New Off Grid Inverter Charger

[Robin]

Taunting you guys is fun. The "BB" stands for "Bomb Bay light".
We have been calling this the Ego inverter for a couple of years now. We do not want that to become the official name though.
The goal here is to have something that looks like it came from a B-17 bomber. I think we are achieving that.
We are open to anyone that has a better name for the inverter. I have wracked my puny brain and haven't come up with a cool name yet. I do like the WW2 airplane type of flair though. Don't really know why?

[Robin]

Obviously the count down is on...  this is Peek #2, the previous one Peek #3,

Obviously there is still small Peek #1 to come....

Come on Eh?     Pretty pretty PLEASE, just one more? 

so....WOW!..... now we know:
It's called the EGO inverter.... (ah, how do you invert an EGO?);
10,000W and 1000W versions at least, some with USB and multiple power supply outlets;


a POWER button'
an AC bypass built in, (hmmm  what about the one in the  E-Panels, redundant?)'
a gauge showing AC Out xxxxxxx'

Power button? Hmmmm, I don't think we have one of those.
E-Panel AC bypass: What E-Panel?
"A" gauge showing AC out? Should we have a guessing game on how many of these supposed meters we have?
We call those front panel screws "thumbscrews" We are having the first proto batch chrome plated right now.
Where are all you guys from anyway. Once we quit letting the smoke out of the EGO, we will want to do some testing. I know a couple of you are Kiwis. What part of NZ are you all from? We are thinking this may work for North America and internationally just by moving a jumper although this is asking a lot. We pretty much know what Canada needs for power.
Like the Exeltech? Not even close! What we are doing has never been done before.
One more peek, then I better cool it for a while. This part moves. I did not plan on this looking so art deco. It just turned out that way.

[RossW]

Where are all you guys from anyway. Once we quit letting the smoke out of the EGO, we will want to do some testing. I know a couple of you are Kiwis. What part of NZ are you all from? We are thinking this may work for North America and internationally just by moving a jumper although this is asking a lot."

I'm in Australia - SouthEastern part, on the NSW/Victoria border, about 150 miles inland.
I do hope you were able to include some of the suggestions I made to Bob a year or two back. One in particular that is a feature NO OTHER INVERTER HAS (AFAIK) - you'll have network connectivity, so will have NTP available, meaning a good, accurate clock. Counting cycles is trivial for a decent inverter. Since so many of us have devices that use the mains as a timebase, how about making the inverter count cycles and drift ever so slightly to ensure exactly 4.32 million cycles per day (50Hz, 5.184 million for 60Hz devices)? If (when) you make it generator-interactive, this will be a MAJOR selling point - let the inverter tweek the total cycles over time to counteract the inevitable generator frequency errors!

On the subject of networks, please, please, please put enough grunt in the box that it only needs a web browser to use, configure, control and monitor. We don't need yet another device with dedicated software that only runs on windows!

Give us a decent network stack, something we can scan from time to time using simple http requests (or modbus, or snmp, or something "standard") to monitor our systems; and something we can use our computer remotely or our mobile phone, to see what's going on when we're not there. Something you can "unpack, bolt on the wall and point a browser at" to configure it.

We are open to anyone that has a better name for the inverter. I have wracked my puny brain and haven't come up with a cool name yet. I do like the WW2 airplane type of flair though.

Well, I was wondering about names that are sort-of related to the B17 and its ilk. This is a powerful beast. Grunty, completely new ideas, a change to the landscape. A bit like the atomic bombs were to chemical explosives of the day. Forgive me if this sounds insensitive, but there are lots of interesting sounding names of thermonuclear devices that could be an entire family name...

"Trinity" was the codename for the first test in 1945, I believe the device there was "the Gadget". Of course there were the ones we'll never forget - "Fat Man" and "Little Boy".

Just thinkin' out loud....
RossW

[TomW]

I seem to recall the B-17 was nicknamed "Queen" during development at Boeing. I wasn't there but knew some old timers who were.

Just more useless info bubbling up.

Those planes were (are) a class act and apparently built like an anvil.

That's it call it "Anvil" It was the code name for one version of the remote controlled B-17 "Bomb" project which failed in WWII.

I digress

Tom

[Westbranch]

an AC bypass built in, (hmmm  what about the one in the  E-Panels, redundant?)'

E-Panel AC bypass: What E-Panel?

Hi Robin, I guessed that there will now be a MN Inverter specific E-Panel and that, ie. as the Outback model has an AC by pass, (well mine did at least) the MN inverter friendly version would also have the same goodies in it...

"The Midnite E-Panel integrates high voltage PV input, charge controller outputs, inverter over current protection, DC load circuits, AC input disconnect, AC input/output bypass, AC load circuits......"

Names?  What about the Gudgel Grunt Gadget Line-up?   No, can that one... 

The Juggernot Line,  "a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force or institution"

Or tying in to some Star Wars airplanes (Jets?) lots of good ones, http://www.starwars.com/databank

or some names like Nautilus, etc.,  nautical sounding names ....

[Robin]

I always liked Jules Verne's Nautilus. I also wanted to build one, but don't think I will live long enough to see that project through.
We may have trouble selling the "Fat Man" to countries like Japan.
When I was much younger I actually worked at Boeing on 707's with an old guy who built B-17's right there at the Renton plant.
I am happy that I have confused you all about the need for an E-Panel.
As far as the clock counting correctly when running with a generator. How does the Classic MNGP work as a clock?
I believe a built in webserver has been talked about. There are other things being worked on also. The communications guys will see this.

[Halfcrazy]

Robin
Ross is asking that we keep track of the frequency so if the generator runs for 2 hrs at 58hz we can then run the inverter after that for 2 hrs at 62hz to correct clocks. SMA does this and it is part of the ac coupled frequency dither algorithm

Ryan

[Westbranch]

lots of products use different names in specific countries, so  the "Fat MAn " could be "the Sumo".... 
''a form of wrestling in Japan in which a contestant ..... usually being men of great height and weight''
sounds like a hunker to me

[zoneblue]

Anvil has a certain ring to it. Going the other direction from Kid. 

[clockmanFrance]

SMA does this and it is part of the ac coupled frequency dither algorithm

Ryan

SMA have got themselves in a mess regards the AC coupling HZ frequency shifting. I know because it don't work in the real world.

Nothing worse than a supposedly Off Grid Inverter that's so messed up with continues tweeking of the software/frequency, that the machine now has to be locked to equipment from the same manufacturer.

After years and years of using Off Grid Inverters, all I want is a SD card function just in case I need to look at data, other wise I couldn't care less about seeing continues streaming stuff.

Think 10 years time, will Windows even exist, will tablets still be around.

Please, please  just keep the New Inverter simple, especially for simple folk like me!

Name, how about a Female name?  All good machines are Female, I even talk to mine......

Here's my 'babe' as I wrestle with her 30kg/60lb Heart....

[Cniemand]

I'm in the Rocky mountains of Colorado. :-) Plenty of sun out here to test inverters.

I would be happy to have an inverter that can have its voltage set points adjusted on the fly with either using the Classics LCD screen on one you already own or have the ability to communicate with it through the LA so we do not have to purchase a separate programming unit (mate - style)

This would be important for those of us that opt to go against the tradition of lead acid but rather try different cell chemistries that comes along. So far LFP cells.

Cloud

[bailey]

A couple of possible names for the new inverter series:

Comet (50's retro motif + a streak of light in the (Mid)Nite sky...)
Knight (an extension of the Brat/Kid trajectory + a play on MidNite Solar).  You could also use subdivisions such as "page", "squire", "hedge", etc.

Kirk Bailey
Abundant Solar, LLC

[niel]

i'm trying to do a bit of catching up here so forgive me if i've overlooked anything or assumed something. if it has a military look to it, then possibly give it military names or ranks. something like major  or even sub it to major boB or captain robin and so on. new models or upgrades you can just change the name rather than the rank like major tom or colonel klink. the promotions are possible too so one could keep the name and upgrade the rank.

or even call it b-17, b-52, f-15, etc. if you really like the planes.

[Robin]

Neil, I really like the "Major Bob" name, but we have ten engineers working on this full time. There will be a couple of versions though. I am going to kick this around.
Thanks,
Robin

[russ_drinkwater]

Seeing the inverter should be a fantastic product with mucho power and reliable I suggest "Solar Storm".
I will hold my hand up to test the unit in australia if that is an option.
I am mainly 24 volt here, but I can run a 48 volt inverter if needed 
Will there be a variety of voltage input ranges?