Gavin Stone
Solar Addict
I actually thought he was going to do that days ago.
Terrible Signature Solar / EG4 18Kpv Experience - Returning and Replaced with Sol-Ark 15k
- Thread starter Watts Happening
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Gavin Stone
Solar Addict
I will say though. Everyone has the right to call it quits whenever they want. He has the right to just send the unit back. I also get where Will is coming from. He needs evidence based content.
cs1234
Solar Wizard
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It would be nice to test the unit before SS gets it and document it. Once they have it in their possession, from a business self preservation standpoint, it's likely going to be chalked up as user error or unable to reproduced. I can't imagine they would want to come out and announce the problem in full detail if there is one, unless they have a really quick fix ready to go.
Like I said many posts back. @Will Prowse , you are really the only that can save us here. We can't necessarily trust SS or @Watts Happening. Theoretically, you are neutral.
Watts Happening
I call it like I see it.
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I'll just skip the other comments and get right to the meat and potatoes
Will, you're a young guy, I used to be single and not have a family, stuff like this was super simple. You'll get married and have kids, things change.
I've provided the evidence I'm going to provide, you clearly aren't going to accept it and that's that. I'm not going to spend my night unboxing and setting up an inverter in the hopes that it appeases the people of the internet with a test that does nothing for me either way. I can't tell you what firmware I have, I can't tell you what settings were changed, I'm not going to spend my night wasting that time I can otherwise be spending with my son.
I've repeatedly given information you could use yourself, load that 11.10 firmware they've said themselves backfields. I mean, for shit sake, if Signature Solar says they know it backfeeds, I'd sure like to think they've spend the time to ensure that is the case. I doubt they wrote me that email just for the hell of it.
There's a huge difference between making a video for financial gain and spending the time out of your day/night to unpack and set up an inverter with no real chance of attaining the same result. You think I just have some batch of firmware laying around? You think I have any desire to spend that time for nothing? It's heading back tomorrow, you can say I'm not doing enough work or whatever you'd like, but it's not my job to prove their stuff doesn't work.
In the world I live in, the company telling me they know a certain firmware backfields is all the proof I need.
Will, you're a young guy, I used to be single and not have a family, stuff like this was super simple. You'll get married and have kids, things change.
I've provided the evidence I'm going to provide, you clearly aren't going to accept it and that's that. I'm not going to spend my night unboxing and setting up an inverter in the hopes that it appeases the people of the internet with a test that does nothing for me either way. I can't tell you what firmware I have, I can't tell you what settings were changed, I'm not going to spend my night wasting that time I can otherwise be spending with my son.
I've repeatedly given information you could use yourself, load that 11.10 firmware they've said themselves backfields. I mean, for shit sake, if Signature Solar says they know it backfeeds, I'd sure like to think they've spend the time to ensure that is the case. I doubt they wrote me that email just for the hell of it.
There's a huge difference between making a video for financial gain and spending the time out of your day/night to unpack and set up an inverter with no real chance of attaining the same result. You think I just have some batch of firmware laying around? You think I have any desire to spend that time for nothing? It's heading back tomorrow, you can say I'm not doing enough work or whatever you'd like, but it's not my job to prove their stuff doesn't work.
In the world I live in, the company telling me they know a certain firmware backfields is all the proof I need.
A major problem with getting a better understanding on any of this is people are rarely specifying what version of firmware they are using. If someone has an issue or states that they DON'T have the issue should include what version of firmware they are on.
Gavin Stone
Solar Addict
I’m still not seeing why this would be so earth shattering if something were found. Although I realize all the other points that have been made. But at worst we are talking about a firmware issue at one point and possible defective unit?
Are we saying all the units have this defect and Will just has the lucky 18kpv? So let’s say he finds a defect with the unit. Ok that happens. I wouldn’t expect people to ship Will their growatts or eg4 3kw inverters when something happens.
Why ship an inverter with what appears to be a potentially isolated problem to Will for testing? Just have him replicate it on his own inverter. ??
windsurfer
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What if one of the "employees" is the Director of Research Development and Repair and the other one is the owner of the company? Can't just fire them in that case.
They should just reply to all correspondence with a. It works for some other companies.
I have purchased from SS in the past, but given their response here, I definitely will not be purchasing from them in the future. Their business is not worth supporting.
Let the marketplace fire them. I am Voting against them with my $.
cs1234
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Does SS just publish the firmware on a server and you can download any old version you want? Or do they hoard them like a dragon with it's gold?
Watts Happening
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Here's the best attempt I'm willing to try, you can take it or leave it.
You figure out me getting a refund on the unit by tomorrow morning (I'm not saying I have to have the money tomorrow, but I will cancel the pick up if you come up with the plan before then).
You figure out how to get the inverter from me to you, or back to Signature Solar, or however you want to handle that.
I'll then throw the thing on a bench this week/weekend and record whatever video you'd like to see. I'll also need the firmware 11.10 as soon as possible, I have no idea what changes are being made or have been made. I'll do the best I can to recreate the scenario and we can go from there.
Beyond that, it's going back tomorrow, I just don't have the time to go around in circles or waste tonight. I'm spending time with my son, he's vastly more important than this argument, sorry guys.
You figure out me getting a refund on the unit by tomorrow morning (I'm not saying I have to have the money tomorrow, but I will cancel the pick up if you come up with the plan before then).
You figure out how to get the inverter from me to you, or back to Signature Solar, or however you want to handle that.
I'll then throw the thing on a bench this week/weekend and record whatever video you'd like to see. I'll also need the firmware 11.10 as soon as possible, I have no idea what changes are being made or have been made. I'll do the best I can to recreate the scenario and we can go from there.
Beyond that, it's going back tomorrow, I just don't have the time to go around in circles or waste tonight. I'm spending time with my son, he's vastly more important than this argument, sorry guys.
Watts Happening
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Agreed, that's why I've asked him to install the 11.10 firmware multiple times. If that indeed is the problem, this is a very easy solution.Why ship an inverter with what appears to be a potentially isolated problem to Will for testing? Just have him replicate it on his own inverter. ??
I'm not sure why there is so much confusion. We've had multiple people state it back feeds, both SS and Luxpower say it backfields and there is updated firmware version that helps address this. Not sure why people think they have to get @Watts Happening 's specific unit.
cs1234
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I don't necessarily think they are that bad compared to other companies, certain high ranking members of their company just need to have better impulse control and stop sticking their foot in their mouths. Other companies are just set up structurally in such a way that they avoid doing that as much.
@Will Prowse are you able to tell us what version of firmware you have installed on your system? That makes all the difference on how easily you can reproduce the problem.
windsurfer
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Q for will:
If a customer has a product which he has seen illegally exporting power, why would you expect him go out of his way to reconnect it in order to provide data on the illegal export for you.
If a customer has a product which he has seen illegally exporting power, why would you expect him go out of his way to reconnect it in order to provide data on the illegal export for you.
cs1234
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Ideally somebody who has an export agreement would test it. Otherwise, yes, you would likely get in trouble trying to test it. Especially if it's random and you have to go do other things while it does it's thing.
So I can make a video showing that occurring and why you shouldn't buy it. Then he can take them to court for that illegal exporting. Do you realize that many attorneys would jump on that case instantly.
Watts Happening
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Those lawyers outta start with their admission of guilt.
I’ve got tractors to play with.
Offer stands though.
And yes, absolutely. Do it illegally, piss off utility, then get a lawyer.
cs1234
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I've dealt with a few attorneys, unfortunately..
I'm not so sure they would.. certainly not pro bono. There aren't many attorneys that would have the necessary background to even know what you are talking about.. it's a pretty specialized field after all.
The damages aren't that significant to an individual purchaser, and SS hasn't sold enough of them for a huge class action or anything.
At most it seems like the sort of case a lawyer might get SS to settle out of court on for maybe $20-50 thousand if you can get a few other disgruntled users to sign up on it as well. A great many lawyers aren't even willing to answer the phone for that much.
I'm not a lawyer though, I've just dealt with them in the past and didn't much care for it.
Also, for a self installed product DIY, the onus of making sure it doesn't do illegal things might be considered to be on the end user. Especially since many jurisdictions would have required a permit and possible look over from the electric company before allowing activation, regardless of whether you wanted to backfeed or not.
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