Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

animatt
animatt Solar Expert Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
Looking for info and I can not seem to find it anywhere on line. I had seen a few posts by people saying xantrex products were assembled in USA and Canada, but components manufactured in China.

I recently saw/found a close up picture of the xw scp label and it clearly stated that it was designed in canada and Manufactured in China.

My wishing full thinking is that the xw-scp is so small there really is nothing to assemble in the USA. When manufactured it is basically done.

I am looking for where the xantrex xw-6048 inverters are assembled.

I am going to be installing a system in Mexico, and they hate Chinese made stuff.(labor competition to Mexico). So they put taxes on Chinese stuff that is roughly 100% of the products costs. Really do not want to be paying an additional $3k for the xw-6048

I much prefer to go with the xantrex xw line rather than the outback lines, but I may need to go outback if xantrex is labeled assembled in china.

I can always smuggle in the small stuff that is labeled made in china. My only concern is the xw-6048.

Anyone have an idea. Would be great if someone could provide me a photo of the labeling on the product.


Thank you very much.

Comments

  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    the XW inverter is fully built programmed and crated in China I believe the XW charge controller is as well.
  • animatt
    animatt Solar Expert Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    While I hate to hear that as I really liked the easy 240volt setup.


    Thanks for the info saved me a bunch of grief and $3000.
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    That's quite a strict import policy. So even if you buy from a US distributor, and it crosses the border from US, they would still unpack and inspect the product and go hunting for "made in china" stickers?
    How about a dremmel and a "Made in Canada" sticker? ;)
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    i guess they also don't know that the chinese have flooded the parts market as well so even if assembled in a country that gets no taxation from them, the parts are likely from china. i prefer that the japanese stay on top of this market as they make quality parts. (and no i'm not dissing american made parts what few are left.) i also should point out that this is how japan got its start by flooding the market with junk back in the 60s. by the end of the 60s to the early 70s they started making quality stuff.
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    Do you have a link to the 100% import tarrif? This is the first report of this and many posters have use and installed XW equipment without mentioning any such import tax.

    You can buy from a US distributor and there is NO import duty taxes what so ever entering Mexico, that's what NAFTA was all about

    Sounds more like your buying local and getting a story to explain higher prices
  • animatt
    animatt Solar Expert Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    I do not have a link to that, but I can speak with some experience.

    A few years back we bought about $1000 dollars of stuff at a kohls store. It was stuff that was severely marked down. Basically lots of 60-70% off stuff. Now we drove it all the Miami Florida, We shipped a vehicle as well as the goods. This was shipped on a cargo ship.

    Anyway on the Mexico side we ran into problems. The vehicle came out without issue, but the other products not so much. First there was a problem with paper work. We had kohls make a total break down of our inventory and handed it over.

    Anyway of the $1000 of stuff they were actually asking for about $3000 dollars in fees and taxes to get it out of there. The shipment was dinning wear, clothes, linens and many home goods. There reasoning at the time was it was made in china, and then since we did not declare it as such they were accusing us of trying to cheat on the import tariffs and the fees went higher. This was all bought in USA.


    On the Mexico side you have to have an certified agent to actually get stuff out of the port. It is a requirement.

    If I were to drive the stuff over the border i am sure there would be a bit more tolerance, but since it has someone else involved they are strict with the tariffs.

    If anyone else reading this knows something i do not I would be glad to hear it.
  • monoloco
    monoloco Solar Expert Posts: 103 ✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    I recently shipped an Outback system and batteries to Mexico through a broker, I paid 11% duty plus freight. I would contact a broker for a quote, I thought that 11% was the standard duty, I have never heard of anyone being charged more for items made in China.
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    I would think the Wind Sun Host could answer this definitively as I'm sure they sell over the boarder all the time.

    Based on what I know of the products sold in RE, I would say better than 95% and manufactured in the fareast
  • animatt
    animatt Solar Expert Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    If I am not mistaken Outback is assembled in the usa. All components made in China but assembled in USA are okay. Atleast that what several brokers have told me.


    Everyone down here on my street all offgrid have outback systems. Something like 20 houses. Every time I see a professional install online located in mexico they have outback.

    Outback is fine. But we are installing a 240v electrical system. SO I was looking very hard at the xw-6048. Wiring nice and clean and simple split-phase.

    Otherwise I will probably go with 2 outback 3048T inverters. My only issue with that(if I understand/remember correctly) is battery charging rate. I believe each outback is 35amp dc charge rate. So I will get 70amps at 50ish volts. That is 3500watts charging rate. That will be lower than my solar panels can technically delivery. 4200watt array.

    Battery bank is probably going to end up being roughly 800amp hours at 48 volts.

    I think the 70amp charge rate is a little low for the battery bank(equalize). I am not sure if I will have to run the generator in combination to solar energy to get proper equalization charging. I was thinking that if I end up going with the outback inverters I may add an iota 48v 15 amp battery charger to give me the little extra boost. TO get into a more expectable range.
  • hillbilly
    hillbilly Solar Expert Posts: 334 ✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    I have no knowledge of the tax/ tariff laws of Mexico, but I can say that your experience dealing with customs is not unusual at all. That can happen regardless, it sounds possible that you may have just been getting jacked around by the customs agents (wasn't near holiday season or anything was it?). Just a thought, that it may not be an "official" policy but an excuse for the Mexican customs agents to charge you some money... of course that does mean that it could well happen a second time, or that they might find some other reason for you to have to pay them some money.
    Just a thought...
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?
    animatt wrote: »
    Battery bank is probably going to end up being roughly 800amp hours at 48 volts.

    I think the 70amp charge rate is a little low for the battery bank(equalize). I am not sure if I will have to run the generator in combination to solar energy to get proper equalization charging. I was thinking that if I end up going with the outback inverters I may add an iota 48v 15 amp battery charger to give me the little extra boost. TO get into a more expectable range.
    For equalization--What I have read, 5% of the bank's 20 Hour Rated AH capacity should be fine...

    For charging, aiming around 5-13% is great for solar... You can go even higher than 13%--but that is very costly with solar panels--and probably only worth it if your AC charger and generator are gotten at "good pricing".

    Otherwise, 10% is the "other minimum" recommended charging current I have seen--Mostly around tall cased flooded cell batteries for better mixing of electrolyte (?).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • animatt
    animatt Solar Expert Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    Thanks for the info Bill, I did not know that the current charging on equalization was that much lower than bulk.

    I feel better if we ultimately have to go with the outback system. If we go that way I think we are going to pick up the Flexpower systems prewired. Just seems like the connections on the outback are just not as clean as the xw, I guess one positive is the sealed inverter.



    hillbilly, I have seen many customs agents in the past and all seem to have expressed that anything made in china is subject to massive taxes.

    That said I am not sure if there is a loop hole for renewable energies. It would have been wonderful if Xantrex was atleast assembled in North America as it would have been enough.

    I will try to contact NAWS if they do not directly anwser here. I am suprised I could not find anything on these forums being where NAWS does its business.



    matthew
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    About Northern Arizona Wind & Sun:
    International Orders
    We sell and ship internationally. There are some restrictions, and some countries we will not accept orders from (such as Nigeria and Gambia), due to the high rate of fraud. For most international orders we highly recommend that you use PayPal or wire transfer instead of a credit card, as we often cannot verify overseas credit cards and there may be delays in shipping your order.

    Note that neither of us Moderators (Niel nor I) have any business relationship with NAWS--We just are volunteers here to help keep spam under control.

    And NAWS does not monitor this forum for business related issues/questions... Please contact them directly:
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    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?
    animatt wrote: »
    I believe each outback is 35amp dc charge rate. So I will get 70amps at 50ish volts. That is 3500watts charging rate. That will be lower than my solar panels can technically delivery. 4200watt array.

    Bear in mind that the outback's charger is only used when you're charging from a generator. Your PV array would be charging through a separate solar charge controller.
  • animatt
    animatt Solar Expert Posts: 295 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    I totally understand. but I would like a bit faster charge rate if I am running the generator.

    WE are purchasing a generator for construction purposes, and that generator will be used for the backup once everything is finished. it is a 10kw diesel generator. I am not sure where efficiency lies on diesel generators. TO low of a load and I think I am burning more fuel than needed. 3.5kw maybe enough, just something closer to 5kw would be nicer. Although house loads may get demands high enough.


    Glad to hear equalization amp rates are lower.

    Matthew
  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    Don't forget, you can add loads to the 10kw genset as the charge load drops. I do this with boosting my solar water heat collector tank (temperature permitting)4.5kw, running my water distiller 1kw, extra heaters, vacuuming 1kw and such like.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    I would recommend keeping track of your fuel usage and watt/kWH output from your genset...

    From what I have seen, typical non-inverter type gensets use about the same amount of fuel for supplying loads from 0-50% or so of rated output... Adding loads to keep it loaded to ~50% while running is "almost free".

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?
    animatt wrote: »
    .......WE are purchasing a generator for construction purposes, and that generator will be used for the backup once everything is finished. it is a 10kw diesel generator. I am not sure where efficiency lies on diesel generators. TO low of a load and I think I am burning more fuel than needed. 3.5kw maybe enough, just something closer to 5kw would be nicer. Although house loads may get demands high enough. ........

    Diesel likes to be loaded between 50% - 90% Less than 50% load, and it will "slobber" unburnt fuel into the ex pipe, and drip black slime. Eventually, carbon gums up the innards. (rings, injector, valve seats) So Load that puppy down, run the air conditioning, charge your batteries and the neighbors too.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • solarix
    solarix Solar Expert Posts: 713 ✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?

    We have recently installed a couple XW systems and can absolutely tell you the packing crate was made in China. No complaints at all though. The unit looks like a made in america design with good components and PCb's. Nice crate too - can't UPS ship though.
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?
    solarix wrote: »
    We have recently installed a couple XW systems and can absolutely tell you the packing crate was made in China. No complaints at all though. The unit looks like a made in america design with good components and PCb's. Nice crate too - can't UPS ship though.

    My XW-6048 came via UPS ...
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xw 6048 Assembled Where?
    solarix wrote: »
    We have recently installed a couple XW systems and can absolutely tell you the packing crate was made in China. No complaints at all though. The unit looks like a made in america design with good components and PCb's. Nice crate too - can't UPS ship though.

    I have to comment that since the 1980's when HP opened for business in China there has always been excellent quality equipment made there. You get what you pay for, anywhere!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
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