ECOWISE Voltage regulater fault UPDATE
UPDATE Repaired under warranty. Once I managed to contact the manufacturer things went well. They emailed me a prepaid shipping label, (I had to buy a shipping box) and shipped via Estafeta to Mexico City. Lots of emails back and forth and the unit was returned prepaid. However, lots of running around at this end: Estafeta couldn't find my friends house, which has only been there for 15 years or more. Finally my friend picked it up at the Estafeta office this afternoon.
Meanwhile the Sola Basic I bought sort of worked. It's normal voltage ranges about 112 Volts. Down to 108 or lower when the AC comes on. Switches too slowly to prevent my Xantrex Inverter from cutting incoming power due too low voltage. At the moment we're in Puerto Vallarta where we don't need the air conditioning and the often too high voltage is managed OK by the Sola Basic.
Now I have two voltage regulators. Maybe try to sell one when we come back down in the fall.
Anyone know anything about this unit?
Last year (and in previous years) we have also had problem with high voltage overnight and sometimes, during the afternoon when the demand is high, with low voltage. We looked into various voltage regulation devices and last year on the way home, in Mazatlan we purchased a high tech electronic one.
Back at home in Canada I wired in the required cables and plugs and tried it out when we got here (Zihuatanejo, Mexico) in November. It worked great! The inverter did not have to interfere once, holding the voltage at 118V even when the incoming voltage rose to above 130.
Until one day the lights flickered a few times and the inverter came on. Investigation showed that though there was acceptable voltage at the post there was no output voltage. The indicator lamp was flashing a code which the manual stated showed short circuit in the output. Disconnecting the output, so there was no out connection, the same code showed. I am hoping a transient didn't take something out. I have no diagnostic equipment with me other than my eyes, nose and DMM. Nor a circuit diagram either of course.
I have since ordered a SOLA BASIC 4000 autotransformer that should be here in a week but I would like to get the ECOWISE repaired. I'll check with Home Depot in Mazatlan in March and see if there is a repair facility nearby or even hopefully it might still be under warranty. The SOLA BASIC has a one year warranty so maybe the ECOWISE will.
Meanwhile the Sola Basic I bought sort of worked. It's normal voltage ranges about 112 Volts. Down to 108 or lower when the AC comes on. Switches too slowly to prevent my Xantrex Inverter from cutting incoming power due too low voltage. At the moment we're in Puerto Vallarta where we don't need the air conditioning and the often too high voltage is managed OK by the Sola Basic.
Now I have two voltage regulators. Maybe try to sell one when we come back down in the fall.
Anyone know anything about this unit?
Last year (and in previous years) we have also had problem with high voltage overnight and sometimes, during the afternoon when the demand is high, with low voltage. We looked into various voltage regulation devices and last year on the way home, in Mazatlan we purchased a high tech electronic one.
Back at home in Canada I wired in the required cables and plugs and tried it out when we got here (Zihuatanejo, Mexico) in November. It worked great! The inverter did not have to interfere once, holding the voltage at 118V even when the incoming voltage rose to above 130.
Until one day the lights flickered a few times and the inverter came on. Investigation showed that though there was acceptable voltage at the post there was no output voltage. The indicator lamp was flashing a code which the manual stated showed short circuit in the output. Disconnecting the output, so there was no out connection, the same code showed. I am hoping a transient didn't take something out. I have no diagnostic equipment with me other than my eyes, nose and DMM. Nor a circuit diagram either of course.
I have since ordered a SOLA BASIC 4000 autotransformer that should be here in a week but I would like to get the ECOWISE repaired. I'll check with Home Depot in Mazatlan in March and see if there is a repair facility nearby or even hopefully it might still be under warranty. The SOLA BASIC has a one year warranty so maybe the ECOWISE will.
