[RE-wrenches] I know you've all said, "I told you so..." SolarEdge...

Fri May 24 13:56:44 PDT 2024

Friends - are you installing surge arrestors on your PV input conductors
and grid side AC conductors to hopefully prevent some of the surge and
lightning related damages to inverters? We use SolarEdge often and have
other issues which frustrate us but not often surge related issues.  We
usually will install Midnite MNSPD devices on either side of inverter (DC
and AC) and surge related issues have been very minimal to non-existent. I
know many of you are in areas with much higher incidences of lightning and
grid tribulations than our area.  It does add more expense to the systems
up front but, hopefully it saves significantly more expense and frustration
down the line.
Yes no doubt SolarEdge has a LOT of room for customer service improvement
yet, some of the benefits of their MLPE even when installed on a roof can
be really helpful and save a lot of time troubleshooting that a string
inverter can't ever offer. And yes it is very nice to work on equipment
that isn't hot until you choose to make it so.
Enjoy the weekend!

Sunny Regards,
Kirpal Khalsa
Oregon LRT
Oregon Solarworks LLC
www.oregonsolarworks.com
541-299-0402

On Fri, May 24, 2024 at 1:39 PM Scot Arey via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> This wasn’t an RSD rant (and thank gosh NEC2023 clarifies and reduces some
> silly RSD requirements), but a rant over the damn finick-iness of the BUI
> and multi-inverter setups from SE.
>
> I’ve developed a nervous tik that comes on with lighting and storms and
> hits a peak when phone rings from customer immediately after the
> storm…heck, even the surge from the grid utility coming back seemed to
> freak out the one I was at yesterday which was operating fine in backup
> mode.
>
> Can’t say many didn’t say, “I told you so.”
>
> Enjoy your weekends. Scot
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> *On
> Behalf Of *William Miller via RE-wrenches
> *Sent:* Friday, May 24, 2024 3:13 PM
> *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>;
> offgridsolar at sti.net
> *Cc:* William Miller <william at millersolar.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] I know you've all said, "I told you so..."
> SolarEdge...
>
>
>
> Sorry but my previous post went out before I finished my thoughts.
>
>
>
> I know MLPE electronics can be a pain. I hated the RSS requirements when
> first introduced. However solar energy sources pose unique safety concerns.
> There is no safety disconnect on the sun. IMHO, having a means to safely
> work on high voltage PV circuits during daylight hours is worth the added
> cost and inconvenience.
>
> With all due respect.  Rant off.
>
>
> William Miller
> Miller Solar.com
> 805-438-5600
> www.millersolar.com
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, May 24, 2024 at 12:25 PM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via
> RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>
> Well to me the final, final straw is their stock price losing 2/3 its
> value in a year.
>
>
>
> I tell all of my clients if you ever have to do roof solar, you should use
> a central inverter and not ever put electronics on a roof. Bad enough to
> put solar panels up there!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar*
>
> *"we go where powerlines don't"*
>
>    <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/>https://offgridsolar1.com/  <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/>
>
> *e-mail  **offgridsolar at sti.net* <offgridsolar at sti.net>
>
> *text 209 813 0060*
>
>
>
> On 2024-05-24 9:10 am, Scot Arey via RE-wrenches wrote:
>
> SolarEdge…I keep saying they fixed their reliability issues, but the
> latest storms in Central Texas leave me again with frustration. Some
> systems worked, others did not. Worst was ones that were surge-sensitive as
> grid utility power was restored so a system in backup yesterday turns into
> a service call with the grid back, as a finicky BUI transfer switch didn’t
> go back to grid power.
>
> Make the run to the affected customer and wait and wait and wait for tech
> support, only for them to finally take my call after I’ve packed everything
> up (how long must we wait for a call pickup?) and the first question is
> “send us pics of the installation.” Of course that is to grade the work and
> despite me saying we replaced a comms card in November, and don’t you have
> that picture still? I get the tier-1 blocking before I get to tier-2.
>
> I’ve had a lot of final straws with SolarEdge, each time assuaged by a
> “we’re fixing reliability…we’ve improved tech support” but objectively,
> this company drives most of my reliability frustration. Intra-“box” comms
> are so finicky. I’ve told them they have Backup Interface Units that get
> stuck between grid and backup during the rapid on and off utility outages
> that come with many storms and they try to say “we have not seen that” but
> I tell them I gave five examples just from me!
>
> Vent over…know many of you have left SolarEdge and I suppose its stock
> price a manifestation of that.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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