[RE-wrenches] Distributors versus manufacturers providing support

[Maverick Brown]

Jason

I agree with you. It is strange and dumb to track down a secret handshake through the distribution to get access to the manufacturer’s monitoring service. The distributor did know I ordered but didn’t send a preemptive welcome message. That’s on me, of course. 

I installed an EG4 18Kpv and I had to call Current Connected to get the secret password of CurrentConnected. Haha!

Fortress Power did this right and printed in the manual “use code provided by the distributor or just use ‘Fortress’ as the code. Great, I didn’t have to call anyone! 

I have to track down the same for MidNite AIO as well or some other similar account setup thing. 

I’m trying to consolidate what I install and recommend (and therefore have to manage). So far: Fortress Envy and MidNite AIO are the way to go.


Thank you,

Maverick

Maverick Brown
Off-Grid Solar Commander since 2006
Maverick Solar Enterprises, Inc.
 • Solar Commander Remote Power
 • SunFlow Systems Cathodic Protection 
maverick at mavericksolar.com
512-460-9825



> On Apr 22, 2025, at 7:00 AM, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> I'm trying to get my head wrapped around distributors providing technical support services for manufacturers. I first noticed it with Signature Solar and others providing support for EG4. I thought it was strange that I needed to go through the distributor to establish an installer monitoring account for EG4. I just found out that the same thing applies to Midnite AIO. 
> 
> What makes it even more confusing is that you can get support from both the distributor and the manufacturer. And sometimes you get different answers. I have experienced this with battery integration questions. I think the manufacturer wants to claim maximum compatibility while the distributor may have a more realistic and practical understanding. In that respect, hearing it from a distributor, AKA salesperson, seems like a good idea. But when you are looking for raw technical information, it seems reasonable to go directly to the manufacturer.
> 
> Admittedly, there has always been a little bit of overlap, but mostly it was technical advice geared toward the system design and component compatibility that you would receive from the distributor. When it came to technical support, fault resolution, and monitoring issues, the manufacturer was always the primary source. That seems to be changing in some cases. 
> 
> It seems like there is some end user risk here for both installers and system owners.
> 
> What if you purchase products from multiple vendors? Do you need multiple installer monitoring accounts? How would a distributor know if they supplied a product for which you are seeking support? It would be hard enough keeping track myself. And what happens if that distributor goes out of business?
> 
> Fun times...
> 
> Jason Szumlanski 
> Florida Solar Design Group 
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