[RE-wrenches] FXR , Mate 3, AGS and Must Run

[Ray]

I agree, software and firmware issues are becoming my #1 call back 
issue.  Off grid, this is totally unacceptable. I'm not using either 
company you mentioned for off grid systems at this time because of 
reliability issues. I've had decent luck with Magnum, and find their 
control system easier for customers to navigate.

Some of this becomes our design responsibility, too.  I generally avoid 
auto start in the first place, and prefer customers that take an active 
role in the system operation.  A SOC meter with a remote start switch 
next to it, operated by a competent human is going to be much more 
effective than any auto start setup.

R. Ray Walters
Chief Technical Officer, RemoteSolar.com
BS Mech Engineering, 1988
Former NABCEP Certified, 2004-2016
Licensed Master ELectrician, Colorado
303 505-8760


On 2/12/17 11:12 AM, Lou Russo wrote:
> Aloha Wrenches,
>
> I have steered clear of the Mate 3 for as long as possible, I have 
> burned through my stash of FXs and now have been installing the FXRs 
> and using the Mate 3. I typically utilize AGS for my clients in a 2 - 
> wire start with a Diesel Genset setup. On 2 recently installed 
> systems, one a FP2 and the other a FP1, the clients require "Must Run" 
> to function. Of course it does not work. I can get it to work if I set 
> the time for a few minutes later, but not for the next day. I have not 
> used this feature ever in the past but since it is in the manual I 
> wrongly assumed it would work. I am running firmware version 3.015 on 
> both Mates. Tech support just wants me to do a factory reset and 
> reprogram. That did not work.
>
> Anybody else having issues getting this feature to work?
>
> On a related note, software problems are becoming a systemics issue in 
> our industry. Being recently burned by Schneider because of a software 
> issue (to the point of breaking an appliance), now this, and endless 
> other little bugs from almost every manufacturer my frustration level 
> with software in the off-grid world is at a all time high. Given the 
> importance of supplying power I firmly believe our manufactures can 
> not and should not take the same approach to software as Silicon 
> Valley does. "Fail early and often" may work for  Facebook, Google and 
> Uber but it has no place in our industry. Keep it simple and fight the 
> urge to engage in feature creep. PLEASE.
>
>
> Aloha,
>
> Lou Russo
> lou at spreesolarsystems.com <mailto:lou at spreesolarsystems.com>
> 440 345 6762 <tel:%28440%29%20345-6762>
> Spree Solar Systems LLC
> CT-34322
>
>
>
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