Outback GS8048 Radian

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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #32
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    The only OB products that we use here are the MX-60s, and we know who designed those.

    I am getting a bit concerned about weather or not OB has had a gene implant. Have read that some OB hardware is being made in India. IMHO, this is better than some other parts of Asia, ... But, am a bit concerned that some accounting type is looking around for pennies in the sofa of the Staff Lounge at OB, and perhaps there has been some loss of focus in just what teriffic Customer Service is. This seems expensive to those who look only at today's bottom line, and do not realize that this is how customer loyalty is built and maintained.

    It must be difficult to compete with larger companies who do not care about their customers. And most solar hardware has real materials inside. These materials have become much more expensive in the past five years or so ... and so on.

    Time will tell. Agree with you Chris. MidNite is the company to watch, and wait for the produts they produce, that you need if at all possible.
    Wish Outback all the best. YMMV. Guessing over for now. 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.
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #33
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    I think Magnum Energy is another company to watch. If I'm not mistaken I think Robin Gudgel's wife's son co-founded Magnum with another guy that used to work for Trace Engineering. Witness the fact that they are coming out with their answer to the old Trace SW (haven't been able to get a release date for this new inverter yet). It will be a 120 volt unit, non-stackable (for the first ones) and it has generator load support in it which the designers of the original Trace SW's knew was quite important for many off-grid folks that need to run heavy loads.

    There is only one reference to it that I can find on the internet:
    http://www.nacleanenergy.com/articles/13695/hybrid-inverter-charger

    But I have emailed directly with a couple Magnum engineers, trying to find out when this new unit is coming out, and if they eventually plan to produce a split-phase model. I have only been told that they are "very very close" to production release for it.
    --
    Chris
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #34
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    Well, it turns out the total cost of a Radian upgrade would be about $6,963 by the time we added all the stuff we'd need for it - Mate3 (why isn't this included with the inverter for pete's sake?), FlexNet DC, hub, aftermarket generator controller (Atkinson - why can't Outback build a gen controller for three-wire generators?), and some re-wiring in our house to accommodate a split-phase inverter with no balancing transformer (currently have a separate 120 volt load panel).

    That's a little more than I wanted to spend on a product I'm not quite sure of.

    Our other choice was a Schneider Electric Conext XW. I consider the XW to be a more proven unit. The generator controller for it is made by Schneider and handles three-wire generators - and is 1/3 the cost of an Atkinson. The SCP (System Control Panel) might not be quite as user-friendly as the Mate3 - however the menu structure in it doesn't look really that much different than what I'm used to with the SW+. However, I have to look into product support to find out exactly what happens if you ever have a problem with the unit. If Schneider has gone to "box it up and send it back" field service, there's not going to be a XW on our utility room wall either.
    --
    Chris
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #35
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    chris,
    i must say i'm pleasantly surprised as to how up on things you are. this is good and being up on things i'm sure you are aware many of those companies read here, especially those at midnite so your requirements are being duly noted by some i'm sure. the change in things you want may not come about quickly or fast enough for you, but keep throwing it out there what you would like to see/require and maybe it'll happen one day.
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #36
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    Neil, if I knew for sure that MidNite Solar intends to design and build an off-grid inverter I would be perfectly happy to wait for it. Because I know Robin and boB Gudgel would use their combined experience and put everything in it that everybody always wanted, but never got - and that more than likely nobody else can even match.
    --
    Chris
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #37
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    there were posts recently by Robin/ boB that inverters are on their minds , sadly though they are a ways down the list at this time.

    http://midnitesolar.com/smf_forum/index.php?topic=602.0
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    #38
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    Mate3 (why isn't this included with the inverter for pete's sake?)

    It is wise that the mates are not included with inverters. OB inverters are stackable. If the mate was built in and you wanted to stack a few inverters, you would be buying a few mates. --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #39
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    Yeah - I guess I never thought of that aspect.

    I must say I like the Xantrex concept of the Xanbus (which I think is ModBus over CAN) better than Outback's hub system though.
    --
    Chris
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  • mtdoc
    mtdoc Solar Expert Posts: 600 ✭✭
    #40
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    HERE is an older thread that goes into some details of the pros and cons of the Xanbus. It sounds like issues arise when trying to string too many components together. No issues with it for small systems.

    Outback inverters do have their short comings but they do scale very well. Systems with many multiple inverters controlled by one Mate and FNDC seem to be quite common.
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  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
    #41
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    Well, this is something you don't see every day - SW+5548's, brand new, and this guy has 8 of them. For only $2,500 each. And free shipping in the continental US.
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271067957427&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

    I may have just found the 48 volt upgrade I was looking for.
    --
    Chris
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  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,022 ✭✭✭✭
    #42
    Re: Outback GS8048 Radian

    Buy them all Chris, then you've got spares and spare parts.

    Ralph
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