25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

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  • Solar squatch
    Solar squatch Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #32
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    Thanks for the ref. I have been pretty sick to my stomach after visiting this debacle. Newbies like this should stay in the cookie cutter world of grid tie. At least the batteries weren't wired with 12 gauge. But everything else is worse than you guys thought. Besides the blatant code violations and only charging half of the battery bank( rookie mistake) . I was appalled to hear that this poor woman spent 500 thousand... That's right half a million dollars. On a non functional system. I hope to remedy the problem by first thing removing those xan[deleted] off the wall. Looking at sma or outback to replace the chineese paper weights. Next off replacing the appollo cc s with something that works for more than a couple weeks, one of the many "systems" had oh just half of the array plugged in. These guys should be strung up by the short arm. Not so clean energy huh? So sorry so so sorry. Typical Texas solar company full of newbies.
    " if it's a service call it's a xantrex" squatch
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #33
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    The Xantrex XW-6048 is best in class, looks like your just going to add to the OP's issues and costs with your recommendations to remove fully functional equipment for no reason
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  • Solar squatch
    Solar squatch Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #34
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    What part of nothing has been functional don't you understand? The boards are shot. The system was installed by morons. And if you think xantrex is the best in class you should try going back to class. Not to mention they have grid tied inverters illegally backfeeding, And that was the sma sunny boy hacked in with duct tape and bubble gum. They were charged a half million dollars here for a debacle. I'm not the one being unethical here. I don't recommend inverter companies that have thousands of Rma numbers on one particular inverter. Sorry but facts are facts fishy boy.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #35
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    Do not blame Xantrex or any other manufacturer for faults caused by improper/illegal installs.

    Let's keep the language civil. Solar Guppy is one of the most knowledgeable people on this forum. Perhaps he just didn't catch the part about the improper install frying the Xantrex units.
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  • Solar squatch
    Solar squatch Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #36
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    Fine then. Just don't infer that I am adding to the problem by offering a legal and code compliant solution. I'm not blaming xantrex for what they aren't doing I can assure you that my friends. But facts remain facts. And when inverters fail it hurts my customers and in return it hurts our industry. Come on down and I'll show you a pile of Rma numbers, and unpaid receivables. And none of those will have outback, sma, or fronious on them.
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #37
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    So you have a bunch of XW class inverters with RMA's for field returns?

    I have never heard of a single XW class inverter on this forum having failed, your childish foot stomping is for the GT inverters, which has nothing in common with the XW hybird inverters

    Xantrex is hardly the only company to be hit with Chinese capacitor issues, its just about every electronic device sold. 250.00 for an hours labor to swap a GT seem reasonable to me, what would you suggest they pay there certified installers for the swap?

    Good luck rebuilding the system
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  • Solar squatch
    Solar squatch Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #38
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    Passive aggressive much? How would you have replied if the shoe was on the other foot? You weren't on the ground, you were not there, you did not see the birdsnest cluster they call an install, but yet you reply in a defaming way not knowing any of the details that the customer couldn't express. You can't use those inverters there, because of the closed minded co- op there. Secondly I'm trying to work with the former contractor to see about them returning some equipment for a refund to replace with a system that will comply. I have also heard back from the guys at sma offering up at what looks like" in kind " inverters for both this situation and the many of my childish foot stompings in the cookie cutter world. I teach hundreds of students yearly, I work with programs to get disabled G.I.s back in the workforce , the pv work force. We may be able to stabilize some of the labor within training classes. So don't be so quick to judge and I stop stomping my feet. And maybe we can kiss and make up. We are probably a lot alike my friend. I think you too would have freaked a bit in what went down. I take my passion too serious sometimes. I'm sorry bud.
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  • Solar squatch
    Solar squatch Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #39
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    But as far as the swap outs go, the GT I had to replace today was built in 04, it has no neutral wire for starters. So we have to pull the can, meaning we have to pull permits. And schedule inspection, we have only one inspector In the area allowed to do solar inspections. We have some issues now with touching the old installs from the late 90s to early 2000 s because as we installers know now how much switchgear etc is no longer compliant, so at the very least you have the trip there, the second trip, to replace the unit, which now with the new disconnect on the front, you hope you got the conduit slack gods on your side, bend pipe , pull meter, add neutral run . Hope it's not a 150 foot run to the service panel ,go home, feel like a schmo cause this is Vicents fourth one , look at the calendar, schedule inspection. All for a 250 bucks. What a deal.
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  • Solar squatch
    Solar squatch Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #40
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    Sorry, clarification on the meter can , Austin keeps your rec credits so they require a revenue meter be installed, still tagged , therefore the permit.
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  • Solar squatch
    Solar squatch Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭
    #41
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    I'd rather not make an" easy buck" of of swap outs, I'd rather have a happy customer. And I'd rather have an inverter that works 10 to 15 years.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #42
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    wow i'm obviously knew but this guy just doesnt have a clue does he? so your blaming this company for what you already posted several examples of illegal / mis-installed systems? before you toss the rock at the glass house think about what you doing if you short out a controller by hooking it up wrong thats not the controllers fault (even if it wasnt you that hooked it up wrong ITS HOOKED UP WRONG)
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,443 admin
    #43
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    Re: 25 kw solar system - electricity usage went up

    Please avoid attacking the poster--We try to question the post instead and ask/offer technical questions/answers.

    There is a huge mix here from newbies to design engineers and manufacturers of solar RE equipment.

    We want people to ask the questions and offer possible solutions and not to address other issues. Add the fact that we are doing this on a message board with none of the rest of us with feet on the ground--there are going to be a lot of Q&A going on here to nail down the issues.

    We have all be newbies at some point in our lives.

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