xw6048 load shaving - what is the jury's verdict?

pcguy2u · November 20

Have read much of the load shaving comments and everyone seems to have an opinion, but have not read one thread where the OP has said it works great.

My inclination is to use batteries almost to the extent of being off grid and changing the batteries from AGM to Lithium. Hoping there are settings that will make the XW6048 load shaving nearly as effective as that of the newer inverters.

This is all due to the tactics of the utility here in NoCal where it concerns solar production.

For those on the original plan (from PG&E in this case) there isn't a huge issue, but the expiration (20 years for those grandfathered) of the terms of compensation now make selling to the grid less desirable.

The current use of power that is utility provided is now reimbursed by a fraction of the wholesale figure, while previously the figure was nearer retail. The real killer is the need to use the power you generate locally (either to charge batteries for later use or to use it for stuff like charging your EV) and to therefore sell less or none to the utility. In other words, power used at night when there is no solar power (or on overcast days), is no longer offset by power generated during the day. Hence, it's best to use power when the sun is shining brightly.

I found it difficult to determine the above from succinct public records, but that is my take on how it has been made to work.

So what do you think?

Dave Angelini · November 21

Pretty old XW. You could try it. Below is one of the ways that the latest XWP worked for me. They are now obsolete.

pcguy2u · November 21

Hey Dave, thanks for that, but the implications of the 6048 being too old suggests that I need to look at not only the inverter, but two charge controllers and perhaps the SCP. Are you aware of any Schneider products that replace the inverter almost seamlessly?

Dave Angelini · November 21

Call the store here ! They still sell XWP. Have them walk you thru it. I still bill this for people but they will do it for free! Below is the Insight Cloud that will modernize your system.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/we/j07ka7t2p2lo.png

pcguy2u · November 21

Dave Angelini said:

Call the store here ! They still sell XWP. Have them walk you thru it. I still bill this for people but they will do it for free! Below is the Insight Cloud that will modernize your system.

The only equivalent product that NAZ has for the XW Pro is the Conext XW and the fellow I chatted with did not seem real familiar and suggested it was not compatible. BTW the graphic above doesn't seem to have relevance here??

Dave Angelini · November 21

You spoke with the wrong guy! Ask for someone who knows XW! The graph is what you use to see the system. Kind of like the scp BUT a visual method of seeing what is happening. Conext is how XW is marketed for the last 10 years or so.
Your XW gray box is completely compatible with the white box XW pro. The one you have was made from 2006 or so to 2012.

below is a home screen for Insight and a link to Schneider Good luck!

https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/66297-xw-pro/#overview

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6024911/uploads/editor/7x/cxjze30iqi1c.png

cleancurrent002 · November 25

IMO, the XW6048 can do load shaving, but it’s not as smooth as newer inverters. Going lithium and using batteries hard will get you close, though. The trick is tuning when your loads pull from batteries vs. the grid. With PG&E rates now, maximizing self-consumption while the sun’s shining is the way to go.

xw6048 load shaving - what is the jury's verdict?

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