[RE-wrenches] Radian orders hardware problems

Tue Dec 4 17:13:14 EST 2018

I have installed a whole lot of GSLCs and Radians. That is the primary product I've installed over the last 5 years. I have always purchased the Radian with the GSLC175-PV-120/240 which comes pre-wired with three shunts etc.

I have never had any problems with missing or broken/cracked parts but I have seen the wiring come loose in shipping. I saw one shunt that melted due to an under-torqued bolt.

I had a Flex-Net that was pre-wired wrong. That issue cost me an extra trip to the remote site at over 8 hours of drive time alone because the initial misdiagnosis was a faulty Flex-Net. That one took me a long time to diagnose because I was operating under the assumption that the factory wouldn't have wired it wrong. Of course, tech support never guessed that was the issue either. This was the one time that I felt like the manufacturer should have definitely compensated me for some of my costs... but I didn't figure that they'd go for that idea so I didn't ask.

I have had a lot of warranty issues with the earlier Radians and the old Mate 3, but so far I've had really good luck recent Radians for off-grid use and with the new Mate 3s. The strangest issue I've had (and still have) with a Radian is that at one site, every once in a while, the grid-tied radian gets stuck in export mode and it'll drain the battery to somewhere around 85% or lower, sometimes exporting until 1 A.M. It is very infrequent and impossible to predict so that issue has never been solved.

Thanks,
Kienan

Maxfield Solar
maxfieldsolar at hotmail.com<mailto:maxfieldsolar at hotmail.com>
(801) 477-0-SUN (477-0786)
(801) 631-5584 (Cell)
________________________________
From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> on behalf of William Miller <william at millersolar.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 4, 2018 12:39 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Radian orders hardware problems

Chris:

We mostly install 8048 inverters.  Regardless, you need all of the hardware for installing a 4048 or an 8048 and any GSLC.  Not having them is a huge headache and cost.  I can’t believe Outback is still letting this happen.

I would familiarize myself with what is needed and inventory as soon as the equipment is received.  Here is a partial list, from memory, and partial photo attached.  I can’t guarantee this list is complete, but it is a start.

1.     2 or 4 8 MM bolts and washers for Pos and Neg ports.

2.     Remove and check shunt for cracks.

3.     All Neg bus bar parts.  Includes two or three bars, 8mm nuts and washers (photo below).

4.     All Pos bus bar parts.  Includes two or three bars, 8mm nuts and washers (photo below).

5.     Flat plate with 10 holes for ganging inverter breakers (photo below).

6.     Screws to mount breakers and FNDC to panels.

7.     Dead-front screws.

8.     Cover screws.

[cid:image004.jpg at 01D48BC6.14159050]

Some of the above parts ship with the inverters, some with the GSLCs.

When you are aligning negative busses to bolt them to bottom of inverter, be very careful if you need to move the bars to align with holes.  It is real easy to fracture the sub-standard shunt bases.  See attached photo comparing the kind of shunt you want versus what Outback ships.  I am looking for a source for the sold-base units. Anyone know for sure where to find the good ones?

[cid:image006.jpg at 01D48BC6.14159050]

I hope this information and level of detail will help some of you save the headaches and frustration I have suffered.

William

[Gradient Cap_mini]
Lic 773985
millersolar.com<http://www.millersolar.com/>
805-438-5600

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] On Behalf Of cwarfel at entech-engineering.com<mailto:cwarfel at entech-engineering.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2018 2:20 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Radian orders hardware problems

I have only installed two so far on the small island I live on and had none of these problems.  We have installed 4048's and I am wondering if these problems are with 8048s or 4048s?  Thank you, Chris Warfel

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