I'm posting this on behalf of another user, @Solvan.
Solvan recently posted the results of testing his own Smartsolar units, as well a summary of testing other units stocked by his vendor. These tests demonstrated gross inaccuracy in the units measurement of the current, resulting in premature termination of absorption charge, and incomplete daily charging.
The previous relevant threads can be found here and here . Since posting this, two things have happened:
- Multiple other users have reported the same experiences: @bigbillsd (here), @lnanne (here) and @RedRover (here). Note also, that this topic has come up previously, and been sidestepped. Multiple times, in fact.
- Solvan himself has spoken with me, and informed me he has been completely locked out of the forum, following posting this final thread .
Furthermore, he received an email from Guy Stewart, the moderator here, explicitly stating his posts have been "moderated" as a result of exposing the faults in the MPPT units, and instructing him to provide any further information behind closed doors, instead of publicly releasing it for other owners awareness. He has provided this email, and his response, attached below.
Additionally, the vendor, who went out of their way to help Solvan test his, and the other units, is now reportedly unable to return the units, for fear of the same persecution, leaving them thousands of dollars out of pocket.
It is also worth noting that Guy Stewart is part of the management staff at Rainbow Solar - of which a large pat of their business is the sales of Victron equipment.
I am very curious to hear if any others are experiencing the same difficulties with their units accuracy, and whether people think this is an acceptable standard of customer support, considering this overtly suppressing negative feedback in an official support service.