robby
Photon Vampire
- Joined
- May 1, 2021
- Messages
- 4,129
They based on my last discussion with a Bob at sol-ark they are well aware of peoples fears.I remember the debate that raged in another (longtime) DIY Solar Power Forum thread on who "borrowed", or licensed, or whatevered from whom. I really hope your assertions are correct. Especially the firmware part. I seem to remember assertions (either in this forum or another) that the actual firmware updates are downloaded from servers in PRC.
(The following pertains more to the post of "mvonw" re Sol-Ark's use of servers in the PRC, but also follows-on my above comments.)
Now, having spent an extensive career in software development (Bell Labs/AT&T/Lucent, HP, & back to AT&T Research), with a non-trivial portion of it in various security capacities, I am well aware of at least some of the various methods that nefarious organizations (public or private) can use to reverse engineer software, firmware, and/or hardware to insert back doors, etc. It would be nice to know if Sol-Ark run tests (e.g., CRC checksums) to verify that all software, firmware, etc, are exactly as specified. I don't really care if President Xi and his minions in the PRC know I use, say, an average of 27.9kWh/day of PV generated electricity with an 18.5 kWh LFP ESS. I *do* care if they know the MAC and/or IP address of my inverter, and whether or not they have a back door ready to send a "destruct" code or "run wild" code (remember Stuxnet?) just when I need my solar/ESS system the most (possibly after the PRC, Russia, North Korea, Iran, ... launches an attack on our power grid because they didn't like our response to their invasion of Taiwan, Ukraine, South Korea, ??? (maybe all at or near the same time)). I realize that many of the hybrid grid-tied battery charger inverters are made in the PRC. I am also aware that other countries can steal IP and insert back doors. But I am not *nearly* as concerned about Israel (SolarEdge) or Germany (Fronius), or other (mostly) "friendly" countries as I am about the openly hostile governments listed above. *Plus*, we *know* that the PRC *requires* corporations in the PRC to share customer data with the government. So ("mvonw"), unless you're in your 80's or 90's, unfortunately I am afraid you *will* live to see this issue become a reality. Now, whether or not you are still in your PV-powered home or some sort of assisted living facility (which hopefully - but not likely - will have taken steps to mitigate such occurrences so they have power to run whatever medical devices you may need), that is a different - but related - issue...
I really don't mean any of this to be a rant against Sol-Ark. I *really* want to be confident enough to buy from them. First, because they are an American company built and run by veterans, ostensibly helping other veterans any way they can. Second, by all accounts they have excellent customer service (at least after you purchase their product). Third, I still haven't heard a complaint that any of their hardware has failed. Fourth, they have practically all the features I care about and seem responsive to feature improvements (the 15K, their new SmartLoads panel, ESS agnostic, etc.). THE ONLY thing that gives me real pause about wholeheartedly selecting them is the PRC vulnerability (well, they're also more expensive, but you can rationalize the extra cost for the other positives). I dunno. I might hold my nose, go with Sol-Ark, and disconnect it from the Internet after initial commisioning (or just block any network traffic from certain IP address ranges) and try the cobbled-up LAN-based monitoring solution described in a different thread. And then hope Sol-Ark sees the light and addresses these security issues.
Oh, BTW, I thought of the only significant feature Sol-Ark - or anyone else (until now) - lacks: EV DC charging. I'm talking no conversion to AC first. I've seen some claims on other forums that SolarEdge does this, but SolarEdge's own "Smart EV Charger" data sheet indicates that its output is 240VAC. My research recently discovered the dcbel r16 inverter/EV charger. It is very new, lacks other features of Sol-Ark inverters, requires the inverter be close to the EV (within charging cable length), and isn't currently available in NJ (at least according their Web site tool when I input my info), but it shows that the technology exists. They describe the EV charger as a "Level 2.5" charger. Interesting stuff. My breaker panel (next to which I want to install the inside ba &( ESS) is on the other end of the (full, unfinished) basement from the (first) garage stall, so I don't know if the DC loss of a ~40 ft charging cable would preclude my layout from being able to make use of this capability, but if Sol-Ark could work this into the 15K, it would absolutely be *da bomb*.
It is something that they are going to change shortly.
Personally I am not really worried. Any kind of strike like that by China would mean that something a lot bigger is happening in the world.
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