they figure you spent thousands, so what's another 400?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
Schneider discontinued their SCP??
- Thread starter dobrzpe
- Start date
400bird
Solar Wizard
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
Solar Wizard
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?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!
400bird
Solar Wizard
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.
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
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Only one port on the Home device so to connect both the charger and the inverter have to use the facility ... maybe?
400bird
Solar Wizard
Nope, the components are daisy chained. You can have many in series. The Insight Home has a terminating resistor built in, so it's got to be install at one end of the string.
yea, i had the same question. it makes NO SENSE that there is a battery-storage-limit on either device! schneider customer service couldn't answer either. i've got 86kWh of storage and use the Facility, no problem.
the 2 main differences between InsightHome and InsightFacility are the amount of devices they can have on the xanbus network(s), and how far/strong the wireless signal is. as far as i know.
hell, schneider equipment *ALSO* say it's not rated to be used over ~6000ft. i'm at +9500! again, no problem...
50ShadesOfDirt
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2021
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- 442
Is the 6000' a "distance" metric?
HarryN
Solar Enthusiast
I have been essentially forced to redesign some products that I build due to electronic shortages as well.
Sometimes it is difficult to know if a part that is out of stock is out for a month, a year or forever.
Sometimes it is difficult to know if a part that is out of stock is out for a month, a year or forever.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
I'm guessing that's altitude.
HarryN
Solar Enthusiast
A lot of equipment is not rated for high altitude use. The break down voltage of air changes pretty dramatically at high altitudes.
50ShadesOfDirt
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2021
- Messages
- 442
Weird ... any research I can find indicates that this *is* an issue at high/extreme altitudes (airplane, radio towers on mountaintops, etc.), but nothing talks about inverters in use at 5000' to 10000'. It's apparently an issue for "medical" and/or "industrial/military" equipment. Not much mention of consumer equipment. For example:
"Creepage and clearance" are keywords for the susceptible equipment's electronics.
None of my equipment has nose-dived because of continuous operation at this elevation. No electronics have failed, outside of their normal warranty period, in over a decade at this elevation. Magnum LF inverter is outside of its 5-year warranty, and still chugging ...
Can't tell, but this wording (if in Schneider docs) joins the dozens of other warnings that the lawyers stick in there, and that might get a vendor out of warranty (it's highest purpose?) for consumer equipment.
"Creepage and clearance" are keywords for the susceptible equipment's electronics.
None of my equipment has nose-dived because of continuous operation at this elevation. No electronics have failed, outside of their normal warranty period, in over a decade at this elevation. Magnum LF inverter is outside of its 5-year warranty, and still chugging ...
Can't tell, but this wording (if in Schneider docs) joins the dozens of other warnings that the lawyers stick in there, and that might get a vendor out of warranty (it's highest purpose?) for consumer equipment.
HarryN
Solar Enthusiast
It is mostly a leakage question and there are some altitudes that are worse than others.
If the electronics were designed conservatively, they very well might have just dealt with it and not mentioned it to their customers. That is what I do as well. If it is a product that is built to lowest cost, then they might not even bother thinking about it and imagine that electronics are only used in an office at sea level.
It isn't always possible to find components that are exactly what is needed with just "some margin", so it is common for me to just use 600 volt parts even for 48 volt applications. That way I can also use the exact same components in higher voltage applications - such as 270 VDC and only need to stock one p/n.
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