Did not see this one coming.
Subscriber Discussion
Ubiquiti Your Solar Provider
KL
Keefe Lovgren
Oct 15, 2015nice... maybe before too long they will have kits for remote site applications... it would be nice to see product pricing... have you seen any?
U
Undisclosed #1
Oct 15, 2015Is the generated power fully compatible or can it only run other Ubiquiti devices?
JH
John Honovich
Oct 15, 2015Can anyone with solar install experience comment on how this stacks up competitively?
I am wondering if this is a breakthrough or simply a me-too channel play like their underwhelming video surveillance offering?
Scott Bradford
Oct 15, 2015I think it's a 'me too' offering. Solar can be both very simple and very complicated. If they are using micro inverters then it's a grid tied system. However, you can't do a 'one size fits all' without a site survey and customer interview. You have stand alone systems, grid tied systems and grid plus battery.
I think that if if UBNT wanted to release a solar product, they should make it a 'plug and play' system that would integrate with their own products, not someone's house. All UBNT products run on 12v dc anyway, so if they made something like Goal Zero (which I also think is far overpriced for what it is) but was a direct dc to dc system to run some of their airmax nodes plus 12v @ 15 watts to run a camera, they might have some takers. I've designed some solar systems to run older inscape data radios that also had direct 12v power injectors.
I've seen other dealers and integrators try to make 'turn key' solar packages but I'm sure none of them have the purchasing power that UBNT has
DM
Duncan Miller
Oct 15, 2015UBNT Solar system is nothing new other then the gateway and QR code enrolment. This is a cool feature but not the biggest selling feature.
The thing that interests me the most is the the engineer services UBNT are offering which will reduce the paperwork and bureaucracy with local municipalities. It usually takes about 20-40 hours of paperwork and forms to get a solar install done in my area and that doesn't include all the engineering costs. UBNT is offering this all for free, even in Canada where I come from. I must say that is a huge selling point.
As for the costs of the equipment I am unsure where the pricing lines up with existing manufactures as UBNT has only released list pricing and so far it looks to be about the same if not a little less expensive that my existing pricing for other comparable products.
Ethan Ace
Oct 15, 2015Thanks, that's good info. Are those engineering services to integrators or end users? Presumably the former, no? Doing that for any user who asks could eat up a lot of time.
Just out of curiosity, can you name a comparable product or two? I think a lot of us are unfamiliar.
DM
Duncan Miller
Oct 16, 2015Here is an example of a similar inverter to the unit UBNT is using. HES Solar in Canada is offering a product called MircoBlox which already has the inverter mounted to the panel so you just need to install the panels and connect them just like UBNT product.
Kinetic makes a similar mounting system with integrated flashing.
As for the solar panels most of them area all coming from China now and are just branded once the land in North America. Sharp and BP and other big names have all but disappeared from the market. Last time I was in our local distributor for solar and asking about sharp they said they didn't even carry them any more.
U
Undisclosed #1
Oct 15, 2015Here's a screen shot from their configurator. I assume these prices are baseline dealer cost. If so, you might have a difficult time leading with price, as there are many panels available at retail at less than $1/watt.
EP
Eddie Perry
Oct 15, 2015there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle when you do solar, some times you can easily put them together some times its nothing but a nightmare.
not sure why UBNT is getting into it unless they think they can get into any market like networking, security, etc.. oh wait........
will most likely be a non standard all in one package that doesnt play nice with other systems or equipment. special 8.5v batteries, odd ball solar panel wattages, auto-sensing charge controllers that will detect is any part isnt a UBNT part......
I know I cant help it.
Scott Bradford
Oct 16, 2015If you look closely at the video, they are using a 4 pin plug that I've never seen before to join the panels and inverter together. So I agree that they are probably going to make some sort of non standard thing.
U
Undisclosed #1
Oct 15, 2015Personally I'm waiting for WindMax with it's automatic Foul-Weather Failover.
JH
John Honovich
Oct 16, 2015Make sure to vote up comments. There are a number of informative comments here, so please recognize them.
John Bazyk
Oct 16, 2015If you go to their system design website you can caluclate the cost. I believe this is equipment only, so you would still need to find someone to install it. Right off, its less money than I've been quoted for my home. At that price, I would consider it.
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