Latest news: The SW inverters came back from the dead. They rebooted
everything several times, and they're working again. Once again 20 years
out, the Trace proves why we built an industry around it. We probably
will replace them, but now we have a bit of time to plan it out. Thanks
everyone for the replies. I'll keep you all posted on what we decide to do.
Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760
On 10/8/18 8:50 AM, Michael Morningstar wrote:
Replacing old SW’s has accounted for about half of my work load for the last
two or three years. When my clients have limited means and a single SW4024, I
install a MS4024 w/conduit box, and leave everything else intact. Often, when
dealing with really remote sites, I can have the client send me some pictures
of the “power wall” and I can make one trip out showing up with everything I
need too make the swap in an few hours. My service truck is stocked for every
contingency to do so.
Dual inverters, I lean towards a pre-wired MS4024PAE Mini-Magnum power center.
That’s a pretty quick swap too.
When customers do have the means, or say it's is a new client who purchased a
place with a legacy system, then I just start from scratch, In that case I
specify Radians, either 4 or 8kws, because the Mate 3’s make my life so much
easier. I get calls all the time from folks who have Magnums and ME-ARC
controllers……….”How do I get back to %” Plus with the Mate 3, if these get
wonky, I can have the client send me pictures of the “Events” so Iknow what
were up against. Way more problems with Magnum reliability in the last few
years too.
The question I think about all the time is why is it that all my earlier
systems and those installed by others do so well. I mean, I have built hundreds
and hundreds of SW based systems with modest arrays with a great success rate.
Long battery life and minimal equipment failure. Nowadays I feel like Im
running around putting out fires and wasting my life on hold waiting for “tech
support”. I almost never see ten years with FLA’s.
I love it when I come across an Ananda power center, what a blast from the past.
Michael
On Oct 7, 2018, at 6:02 PM, Ray <r...@solarray.com> wrote:
Greetings Esteemed Wrenches;
I have yet another customer whose 20+ yr old Trace SW inverter has flown off to
inverter Nirvana. I have replaced a few over the years and never quite solved
the quandary of whether to replace the entire power board, or to retrofit a
Magnum/ Outback in place of the SW, and keep the old Trace DC enclosure. In
this particular case, he has a pair of SW 4024s on an old Ananda power center.
I'm considering taking the system to 48 v as well, since this will let us use
the Magnum 4.4 kW inverters. This however will also involve rewiring 20 yr old
arrays of 50 and 75 watt modules......
What is the consensus on the best replacement practices on these legacy
systems? I have several out there with the clock ticking down. My current
idea is to just keep the Ananda and use Magnum's extension boxes to connect up
the new MS 4448 inverters. Its a tough call: I've replaced a few single SW
installs and reused the Trace DC enclosure, and cursed working in those tiny
boxes. In other cases, I've put up a whole new system, but wondered if that
was over kill too. It seems to be a case of more field installation hours vs
more equipment costs.
Sure be handy, if someone made an SW replacement kit, there are still a bunch
of them out there.
As always, thanks for all your comments and ideas,
--
Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760
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