I appreciate that Sol-Ark has a teammate like you,
@jrcromer , who promote and endorse the company they serve. I actually have been too busy to respond directly to some of public comments from Sol-Ark regarding Luxpower. Here now I would like to briefly address this particular statement:
The phrase "you get what you pay for" shouldn't come from a specific manufacturer; it should be left to the judgment of the consumers.
We and Deye (your manufacturing partner) started developing this US version inverter around the same time.
In 2018, our AIO hybrid inverter was already being used in markets like South Africa. However, due to certain unfair exclusive agency agreement issues, we couldn't enter the market for the US standard machines as originally planned in 2019.
Our founders team has over 10 years of inverter experience. Our founder, Jin Wang, was the 2nd co-founder of Growatt in 2010, and since then, Growatt has sold hundreds of thousands of various solar inverters, including hybrid inverters, every year.
Personally, I purchased and tested Voltronic's Infini-Solar 3k, Solax's 5kW, and GoodWe bi-directional inverters 13 years ago. At that time, these models were also referred to as hybrid inverters, but it was still the era of lead-acid batteries, and the cost of batteries was not affordable for ordinary users to have such an energy storage system. Additionally, regulators in various countries did not emphasize the development of Distributed Energy Storage networks. Regardless, we never claim to be the inventors of hybrid inverters; we have always strived to manufacture hybrid inverters that better meet the expectations of today's users and comply with different regional regulatory standards.
Surely I believe Sol-Ark has made tons of efforts to make their products more excellent for the American customers. Not just the product itself, Sol-Ark has built an excellent customers /installers service network.
Did Luxpower copy Sol-Ark inverters? It is easy to have such a misconception, and I don't blame you for thinking so as you can find a lot of same features between these 2 brands. Before the release of the new version, we did benefit from many suggestions, including those from the EG4 team, which mentioned comparisons with other inverter brands. For example, someone asked, "Can you have a wiring space as large as Sol-Ark's?" We couldn't meet all the suggestions in practice, but we knew that all our improvements had to be based on two fundamental principles: 1) not breaking the law or infringing on any protected patents, and 2) putting user needs at the center.
Another significant reason why similar products with similar functions may appear alike is the local electrical codes and standards. For example, the external placement of the RSD button and the requirement to use components from the standardized list.
Furthermore, concerning third-party lifespan testing, I admit that we have not conducted as many tests in this area compared to Sol-Ark. However, that doesn't mean our quality is inferior. A company's assurance of product quality, such as a limited 10-year warranty, is not just an advertisement; it is a commitment of responsibility that has been tested and accepted by the market. Clearly, if a company fails to deliver on such a promise, it would be digging its own grave and pushing the company off a cliff.
Anyway, in the end, I want to say that the benefit of a free market is that it encourages competition, leading to better products with better prices for consumers. We are open to this and have a forward-looking approach. Beyond our two companies, there are more and more inverter brands joining this competition, which drives rapid industrial development. Everyone's efforts will contribute to achieving "Energy Independence" to the maximum extent possible in our world. Keep going; all our efforts are changing this world, making it better and more sustainable.
Thank you all!