I think the reason the older systems lasted so long compared to the newer ones is load control and generally a large battery bank so they were not cycled to death
I also suspect the newer inverters are not as “tough” for lack of a better description I have a customer with a rebuilt SW 4024 in the box because he was unsure how the magnum inverters would hold up ! They are now 10 and going strong I guess he can stop worrying now ! Just random thoughts, Bob ellison > On Oct 8, 2018, at 10:50 AM, Michael Morningstar <[email protected]> > 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 <[email protected]> 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 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/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: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/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: [email protected] Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
