What is the view on Goodwe ES?

It does not have the set-up options of Victron and is not a tinkerers paradise but I  hear it is a quality build.

If you have one let’s hear about your experience and of course Victron owners can comment!

Comment from the Victron side: We will not be against such a choice if the decision is made with all the facts / comparisons / others experiences on the table, best possible prices have been obtained for both solutions and regulations do not pose any potential future problems for the buyer.

Then we rest our case for promoting Victron, graciously accepting and even supporting the decisions for a GoodWe.

😆

Edited April 8, 20197 yr by Guest

Having declared your Victron investments like a true Gentleman Sire  - - feel free to comment further.  

Goodwe fan in the house.

 

All in one solution that works right out the box.

Perfect solution for your average users.

Simple to install and to configure.

Overall cost after install very hard to beat in terms of price vs performance.

Thanks!

Are you on a pre-paid meter?

If so what happens when Goodwe exports power?

1 minute ago, Jaws said:

Perfect solution for your average users

I agree. The only functionality I miss is automatic PV surplus management with zero export (like the SolarEdge "Smart Energy hot water" option). But to be fair not even the blue equipment can do this 🤣.

11 minutes ago, Jaws said:

Simple to install and to configure.

I am sorry, it is everything but easy, having only done Victron installs I did my first Goodwe install 2 weeks ago, compared to Victron its a piece of Shyte. (Sorry I might also be biased)

Problem 1 : There is like 3 different Apps that all kind of do the same thing?

Problem 2 : Wifi connection drops out for no apparent reason.

Problem 3 : Energy flow is not updated in real time, like if you have Venus/CCGX and what the energy flow you are like 0.5 secs behind the actual flow, where the Goodwe feels like it takes a good 10+ secs to update its floating arrows.

Problem 4: Trying to update a setting feels like playing slots, whenever you change a setting you just hope this time it doesn't say "Update Failed", if it does, just try till it eventually works.

Problem 5: Engrish, with Victron everything is written in English and documented (English != Engrish) the GoodWe manual might contain trace amounts of the English language but its definitely not up to Western standards of English,  its so bad I almost feel like buying them a free subscription to grammerly.

 

I actually wanted to start my own little rant thread about my GoodWe install last week but decided meh.

13 minutes ago, Mistral said:

If so what happens when Goodwe exports power

Most pre paid meters are ok with the small short duration back feed if the inverter is set to zero export

Thanks!

I am hoping for the best!

PJJ  - Thanks we need more info like this.

Any more tips for an easy install from what you learnt in your first install?

Edited April 8, 20197 yr by Mistral

I think we need to start looking long term.

Also note they are not the same . they are 2 different type of inverters for different applications.

GoodweES Installs 147

Victron Install 39

Goodwe In Gaurentee faults 9. replaced 7 still fight with them on the other 2 (does not seem i will get them resolved)

Victron Faults 3. Claims all 3 no problem.

 

Goodwe out of warantee Claims 7: Assistance with any sort of repairs or process to repair. ZERO

Victron out of warantee 3. 72 hours repairs done and system working.very reasonable costs

 

so as i HUGE supporter of GoodWe and porably one of the first to install goodwe in SA. I will no longer support this brand.

It does not help you have a good built product that is solid and looks good and works well ... in the beginning but you have NO after sales support AT ALL.

And gents if you have by chance imported this unit by yourself. You will be able to do a warantee claim... FROM CHINA. you will have to pay for all cost to get the machine here including import duties..

 

 

 

 

 

Basta Political Correctness! Takes guts guys!

Adding to the after sales service. There was a forumite who had Victron Quattro drama. I recall something along the lines of his 1st failed for a legit reason, the 2nd one would not work, he was told to buy a 3rd one by his supplier. He was not in Cpt, but in the end the 2nd inverter was sent to Somerset West and promptly sorted, courier costs more than the repair costs. 2nd one was just incorrect settings with a firmware upgrade throw in for free or some such causing the drama.

 

Now here I am go out on a limb ... and don't anyone give me cr_p people ... I chose my brand YEARS before any of this because of 1) after sales service, 2) the product functionality. And so far I have NEVER been let down, and I have pushed buttons over the years.

Because I always ask: So what are the problems with XYZ / ABC product, and don't one dare give me the sales pitch! 

Want to speak to the people who are unhappy. There are always unhappy customers, some legit, some are BS.

Want to know what is not so good about the product so that I can plan, plan for when things go wrong as nothing lasts forever and failures tend to happen when we can least expect or afford it.

So better tell me now what can go wrong ... then we don't have a problem in the future. 🙂 

 

So these two responses ... and there are others here and there on other brands too.

35 minutes ago, Tokolosh said:

So as a HUGE supporter of GoodWe and probably one of the first to install Goodwe in SA. I will no longer support this brand.

On 2019/04/08 at 11:00 AM, PJJ said:

I actually wanted to start my own little rant thread about my GoodWe install last week but decided meh.

Makes me think it is a good idea to start a thread being open and honest about the products out there we buy.

Two reasons:
1) To help all of us to make an informed decision, knowing full well what we are in for WHEN it goes wrong. Then there is no excuse.
2) Giving the manufacturer a chance to see what they can improve on - some may just appreciate that.

 

Failing to plan is planning to fail ... so plan for failures.

 

Edited April 11, 20197 yr by Guest

On 2019/04/08 at 10:59 AM, Fuenkli said:

But to be fair not even the blue equipment can do this

NodeRed support would probably allow you to do this 🙂

1 hour ago, The Terrible Triplett said:

I have pushed buttons over the years.

That's for damn sure... 😛

1 hour ago, The Terrible Triplett said:

There are always unhappy customers

That's for damn sure too.

Sometimes legitimately so too. We're human. We have good and bad days. Goes both ways too.

I've had a case of the installer telling me that the reseller is useless and they got zero support, then I spoke to the reseller and apparently the customer was traveling and would not let things be debugged in his absence, that is to say: The real issue was that the customer expected the supplier to stick rigidly to his own time frames and had no flexibility that would have allowed himself to be helped... true story.

1 minute ago, plonkster said:

Sometimes legitimately so too.

My motto: Client is always right ... until proven wrong. 🙂

Like in my business, the customer always blames the software right?
"Yea", I will say, "you are right, blerrie computer program ... ... ... but hold on, help me quick?"
Me: "We agree the computer cannot press any buttons by itself, right, no arms nor fingers and no AI built in, right?. Someone must press THAT button to action it, right?"
I  get either a quite spell or a "Yeeees ... what are you saying?"
Me "So ... tell me again how did it happen that THAT button was pressed?" 
Most of the time I get smiles with a "Just fix it ok!" added. True story.

And then the ones who shout and scream, they get a: Please be patient, your call will be answered. Wees asb gedulding, U oproep sal beantwoord word. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.

My wife, once when a client phoned in, swearing at her about his problem, after calmly asking him to stop swearing at her / the software, put the phone down in his ear.
He called back, 3-4 times, each time she put the phone down after politely saying, "When you have calmed down sir, call us again."
He got angrier by the call. Blood vessels busting in the eye angry.
Then after a while he called the last time, profusely apologizing for his extremely rude behavior ... he became her best client, she is to date his best support person EVER. True story.

Problems happen, people need help, you get that faster working WITH the person wanting to help, than going against them. 
I don't have time for clients who give me drama when they can be helped in a jiffie.

And when no-one wants to help ... after you have paid good money ... don't get upset, find the next person. Such a waste of time getting upset. 🙂 

2 hours ago, The Terrible Triplett said:

Makes me think it is a good idea to start a thread being open and honest about the products out there we buy.

In that case, lets RANT!

33 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said:

My motto: Client is always right ... until proven wrong. 🙂

The client isn't always right. Sometimes he's an a**hole. Every one knows this 🙂

4 minutes ago, plonkster said:

The client isn't always right. Sometimes he's an a**hole. Every one knows this 🙂

YES!!! We agree, but you may have missed the message ... few out there has the guts to tell the client s[he] is an a-hole. 

And then there is the teeny weeny caveat that the a-hole client's hard earned becomes worth less (direct translation) than the cost of my time. 🙂 

 

10 minutes ago, PJJ said:

In that case, lets RANT!

Go go go ... you know you want to!!! No seriously ... anyone that has some seriously negative feedback, give it to us!!!

Like my gripe with Victron, they keep on passing me down the line ... I mean, I do have the direct help-desk, the big boss and the SA boss'es Tel and emails! 🤣
Persistent bugger I am. 
Ok ok ok ... it is not a gripe!!! Follow the channels, I get that ... till I do not! 🤣 
(Woooosh the sound of a bat missing me head) OK!!! @plonkster ... I won't jump the queue ... AGAIN! 😋

2 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said:

Go go go ... you know you want to!!! No seriously ... anyone that has some seriously negative feedback, give it to us!!!

By popular demand here you go

7 hours ago, plonkster said:

NodeRed support would probably allow you to do this

that would definitely be a reason to switch to Victron. I will do some homework and see if it could help me utilizing my PV overcapacity. I have a 4000 liter hot water storage tank in the basement and a 50000 liter pool I could dump the excess energy into. 

1 hour ago, Fuenkli said:

that would definitely be a reason to switch to Victron.

Why this sudden change? 🙂
Is it because of CoCT not budging on the breaker limit for the inverters?

I saw this posted on the web today: Can anyone confirm?

 

The electrical engineer helping me has a good communication channel with the CoCT 
and they finally confirmed that the expensive disconnect switch is not required 
where the inverter can perform that function (cutting power on the grid connection 
when the grid goes down).  There's some good news at least.

 

(Previously 

The problem is not the Goodwe specifically, but

any inverter producing more than 3.5 kW. You will need to upgrade municipal feed to 80 A which the CoCT quotes R7200. And you will need a R8000 disconnect switch, irrespective of the brand and functionality of the inverter.)

Edited April 11, 20197 yr by Mistral

3 minutes ago, Mistral said:

1) The problem is not the Goodwe specifically, but any inverter producing more than 3.5 kW. 
2) You will need to upgrade municipal feed to 80 A which the CoCT quotes R7200. 
3) And you will need a R8000 disconnect switch ...

The disconnect switch: See here: Finality on the Disconnect Switch for all Hybrid approved inverters
Producing more then 3.5kW: I quote verbatim the email received today at 3:26pm from CoCT: We will unfortunately not move from the NRS 097 guidelines currently.
You have to stick to the NRS limits for your breaker, or upgrade it ... or worse, swap inverters.

If the inverter is not on "The List" i.e. NRS 097 approved - not a CoCT list no - no chance of it being signed off for gird tied.

Titbit: To get a inverter model, not make, a model NRS 097 certified, costs about +-R100k (+-7000 Euro's) ... that came to light recently.

I have only seen the  CoCT list where is the NRS 097  list?

19 minutes ago, Mistral said:

I have only seen the  CoCT list where is the NRS 097  list?

This penny dropped recently in dealing with CoCT's on the other matter: The list is all the inverters that they are aware of, that have a NRS 097 certification. 

See it as a service they have done for us, bringing the list to our attention AND keeping it up to date. 🙂