used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

rollandelliott
rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
in Solar Product Reviews & Opinions #1
There are some OMNION 6KW 2200 GRID TIE INVERTERs on ebay.
the company is no longer around to service.
Knowing nothing about the condition other than that they are used and currently are in working order what would be a reasonable price?

Or should one just avoid it like the plague.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    IF they are working and you have a few of them and some that could be used for spare parts then they should be ok to buy.
    but price thats a hard one:confused:. As you dont know if they in good physical condition or been near salt air and have some corossion either on the circuit boards or the case or both??.
    And the reason they are not presently used
    · Share on Twitter
  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    Rolland,

    Have you Googled Omnion 2200?

    http://forums.sma-america.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=410

    Would this inverter meet your needs -- string voltage, power output, AC Line voltage, meet the specs of your power Co? Am assuming that you are looking for GT. Looks to me like the 6Kw inverter puts out about 4 KW. Mabe this is common for this class. Only looked at hits for a couple of minutes.

    Not to lecture, but, ... seems that cost is only one parameter. Wonder why the company is no longer around.

    I'd bid $000.00 FOB my dock, if I were you. Whatta I know?!??!
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
    · Share on Twitter
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    I looked at that tread, but honestly dont' see how you come to your efficiency conclusion.
    He's selling them for $450 plus $150 for freight and giving me a "parts unit"
    Weirdest thing about these units is that their input voltage is 120VAC nominal. with a 108 to 132V AC range.
    DC voltage range is 192 to 350V

    I've never heard of a residential inverter that is 120V ac I guess you can't power a stove or heat pump, well pump, etc off these panels.

    Wonder if they are even capable of back feeding the grid at a different voltage?

    "I have an old Omnion 2200 with 8 strings of 4 panels
    BP MSXMillenium 43 watt ASi (stopped making due to deterioration and other issues) , ~90volt with a total voltage of about 330+ volts, ~1,375 watts.
    each leg starts with about +186 and -186v DCinput and settles at about 120 as the output wattage goes up

    I am thinking about replacing it with a SunnyBoy as the best i am ever getting now is 1,054watts both to get more wattage and because i keep replacing $40 diodes on the Omnion 2200 (out of business) if the diode popping doesnt stop.
    I have heard that replacing it might be a bad idea from one solar installer but if it dies I would have no recourse."
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #5
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    Should not be a problem... The only issue is that if you have two or more, you should "balance" them on each LineA to neutral and LineB to neutral.

    Your 240 VAC equipment should not care that the system is only back-driving one of the 120 VAC legs.

    But, because this is 6kW at 120 VAC--You will need a fairly large AC mains panel and branch circuit breaker... if you have 6+kW of panels, then:
    • 6,000 watts * 1/110 VAC * 1.25 = 68 amp minimum
    Assuming 70 Amps is what the 6kW inverter calls for, then for 20% maximum back feed:
    • 70 amps * 1/0.2 back feed = 350 Amp minimum panel
    Or some mix of derated main breaker plus solar.

    If you are going to use less than 6kW of panels, you probably need to do the 1.25x twice (per NEC code--as I understand it):
    • 2,000 watts * 1/110 VAC * 1.25 NEC derating * 1.25 solar NEC derating = 28.4 amp minimum branch circuit
    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    Thanks BB.

    Those numbers don't really work out well. the other thing is the specificaitons for these inverters are so wierd that I can't find a single solar panel that I could hook up to it and actually take advantage of a full 6Kw system. Most panels are 8amps now a days and since this GTI has a max of around 16A of input current that means only two strings of panels, but the maximum voltage of the GTI is very low too so that limits the number of panels you can have.

    Thanks for helping me figgure out this is not a good fit for me.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    Hi RE,

    I know NOTHING of the Omnion 2200s. But it appeared that it might be a GT inverter. In looking at a spec tag in one of the google ebay links, it noted that it was a 120 VAC nominal unit, and the current spec said 34 Amps. 34X120=4080 watts. My comment about the power output was NOT speaking of efficiency, but rather nominal power (out).

    Think that you are in the South East of the USA. I am in CA. Assuming that this is a GT inverter, and that GT is your need, think that this would be a problem, as it is 120 VAC output. In checking the entity in CA that writes specs for the CA GT Rebates (the CEC), NO Omnion inverter is on their list.

    Perhaps this is not a GT inverter. Perhaps your needs are not for GT. I dunno. All I know is what I read. But IMHO, you know what I'd bid for these units.

    Good Luck, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    I'm going by memory, I believe these were a 1990's ish GT inverter, not UL1741 as it didn't exist and was made for thin film panels. When I first got into solar in 2001 I had heard of some installs in CA that had them.

    You can get PV powered or even older Xantrex GT units for similar $$ , These have no value as they are not GT legal
    · Share on Twitter
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?

    good to know, thanks for the history!
    · Share on Twitter
  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: used inverters on ebay, what price is reasonable?
    rollandelliott wrote: »
    I've never heard of a residential inverter that is 120V ac I guess you can't power a stove or heat pump, well pump, etc off these panels.

    There are a few. The smallest Sunny Boy (700W?) is 120VAC, as is the Sunny Island.
    · Share on Twitter

Categories