MADE IN CHINA??

cupcake
cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Does anyone now where the Magnum PT-100 charge controller is manufactured? Please don't day 'China'... link below:

http://www.solar-electric.com/magnum-energy-pt-100-mppt-solar-charge-controller.html
~1.5Kw PV in parallel
Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Manual states "This PT-100 was proudly assembled and tested in the United States at our facility in Everett, Washington."

    Doesn't mean the boards aren't made elsewhere.. might ask them.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Photowhit wrote: »
    Manual states "This PT-100 was proudly assembled and tested in the United States at our facility in Everett, Washington."

    Doesn't mean the boards aren't made elsewhere.. might ask them.

    Thnxxx -- I love how the morningstar controller is made in Tawain, not china... the PT-100 seems 'untested' --- wanna see if its chinamerican stuff or what...


    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Manufacturing in China can produce good quality products IF they start from a good design AND the company contracting for them does Quality Control checks on the product and does occasional factory inspection visits.
    The biggest risks are when the only name on the product is a second tier Chinese company or the US company does not exercise due diligence in monitoring their suppliers.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • PNjunction
    PNjunction Solar Expert Posts: 762 ✭✭✭
    #5
    inetdog wrote: »
    Manufacturing in China can produce good quality products IF they start from a good design AND the company contracting for them does Quality Control checks on the product and does occasional factory inspection visits.

    Exactly. It all depends on the company, and those willing to pay for quality, no matter what nation it is made in. The other thing that cracks me up is the China-bashing (not directed to the op here) created and viewed on high-quality Chinese computers in the first place. (desktop, cellphone etc).

    Buying junk, again no matter what nation it comes from, only serves to support the crap industry if the bottom line is your only consideration.

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  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
    #6
    PNjunction wrote: »

    Exactly. It all depends on the company, and those willing to pay for quality, no matter what nation it is made in. The other thing that cracks me up is the China-bashing (not directed to the op here) created and viewed on high-quality Chinese computers in the first place. (desktop, cellphone etc).

    Buying junk, again no matter what nation it comes from, only serves to support the crap industry if the bottom line is your only consideration.


    Aside from Panasonic (who now manufactures in China) I can't think of any other company that makes anything from China that lasts -- yes I am on a Chinese computer (HP) and it will last about 2-3 years like all of them. The Samlex inverter and Morningstar charge controllers are made in Taiwan and you can TELL the moment you take the product out of its box -- quality. This PT-100 controller is the first 100amp controller and its price is pretty 'cheap' compared to its high output... THUS I wanna see if anyone has experence with this piece and can confirm or deny Chinese origin...

    as 'more people' get into this 'solar bubble' price becomes a factor and stuff starts getting made in China (like most PV panels..) -- these days you gotta dig to find something not made on the mainland

    PLUS, things are sneaky these days with the manufactures..lines like "made in America" -- then in .5 font print underneath "with parts assembled in China"... this type of tomfollery just makes me more susupicious
    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


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  • CALLD
    CALLD Solar Expert Posts: 230 ✭✭
    #7
    Word has it the most expensive component on a BMW is the badge, think about that the next time you purchase a premium product.

    It's so hard to be sure about quality these days - a German product could contain many Chinese components. In fact pretty much everything these days is made in China. When you look at your US made inveter ask yourself where the capacitors, mosfets, IC's inside it were made?

    At the end of the day your best indication of quality is going to be the standard warranty/guarantee it came with.
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  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
    #8

    Has anyone here ever been to China?

    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


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  • Mountain Don
    Mountain Don Solar Expert Posts: 494 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Hong Kong..... when it was British.
    Northern NM, 624 watts PV, The Kid CC, GC-2 batteries @ 24 VDC, Outback VFX3524M
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  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Mountain Don wrote: »
    Hong Kong..... when it was British.

    Can't really consider Hong Kong as mainland China...
    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #11
    Spent a few weeks in China during 1985 on my honeymoon.

    My wife's side of the family is from China/Taiwan and a few of them do significant business in China (spent more time in Taiwan myself--Let my wife and kids do the talking--Although, English is pretty widely spoken there these days--especially in the major cities).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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