Does anyone keep back up equipment on the shelf?

[Supervstech]

My system could easily be handled by 4 AIO's. Which is why I will be running 8. None will ever work harder than 50%. And if one dies, it can easily be isolated and swapped. While the rest of the system continues to run.
Same goes for batteries, and transformers. The whole system is designed around redundancy and easy replacement. With spares of everything. Because you never know when a product will be discontinued.

Idk, the problem with that many units is parasitic loss...
8 units can drain a kwh a day or more...

 

[timselectric]

Idk, the problem with that many units is parasitic loss...
8 units can drain a kwh a day or more...

For the size of the completed system. I don't think that it will be an issue.
But if it is, I will just shut some down at times of concern.
They will also be divided into two separate systems. With the ability to backup each other. So that (if needed) I can run everything from either system alone.

 

[LakeHouse]

While I don't have a 'large system', I have no option of switching to grid so I have backups (or redundancy) for:

• Wire, connectors, fuses, breakers, bus bars, switches, etc. I want to have spares for anything that cost less than $50.
• BMS. I can't source a new one locally, and it would bring down my entire system for potentially days or weeks.
• SCC

I don't have backups for:

• LFP cells. But I have a single 16S pack and could run my system off either 15 or 14 cells, at least in the short term. A future additional battery will add redundancy.
• Inverter - This is currently the biggest risk. I do have an old 12V system that I could hook up with a few hours work to keep the lights on, or I could power the whole place with the generator, but only for a few hours with the fuel I normally have on hand. Also, I could source a new Inverter locally in a few hours if absolutely necessary.
• Panels. Available locally, and with the battery capacity and generator I could live without solar for at least a few days.

 

[Hedges]

Some systems can wake up additional inverters automatically according to load. I plan to enable that eventually.

Off-line spares have their own benefits, like not experiencing transients.

Heck, I have a spare water heater. Little 4 gallon unit; if big one dies I splice this in with hoses.

 

[profesor79]

It does cause one to wonder if diagnostic tests can be performed to ensure their components are running at peak efficiency? Computers have this capability to a point. Having said that unlike a mechanical part which may start to make new sounds an electrical component can seem fine today and tomorrow… reach for the spare part.

Visual tests for electronics can give a sign of wear and tear. Lose wires, bold or exploded capacitors, visible spark marks near connectors/relays. If equipment is exposed to high loads and high temperatures - that lowers the MTBF factor.

 

[MisterSandals]

Am I running this thread off the rails again by asking about

Its YOUR thread, you can take it wherever you want!

 

[Crowz]

Getting back to this and looking at the separates route, anyone have any comments on either of these? Pretty sure someone out there is using one of these manufacturers units, wondering about how you like it/them? Durability/support/efficiency/etc?

I'm just skimming the surface with these two. Any other manufacturers of similar quality flying under the radar I should look at?

Aimes,

Aims PICOGLF60W48V120V 6000 Watt 48V Inverter Charger

The Aims PICOGLF60W48V120V 6000 Watt 48 Volt Power Inverter Charger comes with a 50A transfer switch, a 45A charger and free shipping.

invertersrus.com

Samlex

https://samlexamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/12027-EVO-4248SP-0722.pdf

The sungold tp6048 is far superior to the aims one you listed in my opinion and cheaper too.

 

[Onehand]

When equipment is used in an industrial setting there is a term “mean time between failure “. Granted in many of these cases mechanical parts are involved and prone to breakdown on a predictable basis. That is why maintenance schedules are developed.

I appreciate that there are users who have logged many many hours with their systems. A credit to design.

It does cause one to wonder if diagnostic tests can be performed to ensure their components are running at peak efficiency? Computers have this capability to a point. Having said that unlike a mechanical part which may start to make new sounds an electrical component can seem fine today and tomorrow… reach for the spare part.

I'm willing to bet my last buck, that if 1st and second stage filter caps were replaced on the AC side, at a minimum, (not to mention coupling and DC caps) after 5 years of continuous use, most everything electronic that fails after 5,6,7 years, could live well into 15 years and longer. For $40 of high quality components like Cornell Dubilier/Vishay. etc. that once expensive piece of gear wont be reduced to dumpster food. Mass produced Chinese components are notorious for giving up way to early. Planned obsolescence

 

[Onehand]

The sungold tp6048 is far superior to the aims one you listed in my opinion and cheaper too.

Now there's one I didn't know existed. Interesting and grid tie, a new wrinkle... This solar deal becomes a big, deeeeep, dark hole once you start in. Thanks.

 

[JJJJ]

This solar deal becomes a big, deeeeep, dark hole once you start in. Thanks.

Two years in and still learning a ton.

 

[nc73]

I have grid...what would be the point of a spare? It will just sit and collect dust.

 

[Danke]

I have grid...what would be the point of a spare? It will just sit and collect dust.

You’re a glass half full, a lot of us are a glass half empty.

 

[Crowz]

I have grid...what would be the point of a spare? It will just sit and collect dust.

Oh that one is easy.

Picture your inverter dies and you waiting on a replacement from warranty or just buying one outright and then the power goes out while your waiting on it to arrive.

NOTHING will make you angrier than sitting in the dark knowing you are SUPPOSED to have a solar setup to prevent this....NOTHING!

 

[Crowz]

Went thru the above anger over and over back when I was using aims equipment

 

[ksmithaz1]

This is the classic cold/warm/hot spare problem with any electronics or equipment. Research with hard drives has shown that for reliability you are better off with hot redundancy for reliability, raid "7" vs raid 6 + warm spare. There are reasons where this might not be desired, outlined above. The bottom line is all equipment reaches end of life/support at some point. Further once a particular type/model of equipment begins failing, it is likely that it's brethren will begin failing within a similar time frame. Keeping it "cold" may or may not be helpful in this regard, and assuming "cold" helps any equipment that has been running of the same vintage is now more likely to die, so what you are likely buying is a modicum of time before all must be replaced.

The other issue is that technology continually improves. It is unlikely that you would design your system with the same equipment today that you would have used 3 years ago. At some point I would like to have a 3rd inverter. I can 'get by' on one, run smoothly on two and be fully redundant with three. If the point hits where the product is no longer supported/available and I had a failure, I would likely look at replacing all of it with new more up-to-date replacement gear.

As this stuff gets more commoditized' availability of compatible equipment becomes more of a reality, so the likelihood your device could simply be replaced by a newer drop-in unit increases dramatically. I would limit 'spares' to those items that may be difficult to source, that are critical to the functioning of the system at whatever the normal expectation/load is. I would build my system out with redundancy enough to handle a single component failure without requiring immediate attention.

The only gotcha with this approach is if/when you gradually increase the load/needs and fail to account for it you can get burned. YMMV.

 

[pvdude]

The Department of Redundancy Department here only has spare fuses and other small parts.

The Schneider equipment is duplicated, in the sense that there are two inverters and three CC.
(Not sure what I could do about duplicating batteries)

However

The generator will also run everything as long as I can find Diesel fuel.

So the redundancy is provided at three levels:
- Grid
- Solar
- Genset

If all that fails, I'm looking for the bottle of Single Malt Scotch.....

 

[J.H.]

at least TWO of everything , unless I can fabricate a workaround for somthing then I may just keep ONE spare…as I get older I forget I already have a couple of spares for somthing , buy more, and later buy more and wind up with about 5 of everything ,but can’t ever find one of them if I need it.

 

[Onehand]

at least TWO of everything , unless I can fabricate a workaround for somthing then I may just keep ONE spare…as I get older I forget I already have a couple of spares for somthing , buy more, and later buy more and wind up with about 5 of everything ,but can’t ever find one of them if I need it.

Ya, like caulk guns, how many of those damn things does everyone have?

 

[J.H.]

I will just say this and quit….…ITS AN ILLNESS … ….All done and justified by the thought that
“I might need that one day”..I can’t through anything away either as “I might need that one day”,
if I try to post it on eBay ,when describing how nice it is ,I change my mind and cancel the auction as I know “ I will need this one day”
ITS TOTALLY AN ILLNESS..
Jus sayin….J

 

[OffGridForGood]

I have spares for all the normal replacement parts - fuses, breakers, relays, wire. {edit: BMS's }
I tried to have some spare PV panels and a spare Inverter - yup couldn't stand to see those in store room, so installed them all instead. (I'm Weak!)

I built a mobile 24v MPP 2724 and 8kWh DIY battery Pack, It will run fridges and freezers lights if the main system fails suddenly.
I liked this mobile system so much I built a smaller -MORE mobile system with an MPP1012 tiny inverter. Added a power-bar with USB and outlets to this small inverter so it can charge a phone or run small tools. I put jumper cable type battery connections it so I can just clamp it to an automotive battery or what ever is laying around in 12v.

This gives me my large 48v main system, small 24v mobile system, and tiny super-mobile 12 systems as my three levels of back up and ever more portable. To address cold half of the year, I ordered two Sodium batteries, 12v and 24v 100Ah, (not deliveried yet) to see how these do without heated space.
The back up to all of the above, dual fuel 8kW gen set.
The back up to that: knowledge.

 

[JJJJ]

The back up to that: knowledge.

And that is priceless

 

[Skypower]

Spare JK bms, T class fuses and Solar Assistant. Have plenty of battery power.
Was thinking of getting spare inverters but mine are the earlier version of the MPP LV6548’s so anything newer probably won’t work. I’d just have to get someone’s working older unit if they upgraded. Voltronic kept tweaking something that worked till it didn’t, then bail when the going gets tough….Next model anyone? Ya right.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Was thinking of getting spare inverters

Me too!

but mine are the earlier version of the MPP LV6548’s so anything newer probably won’t work

From some other threads, it seems Ian at Watts247 has some of the originals with the 250v PV input limit still for sale. If these are the ones you mean, you can still get them, for awhile.

 

[Ampster]

I only keep a couple of micros as backup. I also have a SolArk 12k but most of my production is from the micros. I would lose the benefit of battery load shifting and backup if the SolArk were to fail. I do have a local supplier who stocks SolArks so that is my back up plan if the SolArk fails outside of warranty. I don't know what the turnaround time is for a RMA on a SolArk. In the past I had good luck with Outback and Solaredge warranty returns.

 

[Skypower]

Me too!

From some other threads, it seems Ian at Watts247 has some of the originals with the 250v PV input limit still for sale. If these are the ones you mean, you can still get them, for awhile.

Thanks for the heads up on that.