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<DIV>Wrenches,</DIV>
<DIV> We recently decided to try the relatively new 120/240
VAC inverter from Magnum for an off-grid customer. The inverter is located
in a power shed which shares space with a wood gasifier hot water furnace to
heat their house. Upon completing the hookup using an E-panel, we found
that the inverter appeared to be dead on arrival. No activity when the DC
breaker was turned on and the little "on" button pushed. We requested a
replacement from our distributor and when returning to the job site a few days
later with the new unit, decided to try the defective inverter one more time....
it turned on. Then we added another string of batteries and turned it back
on again with no luck.. seemed to be intermittent. We then installed the
new one and same result.. would not turn on. Seemed very unusual and the
Magnum technician we talked to agreed. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Our distributor then allowed us to send a person to pick up another
inverter and get it to the job site. Same result, would not turn on. Now
we have three inverters. Magnum suggested we hook one up and call them to
troubleshoot over the phone. We hooked up each one in our shop first to
see what would happen. One begrudgingly started to work after numerous
attempts to get it to turn on, one would not turn on at all. We warmed
that one with a heat gun (carefully, of course as to not damage it in
any way) and it then fired up. Number three the same. Looks like it
does not come close to the -4 F low end operating temperature. Our shop is
55 degrees F and the customers shed was at least 32F or higher with the furnace
on. Outside temperature was near about 10 F. HAS ANYONE HAD GOOD LUCK WITH
THIS MODEL IN A COLD ENVIRONMENT OR STARTING PROBLEMS AT ANY TEMPERATURE?
I need some feedback to see if we can make this work. I like the idea of
an off-grid only 120/240 inverter that is reasonably priced but we have COLD
weather here. Our Outback systems routinely work in unheated power
sheds.</DIV>
<DIV> I am guessing that once they are turned on, they may have
enough self generated heat to stay on. We reinstalled one late this
afternoon and coaxed it alive with some external heat. We are trusting it
to stay on and keep their heat on. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">John
Blittersdorf<BR>NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer <FONT
size=1>tm</FONT><BR>Central Vermont Solar & Wind, LLC.<BR>104 River
Street<BR>Rutland, VT 05701<BR><BR>802-747-0577<BR>802-773-0924
fax<BR>802-770-8625 cell<BR><A
href="http://www.cvsolar.com/">www.cvsolar.com</A><BR></DIV></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>