Inverter help.

[Interface]

Hi all,

 

I think my Fronius IG20 inverter has died. It was going well yesterday and I said to my wife that it's 12 years old and probably getting close to it's use by date and today there is no readout on the display panel and a smell of plastic. The background light on the panel is blinking on and off.

Currently, what brand inverter has good customer support and warranty? Should I stay with Fronius or go for something else?

 

Looking forward to your input.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited August 2, 2020 by Interface
Word removed.

[IXXI]

Hi Interface,

I have only ever heard good things about Fronius. I believe they have one of the best warranty's available at 10 years. Just need to be sure that you do the online registration, something I think is often missed.

https://www.fronius.com/en-au/australia/photovoltaics/infocentre/news/5-plus-5-year-warranty-promotion

 

[Interface]

Thanks @IXXI,

I looked on the web and of course there's more bad things said than good and mine has lasted for 12 years from installation. I just wanted to see what the members here thought as a guide.

 

Cheers. 

[Marc]

Fronius do indeed have a great reputation. While 10 years is a respectable warranty period, you'd be disappointed for it to need replacement right outside of that warranty. I'd stick with Fronius but it might be an opportunity to upgrade capacity at the same time as gaining some new tech?

[Interface]

In 2008 put in 12 panels and the Fronius. In 2017 added 8 Tindo panels, Sungrow hybrid inverter and LG 6.5 kw battery. I prefer not to  increase capacity but would like to add a Reposit controller or something like that to get better use out of the battery. Any suggestions?

@Marc

Edited August 2, 2020 by Interface
Added

[Marc]

I'm only going down the battery path at the moment so still researching / modelling as I go. Can't offer much input on that one @Interface

Maybe get a few quotes from local companies and see what each of them come up with based on your current system. 

[Interface]

Thanks Marc.

[gibbo9000]

I haven't looked at Reposit lately but looked interesting a couple of years back, but they were a bit 'young' as a company and it was hard to get clear information on its capabilities.  Hopefully that has improved.  What I would look for in any truly 'smart' controller is something that looks at the local radiation forecast for the next day and and makes optimisation decisions based on that, particularly in a 2 tier tariff situations.  Only that way can they effectively manage overnight charge levels depending on expected solar generation the next day.  Some do that on a ' what we expect this time of the year' basis but that is not as efficient as actually reading something the solcast.com.au forecast.

Gibbo

[rmpfyf]

On 04/08/2020 at 10:43 PM, gibbo9000 said:

I haven't looked at Reposit lately but looked interesting a couple of years back, but they were a bit 'young' as a company and it was hard to get clear information on its capabilities.  Hopefully that has improved.  What I would look for in any truly 'smart' controller is something that looks at the local radiation forecast for the next day and and makes optimisation decisions based on that, particularly in a 2 tier tariff situations.  Only that way can they effectively manage overnight charge levels depending on expected solar generation the next day.  Some do that on a ' what we expect this time of the year' basis but that is not as efficient as actually reading something the solcast.com.au forecast.

Gibbo

I'm a former Reposit customer and good mate of their CEO. It does what you ask and then some. 

If you want VPP capability and need to run a battery only, it's the best going. 

If you want to run a battery and other DR capable devices and don't need VPP, CET is a better bet.