05.06.01

Site Map   

 
Javascript DHTML Drop Down Menu Powered by dhtml-menu-builder.com aa
Reliability - Electronics
One of the things the 'low first cost' suppliers out there will not talk to you about is the reliability of their inverters.

Indeed, why should you care ?  Let's examine this from two viewpoints - depending on how you with to participate in the process of having an electricty- and income-producing PhotoVoltaic ( PV ) array on your roof:


1 - As the owner of the generating facility

If you own the facility, you have two reasons why you want the electronics to be as reliable as possible :

a - if you need to replace it too soon, that extra expense cuts into your revenue

b - while it is being replaced, the array is not working, and that also cuts into your revenue

2 - As the owner of the building on which the facility sits ( if this is a rooftop Mini Energy Park, and not a ground-based Energy Park

a - You don't want the electricians up on your roof again - once to remove the old unit, and once again to replace it

b - you don't want the facility owner to lose money if he is making lease payments to you


OK, now you care about reliability, so back to what the 'low first cost' suppliers out there will not talk to you about.

The industry standard rating for electrical/electronic devices is Mean Time Before Failure ( MTBF ) - the number of hours of service before the device needs replacement. 

We notice that the only other major manufacturer of 'inverters' in Ontario doesn't even rate their devices by MTBF, but they do offer a 5-year warranty, which works out to a MTBF of a little over 5,000 hours ( 12 hours per day, 365 days per year, 5 years ) .

We use only Conversion Inversion Technology ( CIT ) devices from Hybridyne Power Electronics, which have a posted MTBF of 100,000 hours - or well over 20 years.


So, what's the bottom line ?  Do you want to pay for 1 CIT, or 5 inverters ?