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Ray, without a Mate how do your clients initiate an equalize charge
via generator ? Do you just set the Bulk Charge volts at an
equalize V level ?<br>
<br>
Carl,<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Solarwks@cybermesa.com">Solarwks@cybermesa.com</a><br>
<br>
On 10/17/2011 10:09 PM, R Ray Walters wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:02B4E86F-CDA5-487C-9985-CA475FA22478@solarray.com"
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For this and cost reasons ($295!) I almost never offer a MATE on
my Outback systems. We just keep one on the truck adjust
everything, and then pull it.
<div>I've waited for close to 10 years now for the computer
interface, so you could pull everything up in a Windows screen,
click on the particular parameter for more info and adjustment.</div>
<div>The Pentametric does that, and its nice except for the old
serial connection.</div>
<div>
<div>William, I'd be interested in being on the manual review
board. Do we get paid anything or is it sort of like all that
unofficial product beta testing we've done......</div>
<div><br>
<div>
<span>
<div>R. Walters</div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:ray@solarray.com">ray@solarray.com</a></div>
<div>Solar Engineer</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<br>
</span>
</div>
<br>
<div>
<div>On Oct 17, 2011, at 10:25 PM, <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:mark@hurshtown.com">mark@hurshtown.com</a>>
<<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:mark@hurshtown.com">mark@hurshtown.com</a>>
wrote:</div>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div><span>
<div>I am in full agreement.</div>
<div>The Outback remote darn near needs a college
degree to operate.</div>
<div>The sensitive parameters you mentioned should be
in the password protected area.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Mark</div>
<blockquote>
<div>
-------- Original Message --------<br>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Instruction manual / User
interface rant<br>
From: William Miller <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:william@millersolar.com">william@millersolar.com</a>><br>
Date: Mon, October 17, 2011 7:49 pm<br>
To: RE-wrenches <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br>
<br>
Friends:<br>
<br>
I just returned home from a long drive to
troubleshoot a problem with an Outback FX system.
I found that the customer, in the process of using
a remote Mate to start the generator, had
inadvertently turned the global charge control
setting to "off". This causes a problem that is
very serious but hard to detect: The generator
will run but it will not charge the batteries. No
one can know how long ago this was done, but in
the meantime the customers batteries were
chronically undercharged.<br>
<br>
Just a month ago I found another Outback system
where the customer (or someone from another
"solar" company) had selected the "drop" setting
from the "use" menu. Similar results to the
previous case, but in this situation the customer
had to use the bypass breakers to get power to the
house while the batteries did not charge.<br>
<br>
To my mind, this is one of the big problems with
all manufacturers of technical equipment: Poor
user interface. Who, in their right mind, would
put controls to disable critical functions in the
same menu tree as the control to do a common
place, frequently used function such as starting a
generator remotely? And the screens are all
almost identical. This is extremely poor design.<br>
<br>
On a similar subject, all off-grid inverter
manuals are written very poorly. For example, why
put the installation instructions in the front of
the manual? You install a system once, but you
operate it every day. The installation
instructions should be in the back and the
operating instructions in the front (or better
yet, in separate books). Why are we trying to use
the same manual for the installer as for the
user? A majority of users need a 4 page manual
that includes: 1. how to turn the system on and
off, 2. how to read and interpret a few critical
meter functions, 3. how (and why) to equalize
batteries and 4. what to do when your power goes
out. That's it. For the few users that want to
know more, they can wade through the installation
/ technical manual.<br>
<br>
We provide our own checklists to all of our
customers to perform the limited functions
described above. For a sample, see: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="file://D/William/Web/Dreamweaver/Miller%2520Solar/MillerSolar/Services/Support/_support.htmll">file:///D:/William/Web/Dreamweaver/Miller%20Solar/MillerSolar/Services/Support/_support.htmll</a><br>
<br>
We provide these instruction sets to our install
clients and sell them to others, including other
installers (off list, if you are interested).<br>
<br>
I am volunteering to be on a peer review panel to
critique users manuals for off-grid inverter
manufacturer's. Maybe if a few of us grey beards
look over these manuals before they are printed,
we can get them straightened out. Anyone else on
board?<br>
<br>
Rant off.<br>
<br>
William Miller<br>
<br>
PS: Any manual not pre-punched for a three hole
binder is not worth the paper it is printed on.<br>
<br>
Wm<br>
<br>
<div> William Miller <br>
Miller Solar<br>
Voice :805-438-5600<br>
email: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:william@millersolar.com">william@millersolar.com</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://millersolar.com/">http://millersolar.com<br>
</a>License No. C-10-773985<br>
</div>
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