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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Friends:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Thanks to all who replied to my plea for help. I know it takes time to reply to this list, time that can’t be monetized. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">So here are the options, as I see it:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">SolarLovesYou.com: Interesting site. It’s like a museum in there. A refurbished inverter is a great idea for a legacy install with old panels and wiring. I can’t offer refurbished for a new install with the warranty required.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Tesla: This is a personal opinion, but I find Elon Musk to be a reprehensible person and it would be very hard for me to bring myself to put one penny in his pocket. I also thought you had to be Tesla certified to access Tesla products and that would be a non-starter for me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Fronius: It would also be hard for me to purchase a Fronius. We installed maybe 20 of the IG series and most of them failed multiple times. Fronius staff disparaged me to clients behind my back. Fronius would not send me warranty replacement parts unless I gave them my credit card number, which I refused on principal (I never once failed to return cores). We lost work because of the problems and conflicts. The product, the people and the policies may be better now, but the bitterness remains. (It is interesting that many of you have described positive experiences with Fronius. This is like the thread about lithium off-grid: There were those adamantly against it and others much the opposite. The only way I can explain the disparity of experiences with Fronius is that many of our failures where at sites within a few miles of the coast and the IG series has flow through ventilation and visibly thin or missing PCB coating.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">The new SMA hybrid: Like I said, expensive and with a lot of unnecessary parts. The release date keeps getting pushed back so who knows when they will ship.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Goodwe: One of my suppliers recommended the GoodWe A-MS Series GW7600A-MS 7.6kW. I have taken a cursory look and this may be the choice.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Its soon since I posted my question, maybe more options will come to light.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Thanks again everyone. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">William</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">PS: There was a section in the 2011 code (690.35) that indicates that if you upgrade from a transformer based inverter the wiring has to either be PV rated or in a conduit. That section disappeared but the recollection reminds me to inspect wiring in older systems before replacing inverters.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Wm</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Miller Solar</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">805-438-5600</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><a href="http://www.millersolar.com/"><span style="color:blue">www.millersolar.com</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">CA Lic. 773985</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><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""> August Goers [mailto:<a href="mailto:august@luminalt.com">august@luminalt.com</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 22, 2024 4:55 PM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:william@millersolar.com">william@millersolar.com</a>; Jay<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Non-battery string inverter options?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal">The last I checked, Fronius's inverters were not compatible with current CA smart grid requirements, so won't be approved to connect to the grid, so be careful there. Maybe they have new models now?</p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Tesla's 7.6 kW PV inverter is good, affordable, and can be installed without MLPE. It also has 4 independent MPPTs and can be software derated to lower AC values if necessary for the 120% rule. I believe BayWa and Greentech are distributing these inverters.</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.tesla.com/support/energy/solar-inverter/tesla-solar-inverter">https://www.tesla.com/support/energy/solar-inverter/tesla-solar-inverter</a></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Best,</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">August</p><div><div><div><div><div><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">On Thu, Feb 22, 2024 at 4:46 PM Jay via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>> wrote:</p></div><blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #cccccc 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Hi william</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Fronius 7.6 kw are in stock. </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">I’ve installed a number of fronius with no issues. </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Jay</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">On Feb 22, 2024, at 4:56 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>> wrote:</p></div><blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Friends:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Now that RSS is required on almost every installation, I am having trouble finding a plain old, non-battery, non-MLPE string inverter. This is for a ground mount with the inverter mounted to the rack-- the only scenario I can imagine that does not require RSS. I don’t need or want battery capability, now or in the future. The project does not have shading issues and the inverter will be mounted on the array, so no version of MLPE is needed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">My usual go-to would be the legacy SMA Sunny Boy series. I can’t dine one for sale and I am getting the impression these are no longer available.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">What might you recommend for this new installation?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">This brings up the question: Of all the Sunny Boy installations I have out there, the next time one fails, what am I going to replace it with? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">The new Sunny Boy Smarty-Pants series is not yet shipping, it is very expensive and to replace a grid-connected inverter I don’t need battery capabilities.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">I can’t use Solar Edge because I won’t want to unwire a complete array and add optimizers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">I am not that taken with Sol-Ark, not only because it includes the word Arc in its name. I don’t need the battery capabilities, AC load center or any of the other complexities.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Any advice is appreciated.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">William</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Miller Solar</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">805-438-5600</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.millersolar.com/" target="_blank">www.millersolar.com</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">CA Lic. 773985</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> </p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Redwood Alliance<br><br>Pay optional member dues here: <a href="http://re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>Change listserver email address & settings:<br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>There are two list archives for searching. 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When one doesn't work, try the other:<br><a href="https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/" target="_blank">https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/</a><br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List rules & etiquette:<br><a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" target="_blank">http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br><br>Check out or update participant bios:<br><a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://www.members.re-wrenches.org</a></p></blockquote></div></div></body></html>