Thread: Xantrex
View Single Post
Old 06-26-2012, 07:12 PM   #81
psneeld
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,155
Quote:
Originally Posted by rwidman View Post
If you cannot do this sort of work yourself in a workmanlike manner, paying retail plus $100 per hour for the install may be your best bet. A yard may or may not stand behind a product it purchased and installed for you. I would expect them to remove it, ship it and install the repaired or replaced part, but few yards will grab a new one off the shelf and install it that same day.

The person who can select and install equipment him/herself can save 40% or more on the equipment and will be intimately familiar with the installation when finished. Of course, there are many folks who think they are capable of such work when in truth, they are not.

As for carrying spares, it's going to take a pretty large boat to carry spares of everything on board. Belts and filters I understand and agree with. Same for fuses and lightbulbs, but inverters and chargers? How about pumps? Spare VHF and chartplotter? Spare windlass? Spare batteries?

A better plan might be to be prepared to pay retail at a local store so as not to delay a cruise. Of course this assumes that you have the knowledge and tools and materials to install the replacements.

I had my starting battery fail during my recent cruise. It took perhaps 30 minutes to remove the failed battery, unhook one of my four house batteries, put it in place of the failed battery, and connect it. Sitting out a storm a couple weeks later, I was able to use the marina's loaner car to go to Sears and buy a replacement and put everythung back how it was originally. I had the tools and extra hardware (the old battery had a different stud size than the replacement) on board.

Nice try...but I was the guy who TAUGHT a major marine electronics firm here in NJ the basics and the correct install proceedures for modern inverters when I became a FACTORY TRAINED marine electronics installer back around 2000 when I retired from the USCG.

I know your dying to show me up...never gonna happen in boat stuff...I know you know electical stuff..but with blinders on. Your typical post is look at the manual or hire a pro...

Well I'm both a pro and a backyard mechanic...I can deal with the best of them because I also have a brain and look things up when I'm not sure.

Anyone can beleive a big name inverter will last forever with a good install..but plenty here and others on other forums and my own personal experience (and as an installer) proves otherwise.

There are 2 schools of thought and after doing the expensive, factory installs on my last boat...I think the other way (cheap with backups) has more merit...to each their own but to point a finger at my way is just as laughable as thinking any other way is better.
psneeld is online now   Reply With Quote