Anyone have the scoop on the upcoming Sol-Ark limitless system?

[AleksK]

Another option is to AC-Couple those west-facing panels on your generator input, assuming you aren't using the gen input already...

Yup another potentially good way to go at it, but microinverters are slightly less reliable than Tigo and cost quite a bit more, but there are plenty of pros to offset those cons like no additional load on the inverter and better than tigo offset angle solar panel optimization (or lack of need for optimization).

 

[Mhoward84]

wrong thread... nm

 

[niktak11]

A bit disappointed to see that the 15k is only 12k continuous from batteries. I can probably make 2 work still though. I'll just have to be a bit more careful what's running during an outage.

 

[Mhoward84]

A bit disappointed to see that the 15k is only 12k continuous from batteries. I can probably make 2 work still though. I'll just have to be a bit more careful what's running during an outage.

Well come on. Sol ark labeling their inverter by output and not input? ?

 

[TootyBooty]

Well come on. Sol ark labeling their inverter by output and not input? ?

It does output 15kw from dc connected panels; the 12kw limit is just from battery… and for what its worth, even that limit seems just to be a software limit since the battery connection is a pair of 200A breakers capable of 20kw…. So I would not be surprised to see down the road if this 12kw limit is lifted. The hardware (breakers and inverter capacity) is all there.

 

[Mhoward84]

It does output 15kw from dc connected panels; the 12kw is just from battery…

Good call! That was just the 12k. Now they’re just redoing the “why the name doesn’t indicate output in all circumstances” trend ?

 

[TootyBooty]

Good call! That was just the 12k. Now they’re just redoing the “why the name doesn’t indicate output in all circumstances” trend ?

LOL - yeah, let's call it the Sol-Ark 12/15/17/20kw so we can cover battery and solar inverter limits, total dc panel limit and peaking capability. That wouldn't confuse anyone. . Oh wait, wouldn't we need to add 24kw in there to show the max amount of AC coupled capacity allowed on the Gen input?

 

[AleksK]

LOL - yeah, let's call it the Sol-Ark 12/15/17/20kw so we can cover battery and solar inverter limits, total dc panel limit and peaking capability. That wouldn't confuse anyone. . Oh wait, wouldn't we need to add 24kw in there to show the max amount of AC coupled capacity allowed on the Gen input?

Someone will still be upset because you didn't included the single leg output and the total maximum leg imbalance. Maybe one day they will just be called big, medium, and small lol

 

[RayofSunshine]

More info from YouTube:

I would really like to hear from them whether or not they have fixed the data monitoring and/or firmware update servers being hosted from inside the PRC (mainland China). Also, I believe they have been talking about transitioning at least some of their manufacturing from the PRC to Texas. I'd like to know exactly where the 15K is manufactured. I need a new roof, so I'm going (grid tied) solar + ESS pretty soon. At first I thought Enphase might be best for my situation, but cost, plus the round trip losses of an AC coupled ESS system made me look harder at other solutions. Next, I thought SolarEdge might be better, but the constant barrage of customer and installer complaints I read on-line regarding both optimizer and inverter failures soured me on them. Then I found Sol-Ark. DC coupled: check. Two MPPTs (when paired with Solaria panels in a minimal shade/orientation challenged installation) to make panel shading efficiency losses a non-issue: check. Grid-tied with sell-back (I live in NJ): check. Battery agnostic 48V friendly (making the longer lasting, safer, more cost efficient, more eco-friendly LiFePO4 batteries a good choice): check. Generator input capable (I have a standby generator now, and am thinking of a whole home backup generator if a reasonably sized ESS isn't enough for a longer term power outage (I have natural gas to the house)): check. Veteran owned (I am a big supporter of our service members - current and Vets): check. The only real problems I have are the PRC connections: both manufacturing (possible hardware/firmware back doors), and hosting/monitoring (possible software back doors and personal data theft). I really want to convince myself to get the Sol-Ark, but by them not even addressing/responding to these issues (I've tried, and got zero response, and I know others have as well), it really makes me wonder...

 

[robby]

Well come on. Sol ark labeling their inverter by output and not input? ?

Do the math on Amperage and wire size needed for 15Kw from 48Vdc and you will understand why they limited it to 12Kw.

 

[niktak11]

Do the math on Amperage and wire size needed for 15Kw from 48Vdc and you will understand why they limited it to 12Kw.

That's only 312.5A at 48V. Even a single 2/0 105C copper conductor can do that (assuming the terminals and connectors can handle 105C too).

 

[robby]

That's only 312.5A at 48V. Even a single 2/0 105C copper conductor can do that (assuming the terminals and connectors can handle 105C too).

Nope!
2/0 is for 200A circuits when you factor in oversize.
You would need 312.5A x 1.25 = 390A Wire. You did not factor in the needed oversize.
This is pretty much 400Amp wire which would be 750 Kcmil wire which is 1.1" thick and is almost impossible to find in a flexible form factor.
This is the main reason why they cut it of at 12Kw because after that you start to get into very exotic and difficult stuff to work with, and it costs a small fortune.

 

[niktak11]

Nope!
2/0 is for 200A circuits when you factor in oversize.
You would need 312.5A x 1.25 = 390A Wire. You did not factor in the needed oversize.
This is pretty much 400Amp wire which would be 750 Kcmil wire which is 1.1" thick and is almost impossible to find in a flexible form factor.
This is the main reason why they cut it of at 12Kw because after that you start to get into very exotic and difficult stuff to work with, and it costs a small fortune.

Someone else mentioned that this model has two sets of battery terminals so you should be able to get away with two sets of 4/0 or smaller

 

[robby]

Someone else mentioned that this model has two sets of battery terminals so you should be able to get away with two sets of 4/0 or smaller

Using a pair of wires is not the way your supposed to do battery wiring. If one falls off the other one becomes a heating element that can burn down your house.

 

[niktak11]

Using a pair of wires is not the way your supposed to do battery wiring. If one falls off the other one becomes a heating element that can burn down your house.

Hopefully it has a separate dc breaker for each input

 

[robby]

Hopefully it has a separate dc breaker for each input

It will be interesting to see what they come up with. Honestly I just could not even imagine using 12Kw much less the 15Kw this thing can put out on PV. The highest amount of power I can pull in my house if everything was running is about 10Kw. That would be me just being crazy and running every AC, every appliance plus a heat Gun.
At first I was a little bummed out that this model did not exist when I made my SA 12K purchase, but the more I thought about it was the more I realized it would be complete overkill.
I am always amazed when I see pictures of people running three Sol-Ark 12K with six eVault Batteries. I guess some people have some pretty hefty loads.

 

[niktak11]

It will be interesting to see what they come up with. Honestly I just could not even imagine using 12Kw much less the 15Kw this thing can put out on PV. The highest amount of power I can pull in my house if everything was running is about 10Kw. That would be me just being crazy and running every AC, every appliance plus a heat Gun.
At first I was a little bummed out that this model did not exist when I made my SA 12K purchase, but the more I thought about it was the more I realized it would be complete overkill.
I am always amazed when I see pictures of people running three Sol-Ark 12K with six eVault Batteries. I guess some people have some pretty hefty loads.

And here I am wondering if 2 15k will be enough for me lol. When the heat strips on my heat pump are on, my heat pump alone is probably using 18-20kW. Plus I have a fridge and 6 freezers running most of the year, an electric car, electric water heater, electric range and oven, electric washer and dryer, etc.

That also doesn't count my 240V well pump that draws 62A at startup but I'm already planning to use a separate inverter for that.

 

[robby]

I just found out that it will indeed have two DC input lines. It's geared towards using Pairs of 2/0 AWG wire.

 

[Glucola]

Deye released African version of Deye/Sol-Ark 15/16K. It will be interesting to knows who's doing the RD( maybe Solark with the the surcharge in price )

 

[audreez]

Deye released African version of Deye/Sol-Ark 15/16K. It will be interesting to knows who's doing the RD( maybe Solark with the the surcharge in price )

i tought solark enginerdit "themselves" by american enginerds specifically for US market this "limitless" 200a bypass with 3 mppts and so on and so on....