Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

WisJim
WisJim Solar Expert Posts: 59 ✭✭✭
Hello all
I am thinking of replacing our 10+ year old Trace SW4024 inverter. It is used to run our place with the grid as a backup power source, and it is starting to act up. I am getting an estimate on repairs, but am also considering replacing it. I am not using it in a grid tie or net metering situation, but might want that option. Has anyone had any experience with other inverters with a similar power rating? I am thinking of the work and materials it might take to put in a different inverter of a different size and shape and placement of connections, too.

Any ideas or recommendations?

Jim

Comments

  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    Xantrex XW-6048 6kw is really your only choice , they have a XW-4048 4kw but the price difference is 100 dollars
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    The Xantrex XW hybrid system Inverter/Charger (4024 to 6048) would seem to be hard to beat. Very flexible and efficient. Can be configured for Grid Tied (battery based), Hybrid (GT/Off-Grid backup), or as pure Off-Grid. Supports 120/240 VAC spit phase without any additional hardware/transformers.

    The XW 6048 is not much more than the 4kW 24/48 units.

    Otherwise--are you looking a roll-your-own configuration (separate inverter / charge controller, smaller output, etc.)?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • mikeo
    mikeo Solar Expert Posts: 386 ✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?
    I am thinking of replacing our 10+ year old Trace SW4024 inverter.
    I agree that the xw4024 would be the closest replacement for your SW4024 if you don't want to change out battery systems. Let us know how the repairs go if you choose to go that direction, where, costs estimates, etc. Also if you don't repair it, I may make you an offer on your old SW4024 for repair parts. PM me offline if you decide to sell.
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?
    BB. wrote: »
    The Xantrex XW hybrid system Inverter/Charger (4024 to 6048) would seem to be hard to beat. Very flexible and efficient. Can be configured for Grid Tied (battery based), Hybrid (GT/Off-Grid backup), or as pure Off-Grid. Supports 120/240 VAC spit phase without any additional hardware/transformers.

    The XW 6048 is not much more than the 4kW 24/48 units.

    Otherwise--are you looking a roll-your-own configuration (separate inverter / charge controller, smaller output, etc.)?

    -Bill

    Hi Bill
    Are any the forum members allowed to offer to buy or sell our inused items. I am on another forum for satelites where forum members have a swap or for sale colum. If we are allowed. I have an unused SW 4024 inverter I could offer to Jim. I have the post on how to charge a 24 volt battery system with the 48 volt generator. I could offer my sw4024 that has just been mounted on the wall but never connected and just use the sw 5548 I have. Solar vic
  • WisJim
    WisJim Solar Expert Posts: 59 ✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    Thanks for the quick responses and helpful answers. I am waiting for a call back from the repair folks, and will make a decision after getting an estimate. I might consider the XW4024 as I want to stick with my 24 volt 1500+amphour battery since it is only 11 years old and acts like new. I am expecting to get 20 years out of it, based on my previous experience with batteries. I'll have to see what the repairs might run and then I'll let you all know what the damages are. It cuts out for a split second every few minutes, and the panel says it is a "generator start error", but no generator is connected and it isn't programmed for a generator.

    Jim
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    Buy/sell/swap posts are allowed by ongoing members here.

    Non-commercial, non-repetitive sales.

    And--I guess, large Telco AGM batteries too by new posters (hey--recycling all those batteries to good homes--I hope). :blush:

    Please negotiate by PM or email. I would suggest a final post when the items are no longer for sale (or notify a moderator to close/delete the thread).

    Obviously, we are not EBay.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    Thanks Bill This forum is great and I am learning lots.
    This could be good for jim and me. I could sell my 24 vilt inverter and use the money to buy the extra batterys I need to use on the 48 v inverter and my 48 v generator. Then I wouldn,t need to try to down convert the 48 volt generator I have to 24 volt. Solar Vic:D;)
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    solarvic,
    how old are the present batteries you plan on adding to? it is not good to mix new and old, but if they are fairly new and if they are not hard pressed or abused you could possibly add to them. the problem is that when you add new batteries to old ones the new batteries soon get drawn down to the same state the old ones are in.
    btw vic, pittsburgh has an h at the end.:D
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    I didn,t buy batterys yet. So I would be getting all new. I was asking the questions about the 48 volt gen ect since I already had the 4024 mounted on the wall and didn,t have the money yet to buy 8 of the l16 batterys. But if I sold the 4024 I probably could swing for 8 of the l16 batterys and just put up the 48 v inverter I have. Do you put an h when you call it the burg? :D North of Pi8)
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    i don't call pittsburgh that and it is still slang that you cite. just a friendly note of its spelling as some don't realize it has an h.
    anyway, back to the batteries. my misunderstanding then as i thought you stated you had some already. you may be able to purchase some nearby you rather than online. let your fingers do the walking first though.

    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Taylor & Summerville Battery Co.
    1130-B Damar Avenue
    Akron, OH 44305
    Phone: 330-634-4444
    Fax: 330-634-4455
    dekabatteryakron@dekabatteries.com
    [/FONT]
  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    And some use a capital P :)
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?
    niel wrote: »
    i don't call pittsburgh that and it is still slang that you cite. just a friendly note of its spelling as some don't realize it has an h.
    anyway, back to the batteries. my misunderstanding then as i thought you stated you had some already. you may be able to purchase some nearby you rather than online. let your fingers do the walking first though.

    [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Taylor & Summerville Battery Co.
    1130-B Damar Avenue
    Akron, OH 44305
    Phone: 330-634-4444
    Fax: 330-634-4455
    dekabatteryakron@dekabatteries.com
    [/FONT]

    Niel I tryed that address and it wouldn,t work. I also found a Harris battery distributor that sells some different brands including trojan. Sent an email to US battery website and they told me there is a distributor in New Castle called energy products. Thinking that might be the old New Castkle battery location that closed down. I got some phone numbers to call and an email contact.
    www.energyprod.com and branch manager caltman@energyprod.com
    phone no724 658 5559 New castle is relativly close to you or me. I would guess it is about 40 miles or so from me. Does anyone here have any experience with the US batterys and know what they should cost if you go pick them up at distributor? They have a model RE L16 / 5volt designed for RE and another US L16HC Xc that is an iindustrial also recomended fo RE Solarvic
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?
    Ralph Day wrote: »
    And some use a capital P :)

    Curious. Are you replaceing the SW-4028 with another SW-4028? I have an unused one mounted on wall of utility room that I offered to sell to someone but don,t know what to ask for it. It never has been connected or used. I know I payed over $2500 usd when I bought it and see w that they are still asking more than on Ebay. If you are buying a new one could I ask what you have to pay for it? I am thinking mine should still be worth around $1800. since it is new and has all the relays that start a generator ect. the only reason I am thinking of selling it is I got a 48 volt dc generator and thought I could down convert the 48 volt to 24 volt easily. Starting to think it would be easier to change to a 48 volt inverter and everything would be easier to accomplish since I did get a Sw 5548 inverter I can use even though it is bigger than i need. Solar Vic
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    To Niel. I got the H in pittsburgh now. Solar vic
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    solarvic,
    i came up with that address as a search from trojan's website. i guess they need to update their listings. as to a fair price i can't say as i haven't bought a battery in quite some time, but a big cost is that of shipping it to you if from an online source.
    i wasn't making as big of a deal about the h as some think, but was only making you aware that it has one.

    ralph,
    if you're going to criticize me for not making it a capital p then you better criticize me for not using caps at all to be fair. don't make like i was unfairly picking on him by letting him know it has an h as he can take it off if he wants to. if anybody else besides a moderator would have mentioned it nobody would've paid any attention to it, but let a moderator mention something and everybody gets defensive.
  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    Neil,
    I can completely understand your use of the fastest, least complicated use of the qwerty keyboard. If any of the rest of us had to type as much as you do (and BB Bill) we'd probably start typing like we were on Blackberrys. You do a great job, and I'd not really noticed (or been bothered by) the lack of capitalization until the Pittsburgh h came to light.

    I guess you've noticed how many more postings there are in a day now. If I don't check 2x per day then there's 2 pages of threads with new postings the next day. Lots to learn. Thanks for your hard work.

    Ralph
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    At least it is not 20 pages of spam per day... You are very welcome.;):D

    =Bill (and Niel, and Windsun) :cool:
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?
    niel wrote: »
    solarvic,
    i came up with that address as a search from trojan's website. i guess they need to update their listings. as to a fair price i can't say as i haven't bought a battery in quite some time, but a big cost is that of shipping it to you if from an online source.
    i wasn't making as big of a deal about the h as some think, but was only making you aware that it has one.

    ralph,
    if you're going to criticize me for not making it a capital p then you better criticize me for not using caps at all to be fair. don't make like i was unfairly picking on him by letting him know it has an h as he can take it off if he wants to. if anybody else besides a moderator would have mentioned it nobody would've paid any attention to it, but let a moderator mention something and everybody gets defensive.

    Niel. I wasn,t offended about the h in Pittsburgh. Glad you pointed it out. I tryed to post the address on how to get net metering with First Energy in Pa. So I am going to post about that and type it in. Vic
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    Do you still have the SW4024? I bought ours in 1996 and have replaced the main board 2 times, $1200 each time from "TheCopShop". Now it fizzed again but I still have the menu up and showing but button presses do nothing. I have a remote board in the house that quite a while back and is the same as the one on the front panel of the SW4024. Anyhow picking up another one and keeping this one for parts may be the ticket.

    BTW: I have a new setup I'm installing based on the Outback FX2000 Inverter/Charger. The reason for this was I understand that they will send you replacement boards for the whole system for $400 if something goes south.
    I have been on Solar since 1980 starting with a Heart Inverter.
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    rdts,
    welcome aboard, i am curious what else you had started with back in the 80s in the way of pvs, controllers, batteries, and anything else you had for it.
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    Found what fried my SW4024!! A mouse!

    Hi

    Found out what fried my SW4024 main board, a mouse!! Apparently it got thru the muffin fan by the terminals on the left side then thru the second inner fan. Then the mouse apparently shorted some circuits by peeing and crapping on the top board. I had bought the front control board in hopes that it was the problem as the led's and menu was still showing, just wouldn't respond to button pushes. So I took the SW4024 apart to install it, no dice then notices the top main boards condition. I just finished sending it out in 2006 for repair which consisted of the front board and main board to the tune of $1300. Now I'm told the front board which I just bought is $550 and the top main board is $1500. What a price increase! Anyhow I'm looking for a replacement board at a reasonable price. In the mean time I am installing a Outback 2000, midnight panel and Outback charge controller. From what I understand I can pick up a full set of replacement boards for under $400 for the Outback 2000. It won't surge like the SW4024 or allow 2 gen inputs but after this 3rd repair issue for a unit I bought new in 1996 I may have to rethink Trace/Zantrac. Hope I can find a main board, they really shouldn't be so much.

    In regard to our equipment used since 1980 I started with a Heart FET Inverter that had just come out, before that all you had available were motor inverters which were really inefficient. Our house when I built it was wired dual voltage, 110V and 12V. Never have used the DC wiring. I built my own panels from scrap, broken solar cells with the help of a guy with a vacuum machine. Used a Black backing so anybody wandering out in the desert would think they were water panels and not steal them. I pumped water out of a spring that my wife and at the time very young children helped dig. Pumped up to a 4,000 gallon tank I drug up the hill that provided 20 psi pressure from gravity feed. Only pumped when the generator was on. The second inverter was a Trace 2000 watt, a little black box about 12" square and 8" high. I think it evolved into the DR series. Then in 1996 the big day when I installed the SW4024!! What a gas!! No more loudly humming ceiling fans and computers zapping themselves when switching to generator. Gone thru more battery banks than I care to think of. Currently I am setting up the Outback Inverter and charge controller with 20 brand new BP 160 watt panels and a gell battery bank. Will use the RollsSurretts as backup with a switch to change banks but keep each bank on the separate controllers and panels. Well time to get some sleep and get ready to get the Outback setup powered up tomorrow. 2 weeks of gen only power sucks!!

    Pain in the Butt but wouldn't have it any other way out here. Wait a minute, there is no other way!!

    Oh yeah. I'm thinking about framing or mounting the $2000 mouse! Pulled it's little mummified body out of the fan blade where it couldn't get out and got wedged in there. Time to find and screen any holes in the Battery Shack.
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    For Sale SW4024 with bad main control board (p/n 2019C).

    Hi folk's. Anybody know where I can get a main control board for the SW4024? Its the big board that sits over the top of the transformer winding. Top most board. If I can't fix it reasonable I will sell my front LED board (New) with a remote housing for it. Use it as a replacement part for the SW4024 or I can mount it in the Trace Remote housing. We used the remote in the house to control the inverted which was 200' in the Battery Shack up the hill.

    Update: Found out the board has doubled in price and is now $1400 at best. Zantrac beleives the high price of replacement parts will drive customers to upgrade. Not here!! I have crossed Trace/Zantrac off my list of people I do business with. For a company to sell a product such as this and intentionally force you to eventually scrap it is not right. I think I'll go with Outback (Trace/Zantrac guys that went Out the Back door) or Magnum. At least they are some of the original Heart/Trace guys that engeneered this stuff. Plus you can get parts for either brand and/or repair it yourself without getting ripped off.

    Asking $500 for the LED board which is brand new, never used and $300 for the LED board that is in the SW4024. Or will take $1500 (OBO) for the Complete SW4024(Bad main board) with the new LED board and remote housing thrown in. Of coarse you pay ship as these are heavy.
  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Replacing Trace SW4024 inverter?

    Problem with changing the main controller board is it usually requires an alignment and calibration that requires the servicing software.

    If you don't see any obvious burnt parts try to get some Trichlor solvent and give board a good cleaning. Some of the circuits are very vunerable to PCB leakage paths. Doesn't burn out the parts but screws up operation.