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EG4 batteries and Sol-Ark 15K

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Leodoggie

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Apr 24, 2020
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After a few weeks of research I am still a little confused about the EG4 batteries and the Sol-Ark 15K conforming to CEC and UL 9540A in California. So my question is do they conform and is there documentation that spells this out? Also more definitively has anyone passed inspection and has been issued a permit for this combo in California?
I am a few weeks away from pulling the trigger on my project so any input would be most helpful.
 
I researched this about 8 months ago, and the none of the EG4 batteries at the time would pass inspection in California. I do not think that has changed.

@SignatureSolarJames might be able to confirm?
 
Leodoggie said:
After a few weeks of research I am still a little confused about the EG4 batteries and the Sol-Ark 15K conforming to CEC and UL 9540A in California. So my question is do they conform and is there documentation that spells this out? Also more definitively has anyone passed inspection and has been issued a permit for this combo in California?
I am a few weeks away from pulling the trigger on my project so any input would be most helpful.
Click to expand...
I don't see EG4 on the list:
www.sol-ark.com

Battery Suppliers

Sol-Ark® has an large network of solar battery partners for our hybrid inverters and support closed loop communications for optimal energy production. Learn more.
www.sol-ark.com www.sol-ark.com

UL 9540a is a test method. Other than for commercial installations requiring it, no one is going to test combinations of batteries/inverters of products that are not their own. Enphase may UL 9540a test an Enphase system for bragging rights. Ditto for Solaredge.

If a battery maker is combined a lot with a single inverter, I suppose they could pay for the test to help with sales with that inverter.
 
DIYrich said:
I don't see EG4 on the list:
www.sol-ark.com

Battery Suppliers

Sol-Ark® has an large network of solar battery partners for our hybrid inverters and support closed loop communications for optimal energy production. Learn more.
www.sol-ark.com www.sol-ark.com

UL 9540a is a test method. Other than for commercial installations requiring it, no one is going to test combinations of batteries/inverters of products that are not their own. Enphase may UL 9540a test an Enphase system for bragging rights. Ditto for Solaredge.

If a battery maker is combined a lot with a single inverter, I suppose they could pay for the test to help with sales with that inverter.
Click to expand...
The only combo that claims this is Pytes batteries with the Sol-Ark 15k. But I don’t see many people using Pytes batteries.
 
Leodoggie said:
The only combo that claims this is Pytes batteries with the Sol-Ark 15k. But I don’t see many people using Pytes batteries.
Click to expand...
I can't open the certificate. I see that the E-Box-48100R is UL9540A. But, it I can't find information on what was included in the test, and the test conditions (mounting, spacing, etc.).
 
Leodoggie said:
The only combo that claims this is Pytes batteries with the Sol-Ark 15k. But I don’t see many people using Pytes batteries.
Click to expand...
I would probably wager that 98% of SolArk customers are not on this forum, and I bet a lot of them have batteries we have never heard of, that all pass inspection, and they never have to think about, or touch their system.

Ahh a man can dream, cant he?
 
Leodoggie said:
Excellent suggestion I will look into them, thanks.
Click to expand...
I might be slightly late to this discussion but am wondering if you've looked at the self-consumption of the Homegrid batteries. I bought batteries that literally eat all of my winter production just to run so they're useless. I'm looking for a new battery option as the direct result and am looking at a HUGE loss on the batteries I currently have.
 
SHTF Power Anyway said:
I might be slightly late to this discussion but am wondering if you've looked at the self-consumption of the Homegrid batteries. I bought batteries that literally eat all of my winter production just to run so they're useless. I'm looking for a new battery option as the direct result and am looking at a HUGE loss on the batteries I currently have.
Click to expand...
What batteries did you get and are you having massive losses charging/discharging them? What are they doing for self consumption?
 
EkBuZ said:
What batteries did you get and are you having massive losses charging/discharging them? What are they doing for self consumption?
Click to expand...
Sorry for the late response. I didn't see a notification of your reply. I have Fortress eFlex batteries which consume 30 watts per hour when in use. That's EACH. My bank consumes 7,200 watts in a 24 hour period which exceeds my actual load in the winter by 5000 watts.

My understanding is that there are others that consume just as much. These figures are not disclosed. My batteries tout a 98% round trip efficiency. I'm not sure what fucking planet they take that 98% from (other than a fraudulent one). If the world wasn't so beyond repair, we would have sued.
 
SHTF Power Anyway said:
I might be slightly late to this discussion but am wondering if you've looked at the self-consumption of the Homegrid batteries.
Click to expand...
April of this year I fed my two 28.8 kWh stacks 597.7 kWh in order to discharge 514.3 kWh. A difference of 83.4 kWh lost to battery & charger efficiency along with running the BMS systems. 83.4 kWh over 30 days is 2.78 kWh a day or 116W constant average load.

A single 38.4 kWh stack w/8 slabs would probably use a bit less since it only has one "head unit" to power.

Hope that helps. Not apples to apples since it's not just BMS system draw but it's as close as I can get with my data so far.
 
6 months later.. has the powerpro has UL9540A and UL1973. Does that mean they can be paired with the Sol Ark 15k and meet UL9540.
 
oakleaf said:
6 months later.. has the powerpro has UL9540A and UL1973. Does that mean they can be paired with the Sol Ark 15k and meet UL9540.
Click to expand...
No. UL9540A is a battery test that yields a test report. An AHJ may or may not accept the batteries on the basis of UL9540A. UL9540 is a listing of the battery and inverter as a pair (an ESS).
 
oakleaf said:
So if my AHJ approves it, I shouldn't question it and move on with the install.
Click to expand...
Doesn't all of California require equipment on the CEC solar equipment list? I'm not in California, so I really don't know.
 
Those on the ESS list will be UL9540. The listed companies will be the battery company, Sol-Ark doesn't make batteries, so they are not listed, but the battery companies that pair with Sol-Ark are on the list.
 
I tried to go with the EG4 18k for the inverter but PG&E said it wasn't on the CEC PCS list.
They asked for the info below and suggested to switch to the Sol-Ark:
I switched to the Sol-Ark and just got the permit approved.

Please provide the following items:
1. CRD – PCS
Per PG&E Tariffs (Special Conditions Section 9.e.), since the total storage inverter is >10kW, either one of
the following options is required in order to prove that all exports to the grid come from the solar
equipment and not the battery. Please note that this is a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
requirement :
1. Install a non-export relay to assure no export from the storage to grid
OR
3. EG4 Electronics LLC/ 18KPV-12LV [240V] [SI1-SB]is not listed on the California Energy Commissions (CEC)
as being PCS CRD certified. PCS CRD certification confirms that the storage system meets the NEM definition of No Grid Charging or No Storage Export and is considered an “addition” or “enhancement” to the NEM system and the entire system will be 100% NEM. Please reach out to the manufacturer (EG4 Electronics LLC) and request if they can provide you documentation that the specific inverter above meets the PCS CRD requirements. Respond back to this email with the documentation so I can have the Distribution (Engineering) Team review the documents and approve the inverters for use.
Please see the following links provided below for more information on the requirements (specifically special conditions 9.e of the NEM Tariff)
https://www.pge.com/tariffs/assets/pdf/adviceletter/ELEC_5880-E.pdf
https://www.pge.com/tariffs/assets/pdf/tariffbook/ELEC_SCHEDS_NEM2.pdf
Click to expand...
 
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