Just bought the Trace / Xantrex DR3624 Inverter - $880 new, on ebay now! 190135141873

Luperon

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Just bought the Trace / Xantrex DR3624 Inverter /Charger - $880 new, on ebay now! I think this is a good price. For those interested they have three left: item # 190135141873, $40 shipping within USA. Now I just need someone good to sell me four batteries and install the unit in Santiago. Any recommendations?
 

Rocky

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Just bought the Trace / Xantrex DR3624 Inverter /Charger - $880 new, on ebay now! I think this is a good price. For those interested they have three left: item # 190135141873, $40 shipping within USA. Now I just need someone good to sell me four batteries and install the unit in Santiago. Any recommendations?
What a great deal.
How you getting it down here?
If it's in your luggage, be aware of weight limits, which are rather low these days.
I'll leave the battery suggestions to the STI boys.
I bet that Hillbilly knows the answer to your question.
 

Luperon

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What a great deal.
How you getting it down here?
If it's in your luggage, be aware of weight limits, which are rather low these days.
I'll leave the battery suggestions to the STI boys.
I bet that Hillbilly knows the answer to your question.

I want to thank you Rocky and others for all the advice. I will be bringing it down on Delta in two weeks. Delta charges $25 extra for an overweight bag 50-75 pounds. I am also going to try and bring a portable AC in another overweight 50-70 lb bag. I don?t think Delta has the Summer restrictions that AA does on overweight bags. What is the best way to get by at the airport without paying some crazy duty. Tipping I ass-u-me? Advice?
 

SamanaJon

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Installation of Trace Inverter

Try to do it yourself (installation). It is not that complicated. If you still feel uneasy, hire someone locally. There are at least 300 people in the Santiago area that can do it in their sleep. Find one of the service tech from Trace in Santiago, get his cel number and have him do it in the evening as a sidejob. Batteries should be bought in Santiago ( I like Trojan T-105). You will never get them on a plane. Good luck. The inverter is heavy, almost 50 lb. and is a great inverter for the money. Suggestion, buy good jumpers and battery cables in the USA. The ones made in the DR are not very good.
 

Rocky

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I want to thank you Rocky and others for all the advice. I will be bringing it down on Delta in two weeks. Delta charges $25 extra for an overweight bag 50-75 pounds. I am also going to try and bring a portable AC in another overweight 50-70 lb bag. I don?t think Delta has the Summer restrictions that AA does on overweight bags. What is the best way to get by at the airport without paying some crazy duty. Tipping I ass-u-me? Advice?
Wow,
That's an ambitious undertaking.
I would have to guess that you are going to stand out like a sore thumb, if you're trying to bring both units in at the same time.
This is just a guess, but I would say you highly improve your chances to get through with only the inverter.
I have a vague recollection of hearing about inverters and/or plantas being tax exempt at customs.
Surely someone else with current info will chime in and give you the straight scoop.
 

Rocky

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Try to do it yourself (installation). It is not that complicated..
But only if you are 100% sure you understand the instructions,
One wrong hook up for a microsecond can fry the whole thing.

PS: Almost all local shops that sell batteries will do the installation, sometimes for free.
Often delivered and installed for the same price.
It's certainly the case here in Sosua.
 

Rocky

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I recently purchased a set of batteries from Energy Power in Santiago.

Reynaldo Ramirez at 809-582-6784
Manufacturadores Int de Bater?a
Energy Power Distributor (Batteries are made by Crown Battery in the US.
Address:
Padre Las Casas 92 and Estrella Sadhala near Caterpillar and Megatruck.Take a left on Padre La Casas, they are on the right side of Padre Las Casas.
.
Do they deliver and do the installation?
 

sirlurksalot

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Inverter in Check baggage - No Problema

I want to thank you Rocky and others for all the advice. I will be bringing it down on Delta in two weeks. Delta charges $25 extra for an overweight bag 50-75 pounds. I am also going to try and bring a portable AC in another overweight 50-70 lb bag. I don?t think Delta has the Summer restrictions that AA does on overweight bags. What is the best way to get by at the airport without paying some crazy duty. Tipping I ass-u-me? Advice?

I don't know maybe it was plain dumb luck but I brought an inverter in to the STI airport in checked baggage with no issues of any kind. Just packed it in an expandable soft sided suitcase and it arrived in perfect condition with no duty charged. Just picked it up in the claim area and walked out the door. It weighed 49 lbs. so didn't have to pay for being overweight either. Hope things go well for you,
 

Luperon

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Gel / AGM

I assume I can start with four (six volt) batteries. Assuming I wanted a sealed location and wanted it to be maintenance free does anyone recommend gel / agm batteries. Also, can one ship batteries mixed in with food and used clothing in a tank?
 

Rocky

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I assume I can start with four (six volt) batteries. Assuming I wanted a sealed location and wanted it to be maintenance free does anyone recommend gel / agm batteries. Also, can one ship batteries mixed in with food and used clothing in a tank?
Yes you can start with 4.
If it has to be a sealed location, the you need sealed batteries, but they will not last as long as with air cooling them and the inverter.
Heat is one of the destroyers of both inverters and batteries.
If it's not a sealed area, lead acid batteries such as the ones windeguy mentioned, are the best value.
As for shipping them, forget it.
They weight something like 80 lbs apiece.
Don't even go there.
 

Luperon

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equalize weekly? 3624

Hope you make it in OK without customs duty.

I expect with that size inverter you might want an 8 battery system with that kind of inverter capability.
I recently purchased a set of batteries from Energy Power in Santiago. I had 4 batteries before that I purchased in Sosua by the same company that are now about 6 months old and working very well. These are 250 A/H batteries at 3,000 pesos each from:

Reynaldo Ramirez at 809-582-6784
Manufacturadores Int de Bater?a
Energy Power Distributor (Batteries are made by Crown Battery in the US.
Address:
Padre Las Casas 92 and Estrella Sadhala near Caterpillar and Megatruck.Take a left on Padre La Casas, they are on the right side of Padre Las Casas.

If you use these batteries use charge setting position switch position 2 and equalize switch position 1 (they recommend weekly equalization) on the DR Xantrex inverter.

I could not find the U.S. Battery 2000 model available so I decided to go with the Energy Power/Crown batteries. Only time will tell how good they are.


It does not seem that this unit can be equalized remotely??? I was hoping to limit the access to the unit while i was not in the country (47 weeks a year).
 

Rocky

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It does not seem that this unit can be equalized remotely??? I was hoping to limit the access to the unit while i was not in the country (47 weeks a year).
That is correct, and if the person overseeing your system/household does not understand proper battery maintenance, you've got a problem.
 

Luperon

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Rocky

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What about four 6-volt agms, made in usa.... only $189

MK Battery 8AGC2 AGM 6V, 200 Amp-Hour (20 Hr) Sealed Battery

no maintenance...lock off the inverter room,
That might be your only choice, as you don't want anyone to have access to the system while you're gone, and for good reason, I might add, thus they would not be able to maintain the fluid level in lead acid batteries, so your idea of going with the sealed maintenance free batteries sounds good.
As for equalizing, you coud do it each time you arrive and each time you leave.
That will simply have to do.
 

Luperon

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That might be your only choice, as you don't want anyone to have access to the system while you're gone, and for good reason, I might add, thus they would not be able to maintain the fluid level in lead acid batteries, so your idea of going with the sealed maintenance free batteries sounds good.
As for equalizing, you coud do it each time you arrive and each time you leave.
That will simply have to do.

Even AGM's need to be equalized?
 

Rocky

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Even AGM's need to be equalized?
I understand, but what choice do you have if you can't remotely activate the equalizer control, and you don't want anyone to have access to the system while you're gone?
You'll have to live with equalizing them less frequently than recommended, and accept that it may diminish their life span.
Either that, or you have to change your plan, and give some competent person, access to the system.

PS: I see now that your sentence was in question form.
Are you asking me if they need to be equalized?
If so, I would think so, but the website from the manufaturer would surely answer that question in a more professional fashion, than I could.
 

Luperon

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Rocky

I understand, but what choice do you have if you can't remotely activate the equalizer control, and you don't want anyone to have access to the system while you're gone?
You'll have to live with equalizing them less frequently than recommended, and accept that it may diminish their life span.
Either that, or you have to change your plan, and give some competent person, access to the system.

PS: I see now that your sentence was in question form.
Are you asking me if they need to be equalized?
If so, I would think so, but the website from the manufaturer would surely answer that question in a more professional fashion, than I could.

Slightly off the topic... but I need a fast answer  and since you (Rocky) are the person that responds very quickly..... What is the best generator to buy in the $1000 - $2000 range?
 
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For that price range, a Honda generator would be your best bet. They are highly reliable, and the parts/techs are widely available in DR.
 

SamanaJon

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Inexpensive "plantas"

You ask a very open question regarding gensets. $1-2K USD will not buy much for a reliable household genset (Diesel) with capacity to charge a bank of 6V batteries via an inverter. Yes Honda/Yamaha gasoline generators are find for casual use small loads (<3 kw) 1-3 hours/day. Stay away from Chinese gensets as they are disposable after 150 hrs. What use will it have? What size? Normally you decide how much power you require, then look at prices in the capacity range.
 

Rocky

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Slightly off the topic... but I need a fast answer  and since you (Rocky) are the person that responds very quickly..... What is the best generator to buy in the $1000 - $2000 range?
Well, I was a bit slow today.
Too much stuff going on.
It depends very much on your needs.
Does it have to run the whole house?
Is it just to run in economy mode in case of a long power failure, when you run your batteries down?
Does it have to be quiet?
etc.