[RE-wrenches] battery-based inverter

Fri Jan 15 15:29:44 PST 2016

Portable generators are usually only rated to deliver 60% of their rating
continuously.

On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 6:08 PM, Kevin Pegg <KPegg at energyalternatives.ca>
wrote:

> Hi Jay,
>
>
>
> Thanks for your information. That generator mode sounds like an excellent
> feature. I guess it is time to give the Radian an opportunity.
>
>
>
> re: XW+ generator charging - interesting point as I was recently trying to
> get an XW+ 6048 to play happily with an under-sized Honda EU6500 generator
> and after hrs of tweaking was only able to make it successfully connect
> without overloading the generator when input amps were set to 2/3 of
> generators rated continual output. It would be nice to have a slower ramp
> up to 100% charge rate - something they should be able to do via updated
> firmware if anyone cared.
>
>
>
> re: XW Power Distribution Panel. I will take credit for that! The first
> prototype they showed us had these tiny wee little junction boxes
> reminiscent of DR/SW days that was always lots of fun to cram in several #
> 6 conductors (ideally when frozen). I lobbied hard for a huge box, and
> ultimately the end product turned out quite well.
>
>
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On
> Behalf Of *jay
> *Sent:* January-15-16 12:15 PM
>
> *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] battery-based inverter
>
>
>
> HI Kevin,
>
>
>
> I agree that tech support hasn’t been the been the best with OB, I do
> think its getting better.
>
>
>
> As to the charger issues.  The radian has a generator mode that as long as
> its within voltage limits will use any frequency or harmonics and take it
> all out.  Amazing.  I wrote here some months ago about a radian that ran
> the house just fine, but with generator not.  And the generator by itself
> not either.  But in the generator mode, it was perfect.  And its the only
> inverter out there with this feature I know of.
>
>
>
> And I’ve also just had to work on a set of new XW+ units. They seem to hit
> the generator super hard on connection.  I had to set the total connection
> watts to be quite low to make them work.  And that was after very long tech
> support, that was no help at all. I think there just wasn’t anything they
> could do.  The customer is having to install a much larger generator to
> make his chargers work at higher settings.
>
>
>
> A few other thoughts about these two inverters.
>
>
>
> Radian is field repairable, XW not
>
> Radian has easy firmware upgrades, XW definitely not
>
> Radian has built in WWW access.  XW need addition hardware
>
> Radian has built in AGS, XW not
>
> Mate 3 easier to use than SCP.  Now I know this will be a huge argument,
>  but try walking a customer through the AGS on a mate 3 vs SCP
>
> Generator mode on radian is amazing.
>
>
>
>
>
> For the XW positives.  The XW BOS is large, easy to wire and will handle 3
> inverters and 4 CC. I love that box.
>
> Vs the GS box which frankly is a joke.
>
>
>
> So I choose the Radian.  its not perfect, but.
>
>
>
> Jay
>
>
>
> peltz power
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 15, 2016, at 11:59 AM, Kevin Pegg <KPegg at energyalternatives.ca>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> Interesting thread. Our firm wrote off Outback products several years ago
> for two reasons:
>
>
>
> 1) beyond abysmal tech support - when we have a problem we need to talk to
> a skilled, knowledgeable tech, not some kid reading off a script designed
> for end users; or to sit around for a call back that never happens.
>
> 2) ongoing power quality problems when the inverter was in charge mode via
> generator, some more sensitive loads would not operate, causing customers
> complaints. Does this still continue with the radians?
>
>
>
> It is nice to hear that the radians install ok, though luck is not
> something I like to count on working in the remote bush. I am more
> interested in Radian installs that were challenging, and was Outback there
> to expeditiously resolve the issues and have a happy customers?
>
>
>
> My bias is towards the XW series. Our firm was involved in the design and
> initial product testing of the XW system. It was a bit rocky at the start,
> but has been a relatively stable product. The ability to remotely monitor
> and program a customer's system is a big plus for a lot of our remote
> clients.
>
>
>
> The two big complaints I have with the XW is the useless battery capacity
> meter. I know there is an add on module available now but have not tested
> that. Customers wonder why I put tape over the capacity indicator lights on
> a brand new inverter. And the other is long term stability. We find in
> remote automated unattended hybrid cycle charge sites that the inverter
> will at least once a year screw up, resolved by a power cycle. So we just
> make it part of maintenance routines to reboot the systems when we are
> onsite for planned service.
>
>
>
> We use SMA Sunny Island product for larger industrial projects. More
> expensive, more difficult to set up, more difficult to program - but once
> they are up and running solid with no issues and they take better care of
> batteries through a smarter charging algorithm.
>
>
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *
> john.blittersdorf at gmail.com
> *Sent:* January-14-16 6:36 PM
> *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] battery-based inverter
>
>
>
> Kirk,  I agree with Peter.  I have installed several Radians with good
> luck.  I installed one SI and it worked ok but was more expensive and very
> time consuming to install.  Did one XW and would never do it again.  Never
> has worked right.
>
>
>
> John
>
> Central Vermont Solar & Wind
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
> On Jan 14, 2016, at 7:37 PM, Peter Parrish <peter.parrish at calsolareng.com>
> wrote:
>
> My 2 centavos. Stick with them. I prefer their approach over SMA.
>
>
>
> -        Peter
>
>
>
> Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D.
>
> President, SolarGnosis
>
> 1107 Fair Oaks Ave.
>
> Suite 351
>
> South Pasadena, CA 91030
>
> (323) 839-6108
>
> petertor at pobox.com
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *Kirk Herander
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 14, 2016 12:39 PM
> *To:* RE-wrenches
> *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] battery-based inverter
>
>
>
> Hello,
>
> Can anyone recommend a good battery-based inverter for grid-intertie? I
> need both generator and utility inputs, 120 or 240 output. I have
> experience with the OB Radian series but don’t know what else is out there.
> Thanks.
>
>
>
> *Kirk Herander*
>
> *Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC*
>
> *Celebrating our 25th Anniversary 1991-2016*
>
> *www.vermontsolarnow.com*
>
> dba Vermont Solar Engineering
>
> NABCEPTM  2003 Inaugural Certificant
>
> VT RE Incentive Program Partner
>
> 802.863.1202
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Chris Mason
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
Solar Design Engineer
Generac Generators Industrial technician

www.cometsolar.com <http://www.cometenergysystems.com>
264.235.5670
869.662.5670
Skype: netconcepts
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