SPAN - yet another smart panel

[AntonLargiader]

I see these ads on Reddit. Lots of visuals but not a lot of actual information. I assume each stab has a separate switch and load monitor, so you don't need smart breakers? The branch circuits are connected directly to the breakers. No plug-on neutrals (at least on some panels).

$3500~4200. Yowzah.

Says they accept:

• SquareD HOM
• Eaton/Bryant BR
• Siemens/Murray QP
• GE/ABB THQL

SPAN® Panel | Lower your energy bill

SPAN Panel is a re-invention of the 100 yr old home electrical panel adding a layer of intelligence and control to your home.

www.span.io

 

[mm08822]

I took a quick look.

It does have some select statements/situations to overinflate it's value.

Most of what it can do is already being done by disparate systems that exist today using various apps. This would package all of those under one app.

Their panel is 10-20X the price of today's hardware. How many customers will go ahead with a service upgrade adding in another $3K?
How robust is it against lightning strikes and surges?
How many branch circuits are currently wired where remote shutoff of it adds savings w/o adding inconveniences?

What happens if they go out of business?

Too early for me. Let's see a track record, version upgrades and competition.

 

[AntonLargiader]

Most of what it can do is already being done by disparate systems that exist today using various apps. This would package all of those under one app.

And one hardware item. With all of that switching and load monitoring I wonder what happens when something fails. Can you replace just a block, or is that whole backplane controller one item?

The monitoring is easy to add to a standard panel, but the circuit switching, at the whole circuit level, not so much unless you build a whole separate bank of smart switches. Leviton has their smart breakers. Just noticed that Eaton BR has them, too.

https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/catalog/electrical-circuit-protection/energy-management-circuit-breaker.html#tab-2

 

[PCustoms]

.

Says they accept:

• SquareD HOM
• Eaton/Bryant BR
• Siemens/Murray QP
• GE/ABB THQL

Are any of those listed?

Is the panel itself listed?

 

[mm08822]

Are any of those listed?

Is the panel itself listed?

Spec sheet references 3 ul standards.

I would expect (needs to be verified) the specified cb product lines were part of products' testing for listing.

 

[PCustoms]

Spec sheet references 3 ul standards.

I would expect (needs to be verified) the specified cb product lines were part of products' testing for listing.

Yeah, no one has ever falsely applied the UL logo... (FPE)

 

[Kezorm]

Span panel has been around for quite a few years now. It is legit. Lots of info to be found, YouTube videos, etc. I briefly looked at it 4 years back and love the idea of it - especially combined with my Solar PV with battery backup. But all the electronics baked into the panel scares me. Maybe the design is modular enough to be maintainable and maybe Span will take over the market and still be around to support it in 50 years and maybe... In the end I just put in good old Eaton CH panels that will easily outlive me. Any smarts in my system will be modular components external to the panel.

 

[mm08822]

Yeah, no one has ever falsely applied the UL logo... (FPE)

Make the call. Do your due diligence.

 

[PCustoms]

Make the call. Do your due diligence.

Meh.

I certainly would if I had the inclination to install one. $3500 materials cost, must use certified installer.

$10k all in?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

theyve priced themselves out of most of the market.... only fools would buy such a panel or those who like blowing money on new fangled things.... this is a case of trying to reinvent the wheel at great expense.... weve seen what happens to companies who do so...

 

[AntonLargiader]

Actually the most interesting thing to come of this (for me) is learning about the Eaton EVSE breakers. That can greatly simplify BYOC charging.