Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does Coyle Industries do?  

Our initial business is to design, manufacture, and distribute portable solar powered generators.   Our Workmate line of generator products offers 3,000-watt continuous output with 4,500-watt surge capacity.  These devices deliver about 20-amp service which is equivalent to the level of typical household current.  We also offer an Agrimate line of products which offer the same 3,000-watt generator and also include an integrated water pumping station.

2. Do Coyle Industries products generate electricity during rainy or cloudy days?

Absolutely!  The energy of solar rays which penetrate through rain clouds still excite the solar array. 

3. How quickly can a Workmate generator be fully charged?

If the Workmate has been discharged completely to shutdown pprotection level, and oriented toward the maximum solar incidence at all times of the day, it can be completely charged  in 2 days.  However, in full sun  the product can generate usable power in less than 30 minutes from a completely discharged battery state.  The battery state, load, and environmental conditions affect the recharge time. 

4. What is a shunt and how does it work?

A shunt is a diversion circuit that allows the products to leverage ongoing electricity generation even after the batteries are fully charged.  The shunt redirects the current away from the fully charged batteries to other uses such as running the water pump in the Agrimate product.  This offers a method to optimize power by utilizing all available current for productive uses when the PV generation exceeds storage capacity.

5. Can the Coyle Industries Workmate be used to power an entire house?

Like any 3,000-watt gas or diesel generator, every power generation source has certain capacity limits.  The Workmate and Agrimate both deliver 20-amperes of output which makes it compatible with most household appliances. You can run many common electronic devices such as lights, radios, televisions, personal computers, and more.  However, depending on how many appliances you are trying to run simultaneously, the Workmate may not be able to power all devices at the same time.

6. Can Coyle Industries products be used in emergency situations?

Emergency power generation is one of the primary applications for our products.  Power outages due to floods, fires, earthquakes, storms, and other natural disasters are prime opportunities to leverage the power and convenience of a Coyle Industries generator.  When you have a Workmate or an Agrimate at the ready, the emergency is over!

7. Why are Coyle Industries products better than normal gasoline or diesel generators?

Our Workmate and Agrimate solar generators are far superior to traditional methods of energy generation for a wide range of reasons:

• They are completely solid state which means they don’t have any moving parts.  As a result they require practically no maintenance.
  
• Since our products are powered completely by the sun, there is no need to refill the generator with costly anddangerous fuel.
  
• Our products are completely silent compared with noisy combustion engines.  This makes them useful in situations where noise pollution is a concern such as outdoor concerts and camping environments.
  
• Workmate and Agrimate generators have no emissions and can thus be used in enclosed environments where a traditional fuel generator would be considered a health and fire hazard.
  
• Our products are completely waterproof and can thus be used in weather conditions that would severely damage a traditional gasoline or diesel generator.
  

8. What warranty is offered with Coyle Industry products?

  All of our components are CE certified and individual component warrantees are from one to twenty-fine years.  Contact us at info@coyleindustries.com for more detail on our warrantee program.

9. How long will my Workmate operate?

Runtime duration is dependent on a variety of factors including the level of battery charge and the amount of load on the device.  Please refer to the the Solar Primer PDF download on our website.

10. How do I optimize the use of the batteries?

It is best to utilize device power so that the batteries are never fully discharged or allowed to remain at a discharged state.  Excessive discharge allows sulfite to build up on the battery plates which impacts battery life and performance.  By allowing batteries to remain in a state of positive charge you can get longer life than even specified.  Even just a few minutes of recharging can accomplish this.  As much as possible have the inverter and all loads turned off when not in use.

11. How do I optimize the charging capability of the photovoltaic array?

It is Important to orient the device towards the maximum solar incidence (i.e. the sun) as much as possible.  Also, it is useful to move the device throughout the day to maximize solar exposure.  After sun has gone down, reorient the device to the east so that the device will be facing the solar incidence at sunrise.

12. How long will the batteries last?

The Coyle Industries Workmate solar generators use high performance, sealed, gelled batteries that will last  up to 500 discharge cycles depending on ambient temperature, state of discharge and duration of discharge.  The batteries are protected from direct solar contact and exposure to natural elements by the device chassis.

13.Can I replace the batteries if they fail or wear out?

The batteries in the Workmate generators are replaceable by a trained technician.  If you need to replace your batteries for any reason, please contact Coyle Industries directly for more information on our replacement policy or a list of certified technicians who can assist you with this process.  Any opening of the device chassis or other non-authorized use of the device will automatically violate the warrantee.

14.What if my machine gets wet?

Your machine is designed to operate in all weather conditions.  The interior of the device should never be directly exposed to water, strong wind, hail, ice, or snow.  Although the panel will not be affected by ice or snow, the panel should be kept clear of such elements to maintain optimal solar exposure.  The built-in extension cord and pump hose (Agrimate only) should always be stored in the protective cord reel bag when not in use.  

15.How powerful is the solar panel on the device?

The Workmate utilizes a 235 watt photovoltaic solar panel which produces 8.8 amps of current.  

16.What can Coyle Industry generators be used for?

Our portable solar generators are designed for any situation where electrical power may be needed.  Our 3,000 watt generators are designed to power AC and DC electrical appliances and are robust enough to run dish washers, washing machines, and common professional and industrial tools including drills, saws, lathes, table saws, sanders, nail guns, and much more.

The primary device application is to supply power needs in remote locations through point of use electrical generation. Examples of this include:

• Agricultural uses where power is needed to irrigate remote areas and satisfy water needs without the costly and time consuming expenditure for refueling.
  
• Remote power for working in vineyards, running remote camps, or remote outposts.
• Remote building in locations where generator power would be needed to begin construction of houses where public utilities are not yet established.