Portable generators are usually only rated to deliver 60% of their rating continuously.
On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 6:08 PM, Kevin Pegg <kp...@energyalternatives.ca> wrote: > Hi Jay, > > > > Thanks for your information. That generator mode sounds like an excellent > feature. I guess it is time to give the Radian an opportunity. > > > > re: XW+ generator charging - interesting point as I was recently trying to > get an XW+ 6048 to play happily with an under-sized Honda EU6500 generator > and after hrs of tweaking was only able to make it successfully connect > without overloading the generator when input amps were set to 2/3 of > generators rated continual output. It would be nice to have a slower ramp > up to 100% charge rate - something they should be able to do via updated > firmware if anyone cared. > > > > re: XW Power Distribution Panel. I will take credit for that! The first > prototype they showed us had these tiny wee little junction boxes > reminiscent of DR/SW days that was always lots of fun to cram in several # > 6 conductors (ideally when frozen). I lobbied hard for a huge box, and > ultimately the end product turned out quite well. > > > > Kevin > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On > Behalf Of *jay > *Sent:* January-15-16 12:15 PM > > *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] battery-based inverter > > > > HI Kevin, > > > > I agree that tech support hasn’t been the been the best with OB, I do > think its getting better. > > > > As to the charger issues. The radian has a generator mode that as long as > its within voltage limits will use any frequency or harmonics and take it > all out. Amazing. I wrote here some months ago about a radian that ran > the house just fine, but with generator not. And the generator by itself > not either. But in the generator mode, it was perfect. And its the only > inverter out there with this feature I know of. > > > > And I’ve also just had to work on a set of new XW+ units. They seem to hit > the generator super hard on connection. I had to set the total connection > watts to be quite low to make them work. And that was after very long tech > support, that was no help at all. I think there just wasn’t anything they > could do. The customer is having to install a much larger generator to > make his chargers work at higher settings. > > > > A few other thoughts about these two inverters. > > > > Radian is field repairable, XW not > > Radian has easy firmware upgrades, XW definitely not > > Radian has built in WWW access. XW need addition hardware > > Radian has built in AGS, XW not > > Mate 3 easier to use than SCP. Now I know this will be a huge argument, > but try walking a customer through the AGS on a mate 3 vs SCP > > Generator mode on radian is amazing. > > > > > > For the XW positives. The XW BOS is large, easy to wire and will handle 3 > inverters and 4 CC. I love that box. > > Vs the GS box which frankly is a joke. > > > > So I choose the Radian. its not perfect, but. > > > > Jay > > > > peltz power > > > > > > On Jan 15, 2016, at 11:59 AM, Kevin Pegg <kp...@energyalternatives.ca> > wrote: > > > > Interesting thread. Our firm wrote off Outback products several years ago > for two reasons: > > > > 1) beyond abysmal tech support - when we have a problem we need to talk to > a skilled, knowledgeable tech, not some kid reading off a script designed > for end users; or to sit around for a call back that never happens. > > 2) ongoing power quality problems when the inverter was in charge mode via > generator, some more sensitive loads would not operate, causing customers > complaints. Does this still continue with the radians? > > > > It is nice to hear that the radians install ok, though luck is not > something I like to count on working in the remote bush. I am more > interested in Radian installs that were challenging, and was Outback there > to expeditiously resolve the issues and have a happy customers? > > > > My bias is towards the XW series. Our firm was involved in the design and > initial product testing of the XW system. It was a bit rocky at the start, > but has been a relatively stable product. The ability to remotely monitor > and program a customer's system is a big plus for a lot of our remote > clients. > > > > The two big complaints I have with the XW is the useless battery capacity > meter. I know there is an add on module available now but have not tested > that. Customers wonder why I put tape over the capacity indicator lights on > a brand new inverter. And the other is long term stability. We find in > remote automated unattended hybrid cycle charge sites that the inverter > will at least once a year screw up, resolved by a power cycle. So we just > make it part of maintenance routines to reboot the systems when we are > onsite for planned service. > > > > We use SMA Sunny Island product for larger industrial projects. More > expensive, more difficult to set up, more difficult to program - but once > they are up and running solid with no issues and they take better care of > batteries through a smarter charging algorithm. > > > > Kevin > > > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of * > john.blittersd...@gmail.com > *Sent:* January-14-16 6:36 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] battery-based inverter > > > > Kirk, I agree with Peter. I have installed several Radians with good > luck. I installed one SI and it worked ok but was more expensive and very > time consuming to install. Did one XW and would never do it again. Never > has worked right. > > > > John > > Central Vermont Solar & Wind > > > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Jan 14, 2016, at 7:37 PM, Peter Parrish <peter.parr...@calsolareng.com> > wrote: > > My 2 centavos. Stick with them. I prefer their approach over SMA. > > > > - Peter > > > > Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D. > > President, SolarGnosis > > 1107 Fair Oaks Ave. > > Suite 351 > > South Pasadena, CA 91030 > > (323) 839-6108 > > peter...@pobox.com > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *Kirk Herander > *Sent:* Thursday, January 14, 2016 12:39 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches > *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] battery-based inverter > > > > Hello, > > Can anyone recommend a good battery-based inverter for grid-intertie? I > need both generator and utility inputs, 120 or 240 output. I have > experience with the OB Radian series but don’t know what else is out there. > Thanks. > > > > *Kirk Herander* > > *Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC* > > *Celebrating our 25th Anniversary 1991-2016* > > *www.vermontsolarnow.com* > > dba Vermont Solar Engineering > > NABCEPTM 2003 Inaugural Certificant > > VT RE Incentive Program Partner > > 802.863.1202 > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > -- Chris Mason NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ Solar Design Engineer Generac Generators Industrial technician www.cometsolar.com <http://www.cometenergysystems.com> 264.235.5670 869.662.5670 Skype: netconcepts
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