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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Hi Peter,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Erika is a good person to talk to about XW systems, she is the technical
product manager for the line. I will look into the history on your site and someone
will be in touch to give you a hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Mark<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Mark Edmunds<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Xantrex Technology Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Peter
Parrish<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, November 28, 2008 10:23 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] Problems with the Xantrex XW6048<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I was hoping that I would not have
to post the message, but I have been unable to sort this problem on my own, and
I am attempting to gather information and advice from this august body.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>We install about two grid-tied
battery backup systems a year in the Los Angeles basin and will probably
continue to do so at this rate or greater for the foreseeable future. I might
add, that it is difficult for us to support these installs and sales because of
the added complexity of the systems and the extra knowledge and terminology we
have to master. Those of you for whom the off-grid market is your primary
market, know this stuff backwards and forwards.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Having said that, the information
I am looking for is any experiences and advice that the wrenches may have and
are willing to share with me about the Xantrex 6048 (or similar) systems.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>We purchased a XW6048 with two
MPPT60-150 charge controllers. We also have a System Control Panel and all four
boxes are wired up using Cat5+ Ethernet cables (and terminations). The rest of
the system consists of 30ea Sharp 142W modules and 8ea 8A8D 12V/225Ah
batteries. The PV modules are configured as six strings of five each and the
batteries are configured as two strings of four each. The module strings are
combined using fusible combiners of three strings each and fed into the charge
controllers separately. The batteries are hard wired using 2/0 cable within the
strings and 4/0 cable after combining. We are using SS bolts/washers/nuts on
lead terminals. The XW system and batteries are located in a fully furnished
basement in an air-conditioned home in Los Angeles (i.e. the temperature in the
basement varies no more than 65F to 80F.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Here’s the problem: I
monitor the system around local noon on a sunny day, and expect to see the
system producing in excess of 3.0 kW, with the batteries fully charged.
Here’s what we see: the system is in sell mode and he output power goes
through an oscillation from about 2.15 kW to 2.90 kW and back down again. The
period of the oscillation is ~5 secs on the rise and ~2 secs on the fall.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>In consultation Xantrex, here is
what we have done:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(1)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>Fiddled with the GS voltage. Currently it is
53.0 V</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(2)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>Upgraded the firmware to Rev. 1.03.00</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(3)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>Fiddled with the max sell current, now 17.5 A</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(4)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>Fiddled with 2-stage vs 3-stage charge cycles.
3-stage on charge controller and 2-stage on inverter/charger</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(5)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>Several other tweaks of no consequence</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>We have made a total of six trips
to this customer after commissioning the system, each time with a different set
of suggested tweaks courtesy of four different members of the technical support
staff. One of the trips was solely for the purpose of the firmware upgrade. All
in all, I have been working the problem now for over four months.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>At this point in time, I have been
unable to reach a live tech support person after four tries spread out over two
weeks. About five weeks ago, one of the tech support individuals commented that
this oscillation in output power was a known phenomenon, but this was the same
individual that thought the problem would be fixed with the firmware upgrade.
I’m at my wits end. Leaving messages is a waste of my time. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I apologize in advance for the
long narration, but I was hoping to get all the facts out there at once and
minimize the amount of Q&As.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(1)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>Has anyone seen this phenomenon in the XW
systems?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(2)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>If so, what was the fix?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(3)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>What is the knowledge level and responsiveness
of Xantrex Tech support on this system? </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(4)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>Is anyone experiencing a general decrease in
the quality of Tech Support at Xantrex?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><span
style='color:black'>(5)</span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;color:black'>
</span><span style='color:black'>To whom at Xantrex should I escalate this
problem I am having? In specific, I have spoken on two occasions with Erica
Yedid, who I understand is in charge of post-sales tech support for the SW
system.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>- Peter</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Peter
T. Parrish, Ph.D., President<br>
California Solar Engineering, Inc.<br>
820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065<br>
Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax 323-258-8885<br>
CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26<br>
peter.parrish@calsolareng.com</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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