Schneider discontinued their SCP??

[dobrzpe]

um. WHAT?!!?

i just found out that schneider discontinued their system control panel. like, WTF??! when did *THIS* happen? guess it's been replaced with their (WAY overpriced) insighthome/facility offerings. (and FYI, they discontinued their cheaper 'gateway', which is the EXACT SAME thing as their 'facility' - but was $300 less! got that info from schneider themselves...)

just wanted to say that's some BS. now they have NO WAY of locally controlling the system. ok, yea, fine, unless you use a computer, smartphone or tablet using insightlocal.

NO, SCHNEIDER. this is unacceptable. why wouldn't you want to keep selling your overpriced user interface? i mean, for $500, i *know* you have some margin there...

i've said it before, i'll say it again: i f-ing LOVE schneider equipment, i HATE the company.

glad i have an old Xantrex SCP that works with everything still.

 

[JoeHam]

Agree.

I was lucky to find a new, old stock ComBox a couple of years ago when I built my CSW 4048 system.

You would think local control would NOT be an optional add on but …..

That said, the stuff is built like a tank and should outlive me ?.

 

[dobrzpe]

oh yea, my Xantrex 6048 was truckin' along perfectly since 2008! i recently upgraded to two 6848's. the equipment is ROCK solid! i came across a youtube video, and in the comments someone off-handedly mentioned the SCP was discontinued. i thought that was the most ignorant comment, so i looked it up (mainly b/c i was thinking about adding a 2nd one to my setup). and damn. *I* was the ignorant one!! LMAO!

 

[mnd]

I wonder if they weren't selling SCPs at the same rate as installed systems?

I know I didn't see the need to buy one.

 

[dobrzpe]

really? i just can't understand NOT having an interface to the system using buttons you physically push! LOL!

are you just using insightlocal via combox/gateway/home/facility then? i mean, that IS totally valid i guess.

it just sucks that schneider in their INFINITE WISDOM sell a $3500 inverter, that you NEED/MUST spend an additional $500+ on some way to program it, whether via the SCP or a network enabling device. and NOTHING is bluetooth! just makes no sense. SMH.

 

[400bird]

I read the SCP wasn't fully compatible with the newest XW Pro, so I think Schneider had been working on this for a while.

Same as mnd, I didn't see the need to buy the SCP. It might have been a low selling item.
I've got a network and computers here so it was an easy integration. Also, I prefer the computer interface vs working through a list on a tiny LCD screen.

When the insight home/gateway was released, it actually saved me money to go with the insight home vs the gateway. It was a good change for me.

 

[Koldsimer]

One of the things i like about my 6848 is the scp. It gives me the ability to monitor important things at a glance and adjust anything right there at the unit without having to break out the laptop, make a connection and login etc.

 

[SpongeboB Sinewave]

Schneider says that they could not get an important part anymore for the SCP.

I am guessing it was the microcontroller but not sure.

boB

 

[BentleyJ]

I hate to see manufacturers discontinuing products like the SCP, kind of makes one wonder if its worth paying more for the so called premium products if you can't expect to get replacement parts and extend the useful life.
In this case, the truth is I have both the SCP and the ComBox but rarely ever use the SCP. Its much easier to simply log in while sitting at my desk with a full sized monitor to view data and make changes if necessary.

 

[dobrzpe]

yea, i hear y'all. i've got the insightfacility myself and LOVE the functionality of using it through insight cloud & insight local. using the computer is WAY more convenient.

HOWEVER...

just like Koldsimer said, sometimes it's just nice/convenient to check a screen if i just so happen to be walking by.

as much as i love schneider products, it scares me a little when they start discontinuing sku's out of the blue... and in the case of the SCP, *IF* it was a 'parts shortage' as SpongeboB Sinewave mentioned, then just have it on backorder! don't discontinue it!

and their backwards compatibility is atrocious. moral of the story: you had BETTER get every piece you want in the same generation so they A) all work together, and B) don't get discontinued or phased out.

but their stuff LASTS. i'll say that!

 

[Solar Guppy]

Schneider says that they could not get an important part anymore for the SCP.

I am guessing it was the microcontroller but not sure.

boB

The SCP processor is a Motorola ( Freescale / NXP now ) HC12 variant, released in the early 2000's. I did a quick search and nothing comes up for online purchasing, so your likely correct. Also the LCD display is likely long out of production and this is just a fact or all electronics, there is no profit in make 20 year old parts.

 

[Horsefly]

I have Schneider stuff, and as has been said in this thread already, the stuff is rock solid. But...

Schneider's business model is about as anti-DIY as any you will find. They think installs are only to be done by professionals, but they think individual owners should never need to look at or change anything. Bluetooth? Never! Even their customer support mostly shut down a few years ago except for "registered installers".

Two lines of stuff that are very good quality: Schneider and Victron. One of them makes equipment and settings easily viewed and changed, and the other does not.

 

[dobrzpe]

NAILED. IT.

i don't know why any company would want to be anti-their-customer. maybe b/c their "customer support" is nonexistent? LMAO!

 

[robby]

I have Schneider stuff, and as has been said in this thread already, the stuff is rock solid. But...

Schneider's business model is about as anti-DIY as any you will find. They think installs are only to be done by professionals, but they think individual owners should never need to look at or change anything. Bluetooth? Never! Even their customer support mostly shut down a few years ago except for "registered installers".

Two lines of stuff that are very good quality: Schneider and Victron. One of them makes equipment and settings easily viewed and changed, and the other does not.

Add SMA to the List of companies that is anti DIY. With almost zero Customer support and all of their licensing stuff it feels more like your leasing their equipment rather than buying it. Still it is very good equipment but the Design is very dated just like Schneider.

 

[JoeHam]

as much as i love schneider products, it scares me a little when they start discontinuing sku's out of the blue... and in the case of the SCP, *IF* it was a 'parts shortage' as SpongeboB Sinewave mentioned, then just have it on backorder! don't discontinue it!

Most parts shortages now are permanent. As in some components are no longer made.

Elecraft, a radio company, had to redesign their flagship radio (K4) BEFORE it was even released.

There were multiple components that became unavailable during pre production and never will be again. Commonly referred to as unobtanium.

Not much a manufacturer can do in cases like that.

 

[BentleyJ]

Seems like the trend cuts across all industries. Not so long ago you could get almost any part for an old Mercedes Benz or a Milwaukee tool in a few days or worse case a couple of weeks. Not anymore, it may be partly due to the fact that not as many people have the desire or capability to repair things. From the manufacturers view point it makes no sense keep thousands of part numbers active for a few customers. The economics of it just are not there.

 

[SpongeboB Sinewave]

Most electronics manufacturers have had some kind of problem with delivery on products in the last year or two.

I know we have. But we buy--buy--buy as we can. Also, some companies we heard will not help you if you put orders in for, say, a microcontroller from multiple distributers.

What I found kind of weird regarding the SCP was that we HAD new SCPs for our XW Pros in our pre-wired department but they did not add the software in the SCPs for setting up things like stacking where I *thought* we used to be able to do that with the SCP ? This was for paralleled inverters at 120/240 VAC. Oh well... We do what we have to do I guess.

boB

 

[dbattry]

thinking of buying the schneider inverter 4048 your say i cant set it up without the 500 dollar software?

 

[400bird]

thinking of buying the schneider inverter 4048 your say i cant set it up without the 500 dollar software?

Software? No, you don't need to buy software.

You'll need hardware, it's about $400.

Schneider Electric Insight Gateway Devices

Schneider's new Insight energy management devices work with the Conext line of products including the XW Pro, SW, MPPT solar charge controllers and more. Monitor your solar system performance in real time!

www.altestore.com

 

[nc73]

Glad I got my cheap EG4's than...

 

[nc73]

Software? No, you don't need to buy software.

You'll need hardware, it's about $400.

Schneider Electric Insight Gateway Devices

Schneider's new Insight energy management devices work with the Conext line of products including the XW Pro, SW, MPPT solar charge controllers and more. Monitor your solar system performance in real time!

www.altestore.com

they figure you spent thousands, so what's another 400?

 

[400bird]

they figure you spent thousands, so what's another 400?

Maybe you are building a system and don't need to repeatedly purchase the same hardware. By making the communication device a discrete unit (same with the inverter, charge controller, generator start, etc) you can design and purchase exactly what you need.

Want to double to your solar input? Just buy a charge controller? Have a new need for more AC output, just buy an inverter. You aren't forced to purchase complete inverters.

Plus some people value quality and proven reliability. For some $$$ today is all that matters.

I've seen arguments that over the lifetime of more expensive tier 1 gear, you'll save money over having to replace the cheap stuff as it fails out. Most of the cheap stuff hasn't been around long enough to know how long it will last, so I'm not sure I buy onto that theory.

 

[Brucey]

Software? No, you don't need to buy software.

You'll need hardware, it's about $400.

Schneider Electric Insight Gateway Devices

Schneider's new Insight energy management devices work with the Conext line of products including the XW Pro, SW, MPPT solar charge controllers and more. Monitor your solar system performance in real time!

www.altestore.com

When should one go with the "facility" model? Says something about 25kWh versus 50kWh of battery storage? Or is that if one is using Schneider compatible batteries?

 

[400bird]

When should one go with the "facility" model? Says something about 25kWh versus 50kWh of battery storage? Or is that if one is using Schneider compatible batteries?

Lol, I have no idea. When I was on the phone with AltE, to place an order the sales rep laughed about it. The battery storage limit was in kW, not kWh. If there was any software difference, it's not mentioned anywhere I could find.

I think the differentiator is the # of ports and the wifi antenna. For example, if you need more ports or the extra wifi range then antennas gain, then you should get the Facility.

 

[dbattry]

Glad I got my cheap EG4's than...

whats the standby power consumption.
Reason I want to go Schneider is the low ideal power consumption. Setting up a jobsite tool trailer with solar power to charge batteries maybe run a chop saw or table saw. 70w idle consumption seems to much. And reliability. Seems schneider is pretty solid.
Here is my planed setup:
2 455 watt solarever panels
Schneider 60/150 charger
1 EG4 48v battery
Schneider SW4048 Inverter

Not sure of the capacity I need but this can easily be doubled in the future .. though the inverter might get undersized.

another option: Semlax evo 4200