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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">Dan,<br>
<br>
What Alan said.<br>
<br>
The most important client is the one you turn away. The fact that
the previous installer "fled" and that the client refuses to use a
generator makes an alarm go "ah-OOO-gah! ah-OOO-gah!" in the back
of my head.<br>
<br>
I just walked away from a client after five years of repairing
their boneheaded mistakes.* I should have seen them coming on the
way in. Having repeatedly beaten their system into a quivering
heap for years they are now "disappointed" with its performance
and refused to pay my last invoice. I was there for them on short
notice, on weekends, gave them sympathy discounts, the works. They
think I'm a bad guy. Conclusion: There are some people who are too
mechanically incompetent for off grid living. You cannot make them
happy.<br>
<br>
Say, "I'm sorry, but if you won't use a generator or pay for a
maintenance contract, I can't help you." Really, walk away.
"Gorgeous" and "so close" are the cheese in the trap.<br>
<br>
And yes, a psychology degree would serve any of us better than an
EE degree 99% of the time.<br>
<br>
Good luck,<br>
<br>
Hilton<br>
<br>
* Client: "The system wasn't holding a charge when we had three
toasters and two coffee makers going, so I added four batteries on
the end of the pack." Me: "Um, your system is 48 volts - eight
six-volt batteries. Adding four batteries makes it a 72 volt
battery pack. Your system can't charge that high, so that's why it
died." Client: "But there are four more batteries. That's another
50%." Me: "Remember how I've asked you to call me before you do
stuff? Let's go through this again..."<br>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Hilton Dier III
Renewable Energy Design
Partner, Solar Gain LLC
453 East Hill Rd.
Middlesex, VT 05602
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