Interesting what's considered a 'Tier 1' chinese inverter, wonder if Amy would be our purchase agent.

[Hedges]

Googling "Tier 1" I find that as OEM, vs. Tier 2 suppliers to OEM, and Tier 3 suppliers to the suppliers.

What is a Tier 1 Company or Supplier? - Insight Solutions Global

When you are to work with an OEM, they may tell you that they have a strong network of tier 1 suppliers. So what is a tier 1 supplier? How is a tier 1 supplier help your OEM, and finally, you, in reducing costs and gaining product competencies?

insightsolutionsglobal.com

In Government contracting, we had Prime contractor and Subcontractors.


But in user jargon we've obviously adopted the term to mean quality.
Is there a more correct term?

 

[HRTKD]

For our purposes, I think Tier 1 should refer to quality. Reliability and support are important too, but if you have quality then these are likely in there already.

 

[John Frum]

Is there a more correct term?

Grade A, B, C ?

 

[iamrich]

Googling "Tier 1" I find that as OEM, vs. Tier 2 suppliers to OEM, and Tier 3 suppliers to the suppliers.

Lol, yeah my company uses this definition as well. We have OEMs that use sub tier (Tier 2) for outside processes (plating, etching, etc,). We don't usually look out to Tier 3, but I assume that would be chemical and material suppliers to Tier 2.

I don't have a problem with adapting this terminology though

 

[Tecnodave]

How are we defining Tier 1?

My company defines:

Tier 1 as an OEM (original equipment MFG, actually makes the part)
Tier 2 as a distributor or value add OEM (adding something to the product)
Tier 3 as resellers (no value added, other than getting product closer to the consumer).

The ranking is not based off build quality.

I think that the ranking here is very definitely based on :

1) quality of the equipment
2) quality of the manufacturer
3) willingness of that manufacturer of that support that equipment
4) durability of that equipment
5) service life of that equipment

To be Tier 1 you must ace all 5

 

[John Frum]

I think that the ranking here is very definitely based on :

3) willingness of that manufacturer of that support that equipment

Documentation is good.

 

[Hedges]

(SMA Sunny Boy)



SMA tried that once, customers didn't like it.

Solar Analytica.

edit post Modules The Only REC Solar Panels To Consider This Year. by Dietreich FarquharsonApril 16, 2022 edit post Learn

review.solar

SMA bought a Chinese inverter manufacturer they felt provided quality, and for a time had some U.S. models built there.
I later read SMA stopped that, only used the Chinese manufacturer for China market (if I recall correctly), can't find that article now (which had pictures comparing inside the inverters.) One comment in that article was that inverter failures which did occur were from German made PCBA in that product, not the Chinese content.

A number of SMA inverters for the U.S. market are made in U.S. or Canada. Sunny Island (battery inverter) may still be made in Germany.

Found the article on Chinese-made Sunny Boy:

SMA's Sunny Boy: Under The Hood. Chinese vs German Manufacturing

The new 5kW SMA Sunny Boy: the SB 5.0-1AV-40 is now made in China. How does it compare the the old, German SB5000TL? We pull them apart to find out.

www.solarquotes.com.au

The author never did satisfactorily address one commenter's concern about an aluminum plate between choke windings for AC line/neutral (or maybe PV +/-), which look like they could rub through and short.