Time to upgrade

[AndreB]

Hello I am just starting to look at making some changes.

For the past 19 plus years I have had a Trace U2512SB.  It let the smoke out the other night.
Run to a local big box that has an overpriced recreational PV section and paid $250 for a 1000 watt Sunforce.  But it looks like it is really 2 500 watt inverters in 1 box.  Well I at least have lights TV and fridge.

Looking at replacing most of my setup with an E-panel and jumping up to 24 or 48 volts.
I have not stayed up to date on things and I am currently going thru the power time vids and trying to get a handle on the alphabet soup of prefixes and suffixes.

Anyway first (of many) questions, is the 2512 likely worth fixing? 
I had the generator running and was charging the battery and when I turned off the generator input the soft sound of a DC arc started in the inverter it was about 15 seconds before I pulled the disconnect and by that time the lights were out.

Will get back after work, seeya

Andre' B.

[Westbranch]

I would go new...the Trace has had a long venerable life, time for a rest... never know if it will not fail after fixin' it after that long...  a possible backup, if the price is reasonable?...

[AndreB]

Fumbled the keyboard.

[AndreB]

Ya, as far as fixing the U2512 I was thinking as a backup and/or in the shop as a fast charger/booster for starting cars and tractors when it is -20F.
Currently looking at this setup http://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/MNEMS4024-2CL150-120VAC.pdf

I also want to get a good battery, I have been working with golf cart batteries for the last 22 years.  Currently on the 3rd pack plus a few years doing the mix and match game picking up used batteries here and there.
About 3 years ago I was looking to do the upgrade but some unexpected expenses came up and used up the money.  The battery pack I had at the time was completely gone so I replaced it with a small pack, 6 golf cart batteries, I do not expect it to get anywhere near the life of the first 2 since it is being cycled fairly hard.
Looking at different batteries and am liking the HuP solar one's.

[Resthome]

Ya, as far as fixing the U2512 I was thinking as a backup and/or in the shop as a fast charger/booster for starting cars and tractors when it is -20F.
Currently looking at this setup http://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/MNEMS4024-2CL150-120VAC.pdf

I also want to get a good battery, I have been working with golf cart batteries for the last 22 years.  Currently on the 3rd pack plus a few years doing the mix and match game picking up used batteries here and there.
About 3 years ago I was looking to do the upgrade but some unexpected expenses came up and used up the money.  The battery pack I had at the time was completely gone so I replaced it with a small pack, 6 golf cart batteries, I do not expect it to get anywhere near the life of the first 2 since it is being cycled fairly hard.
Looking at different batteries and am liking the HuP solar one's.

I'm running the 850AH HuP Solar batteries on a houseboat that hits them with a moderate load. The pricing was good since it includes shipping which can be a big expense. Got mine from Firemountain http://www.firemountainsolar.com/manufacturer/solar-one/hup-solar-one-deep-cycle-solar-batteries/

[AndreB]

Thanks Resthome that is about the price I have been finding.
How do you like them?
They sure do talk them up in the sales info.

[Resthome]

Haven't had any problem with them and this is going on year four. Hope to get 15 years out of them.Each one can be lifted from the case to easy the weight for installation. They even provide a lifting strap.

[kitestrings]

We have an older - U series Trace - moved it out to the garage when we upgraded to 48V.  It's still going strong and must be what nearly 30-years old.

I just wanted to echo that we also bought most of our supplies (panels, controller, combiner) from Fire Mtn.  We had, and have had excellent support from them.  Batteries we bought local due to high cost of shipping, and the local guy recycle the old ones with some credit.

[AndreB]

Back a few years ago I started looking at the new stuff I was looking Outback but then I found out they moved production to India, my reasons may be right or wrong but I have a hard time supporting that kind of thing.
Traded a few emails with the guy a Voodoo solar, seems to have dropped off the net, I liked the way he had his web site setup nice and simple.

So now looking at Midnight and Magnum stuff, from what I have been reading it seems the same core group of people has been behind most all of them.

One thing I am not liking a first glance is the power consumption at idle and search modes, the old Trace was at 1/3 watt in search and 7 or 8 watts in idle.  Guessing the micro processors and other smart stuff in today's inverters just do not power down like the old stuff did, and the price of PV now days kind of makes it less important.
I paid something like $5000 for 6 120 watt AstroPower panels that make up the core of my system, the rest is a few hundred watts of panels I picked up used.
Now I could replace the entire collection for under $1000 including shipping.