Let me start out on a positive note. I love the screen layout of this monitor. It’s bold and bright and displays all the stats at once on a single screen which is visible from a distance. That was actually a big factor for me when I bought it.
I’d like to say I did my homework before I hit the buy button. I read a handful of reviews which for the most part all seemed decent. I even watched a few unboxing and install videos…As you do in the age of RU-vid.
However, coming from a standpoint of ownership, I can now say that reliability and quality control seem to be an issue with this monitor. For a data cord to go bad in such a short period of time under normal use is just not acceptable. Still, I liked the screen design so much that I initially considered ordering a second monitor and just calling this one a dud.
But after further investigation, I made a couple red flag discoveries which changed my mind. I’ve also noticed a decline in the ratings on Amazon for this monitor. Currently 15% of buyers are rating this monitor only 1 of 5 star. There are quite a few comments describing operational issues similar to mine as well as comments regarding poor customer service.
My guess is that Renogy is just too focused on the higher end solar market these days to be bothered with quality control and customer service on these less expensive monitors. But who knows.
If you have a RBM500, drop a line in the comments section about how yours performs or perform(ed). Does your unit have screen brightness adjustability? Does yours say 350A or 500A on the startup screen? Any issues with finicky data cord attachments?
6 сен 2024
