issues with insomnia that this manual will help with this issue." It does not need to be as simplistic as the Grundfoss pump manual cartoons with literally NO writing, but there is a vast range between cartoons & most tech manuals today. 

How about it? There is a vast amount of super experienced grey hairs in the solar field that are burn out with turning the wrench, a lot of good people skills & communicating on a lay level that could really do a great job of fine tuning a lot of these manuals. It could be a collage of people that clarify various sections……………..

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dana Orzel 

Great Solar Works, Inc -  NABCEP # 051112-136

E - dana at solarwork.com  - Web - solarwork.com 

O - 970.626.5253  C - 208.721.7003

"Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988"  

 Please consider the environment before printing this email.

-----Original Message-----
From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of William Miller
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2015 9:42 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback customer service???

Wrenches:

Thank you for bringing this up.  There is a big problem with the quality of manuals produced by any of the manufacturers.  This is not unique to the solar industry.  Why is the section that is to be used only once at the front of the manual and the section used most often and in an emergency at the back?  I am referring to the installation and troubleshooting sections, respectively.  How do we expect a customer to make any sense of the manuals we are given?  Why can't manufacturers punch manuals for 3 hole binders?  Arrgh!

I rewrite the manuals for anything the customer is expected to use.  If any of you are interested in a sample of a condensed manual for the Mate or Mate3, contact me off-line.  I keep these under wraps as it is a proprietary value added feature we offer, but I am willing to share outside of our market area.  Maybe there is a career in producing third party equipment manuals...

William

PS:  I am just now writing an abstract for a lecture at a technical university.  Drake's message reminds me to include technical writing as a needed skill in the industry.  There is much work to be done by technical writers!

Wm

Lic 773985

millersolar.com

805-438-5600

-----Original Message-----

From: RE-wrenches [ <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Drake

Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2015 7:57 AM

To: RE-wrenches

Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback customer service???

The manuals could be a lot better too. Usually I need a few pages from a long manual, and don't benefit from reading pages and pages of warnings and basic stuff. Clear and complete indexing could reduce the load on tech support.

At 02:54 PM 12/8/2015, you wrote:

>I too have been frustrated with Outback tech support. I have sat on 

>hold for as long as 40 minutes before anyone picked up. I have 

>suggested they have a "dealers only" line and as any good customer 

>support person would, they empathized with me..........One tech 

>actually told me the majority of their callers were dealers. I think 

>this speaks to the added problem battery based systems and so many new 

>dealers installing them has brought to the industry, but I still feel 

>Outback is doing a disservice to us all......

> 

> 

> 

> > HI Larry;

> >

> > I second your suggestion that dealers have a separate, expedited 

> > contact line that reaches someone with a higher level of expertise.

> > 1) We're repeat customers, and their front line sales team.

> > 2) We're not going to call unless its something trickier to figure

out.

> > This has been a long term problem with several of the manufacturers.

> >

> > R.Ray Walters

> > CTO, Solarray, Inc

> > Nabcep Certified PV Installer,

> > Licensed Master Electrician

> > Solar Design Engineer

> > 303 505-8760

> >

> > On 12/8/2015 10:59 AM, Starlight Solar Power Systems wrote:

> >> Jay, Thats just nuts!

> >>

> >> I have long wondered why companies like this don't separate 

> >> customer service to "professionals" or "dealers" who are promoting, 

> >> selling and installing their products from the "consumers" that 

> >> bought the product online and may not have even read the manual.

> >> We, the wrenches, should have our own contact number or person.

> >>

> >> I did receive a voice mail from Outback (thank-you) now I am trying 

> >> to reach them again to actually place a parts order.

> >>

> >> Larry

> >>

> >> On Dec 8, 2015, at 9:50 AM, jay <jay.peltz at gmail.com 

> >> < <mailto:jay.peltz at gmail.com> mailto:jay.peltz at gmail.com>> wrote:

> >>

> >> tech support is

> >> 360-618-4363

> >>

> >> don't leave a message unless you can wait for a few weeks.

> >>

> >> jay

> >>> On Dec 8, 2015, at 8:46 AM, Starlight Solar Power Systems 

> >>> < <mailto:larry at starlightsolar.com%20%3cmailto:larry at starlightsolar.com> larry at starlightsolar.com <mailto:larry at starlightsolar.com>> wrote:

> >>>

> >>> Does anyone know how to reach Outback customer service? I have 

> >>> called, waited and left messages and emailed them with no response.

> >>>

> >>> Thank you,

> >>>

> >>> Larry

> >>>

> >>>

> >>

> >> _______________________________________________

> >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

> >>

> >> List Address:  <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org 

> >> < <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>

> >>

> >> Change listserver email address & settings:

> >>  <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.or> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.or

> >> g

> >>

> >> List-Archive:

> >>

>  <http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist

> .html

> >>

> >> List rules & etiquette:

> >>  <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

> >>

> >> Check out or update participant bios:

> >>  <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org> www.members.re-wrenches.org

> >>

> >>

> >>

> >>

> >> _______________________________________________

> >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

> >>

> >> List Address:  <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

> >>

> >> Change listserver email address & settings:

> >>  <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.or> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.or

> >> g

> >>

> >> List-Archive:

> >>

>  <http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist

> .html

> >>

> >> List rules & etiquette:

> >>  <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

> >>

> >> Check out or update participant bios:

> >>  <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org> www.members.re-wrenches.org

> >>

> >

> > _______________________________________________

> > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

> >

> > List Address:  <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

> >

> > Change listserver email address & settings:

> >  <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

> >

> > List-Archive:

> >  <http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/mailli> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/mailli

> > st.html

> >

> > List rules & etiquette:

> >  <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

> >

> > Check out or update participant bios:

> >  <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org> www.members.re-wrenches.org

> >

> >

> 

> 

>_______________________________________________

>List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

> 

>List Address:  <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

> 

>Change listserver email address & settings:

> <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

> 

>List-Archive:

> <http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.

>html

> 

>List rules & etiquette:

> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

> 

>Check out or update participant bios:

> <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org> www.members.re-wrenches.org

---

This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.

 <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> https://www.avast.com/antivirus

_______________________________________________

List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address:  <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:

 <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive:

 <http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.htm> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.htm

l

List rules & etiquette:

 <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:

 <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org> www.members.re-wrenches.org

_______________________________________________

List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address:  <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:

 <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive:  <http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:

 <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:

 <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org> www.members.re-wrenches.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20151210/b1b3accc/attachment-0002.html>