Sol-Ark 15K All in One Inverter Released.

Lt.Dan said:

I vaguely remember something about them moving the fans to blow air vertically instead of out of the side, so that they can stack more 15k's closer side by side without blowing hot air at each other. I think it was on Engineer775's video is where I actually saw that.

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Yep, only need 2” spacing now instead of the 6” for the 12k.

How easy (or hard) is it to get to and replace a dead fan in the 15K ?

I'm guessing nobody on the forum has had one apart to see what's required to replace the fans... I'd think a call to SA might be in order to get the answer.

Wet1 said:

I'm guessing nobody on the forum has had one apart to see what's required to replace the fans... I'd think a call to SA might be in order to get the answer.

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It would be helpful to have the specs on the fans as well. They may not be identical to what's in the 12K, and there could be an opportunity to upgrade them either before initial installation or if any need to be replaced in the future.

Speaking of Engineer775, he was installing a couple of 15Ks at customer sites this week, so he may be posting some interesting videos on YouTube before not much longer.

From what I could see with a flashlight the Fan is buried down near the center of the unit.
Unlike the 12K your going to have to take all the wiring off of the unit and remove it from the wall and hopefully when you remove the back plate it is accessible.

robby said:

From what I could see with a flashlight the Fan is buried down near the center of the unit.
Unlike the 12K your going to have to take all the wiring off of the unit and remove it from the wall and hopefully when you remove the back plate it is accessible.

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Ouch. I hope not.

Really nice and clean design in the lower half. The wiring is so beefy.

robby said:

From what I could see with a flashlight the Fan is buried down near the center of the unit.
Unlike the 12K your going to have to take all the wiring off of the unit and remove it from the wall and hopefully when you remove the back plate it is accessible.

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How's the track record with Sol-Ark fans? Given the origin of the hardware, I have to think the fans are of a standard size and spec, and if they're not already the most sturdy/quiet/effective, that it would not require an engineering degree or more than a few dollars to swap them out for the best ones available. That is, if Sol-Ark has not done so already before delivery to US destinations.

I wonder if its advantageous to get in there and put in a high quality 60,000 hour fan before the unit gets installed? As I type that, I realize you are probably going to void the warranty though...

Lt.Dan said:

I wonder if its advantageous to get in there and put in a high quality 60,000 hour fan before the unit gets installed? As I type that, I realize you are probably going to void the warranty though...

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I would not do it. I suspect that Sol-Ark already put a high quality fans in the unit that will last for at least 10 years.
At the same time it would be nice to know that when the time comes to replace them it will be easy to do.
On the other hand in ten years these Inverters might be so primitive that a Fan replacement might not even be worth while. We might all be looking to upgrade to the Version 5 model that has some wiz bang new features.

robby said:

I would not do it. I suspect that Sol-Ark already put a high quality fans in the unit that will last for at least 10 years.
At the same time it would be nice to know that when the time comes to replace them it will be easy to do.
On the other hand in ten years these Inverters might be so primitive that a Fan replacement might not even be worth while. We might all be looking to upgrade to the Version 5 model that has some wiz bang new features.

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True dat.

*EMP Option expected Q4 or later*

Very nice deterrent to The Matrix sentinels (or to the everyday neighbor's noisy boombox ?)

robby said:

I would not do it. I suspect that Sol-Ark already put a high quality fans in the unit that will last for at least 10 years.
At the same time it would be nice to know that when the time comes to replace them it will be easy to do.
On the other hand in ten years these Inverters might be so primitive that a Fan replacement might not even be worth while. We might all be looking to upgrade to the Version 5 model that has some wiz bang new features.

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If I have to update in 10 years I'm gonna be pissed lol. Hopefully our technology just gets more efficient and my system will be overkill and last for atleast 20 years, preferably 30. I want it to be my children's problem haha

"! 0V shown on solar: + and - may be backwards."

They know their customers!

Hedges said:

"! 0V shown on solar: + and - may be backwards."

They know their customers!

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You can just imagine how many times people must have done this if they actually went to the trouble of printing it on the connection board. ?

Lt.Dan said:

If I have to update in 10 years I'm gonna be pissed lol. Hopefully our technology just gets more efficient and my system will be overkill and last for atleast 20 years, preferably 30. I want it to be my children's problem haha

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My system should pay for itself in 5 years maybe a lot less if energy prices keep going up. By time I hit the 10 year mark I am pretty sure I will be open to a new Inverter if it has some kind of really good features.

One item that I can see becoming popular in the next 5 years is some sort of Solar Inverter Comm Protocol that works with almost every new appliance. I am thinking that as Solar and EV's become more common everything that consumes a good deal of power will be able to talk to the Inverter and the Inverter can make decisions on what loads it needs to throttle based on your priority setting and the remaining SOC. Basically no need for a smart loads panel but instead an even more targeted way of dealing with power savings by talking directly to the Devices and letting them know what they should do.

A neat feature would be things like throttling ability for HVAC Inverter units that allow available power to be stretched even if the comfort level drops a bit in order to make everything important last until the Sun is up. Your AC might move from a set temp of 75 Deg to 79 Deg in order to save power. A Fridge might power down for 2 hours and then power back up, with just enough rise in temp to keep food from going bad.
The Dryer will wait for good PV power before starting up and will pause the heating element if PV drops for X amount of minutes and then resume again when the clouds pass by.

I know they use something similar to this in thermostats that the some power companies put into peoples house in order to deal with Heavy demand on the grid.

robby said:

My system should pay for itself in 5 years maybe a lot less if energy prices keep going up. By time I hit the 10 year mark I am pretty sure I will be open to a new Inverter if it has some kind of really good features.

One item that I can see becoming popular in the next 5 years is some sort of Solar Inverter Comm Protocol that works with almost every new appliance. I am thinking that as Solar and EV's become more common everything that consumes a good deal of power will be able to talk to the Inverter and the Inverter can make decisions on what loads it needs to shutdown based on your priority setting and the remaining SOC. Basically no need for a smart loads panel but instead an even more targeted way of dealing with power savings by talking back to the Device and letting it know what it should do.

A neat feature would be things like throttling ability for HVAC Inverter units that allow available power to be stretched even if the comfort level drops a bit in order to make everything important last until the Sun is up. Your AC might move from a set temp of 75 Deg to 79 Deg in order to save power. A Fridge might power down for 2 hours and then power back up, with just enough rise in temp to keep food from going bad.
The Dryer will wait for good PV power before starting up and will pause the heating element if PV drops for X amount of minutes and then resume again when the clouds pass by.

I know they use something similar to this in thermostats that the power companies put into some peoples house to deal with Heavy demand on the grid.

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Yes it's getting there.

It's gonna take the path of computers such as standardization where you can just choose the options, pay, and it will be assembled for you.

1. What DC voltage do you want? a. 12v b. 24v c. 48v d. 1000v (call for availability)
2. Battery? a. 100Ah (__ how many) b. 200Ah (__ how many) c. 300Ah (__ how many) d. ARC REACTOR (what's this?) (only 1 per customer)
3. Do you want to parallel? a. Yes (__ how many) b. No
4. Do you want to add EMP? a. Yes (25% discount until supplies last) b. No
5. Do you want to add support? a. 1 year b. 2 years c. None (I'm pro)

robby said:

One item that I can see becoming popular in the next 5 years is some sort of Solar Inverter Comm Protocol that works with almost every new appliance. I am thinking that as Solar and EV's become more common everything that consumes a good deal of power will be able to talk to the Inverter and the Inverter can make decisions on what loads it needs to throttle based on your priority setting and the remaining SOC. Basically no need for a smart loads panel but instead an even more targeted way of dealing with power savings by talking directly to the Devices and letting them know what they should do.

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That can be partly supported by frequency shift of battery inverters controlling AC coupled PV. When they want less power they raise the frequency.
A load that observes frequency increasing to start consuming more, before frequency reaches the point where PV production starts to be curtailed.
This could cool the house, pump water, or charge EV but only with surplus power; it wouldn't also consume power stored in battery to maintain comfort or achieve your commute range requirement.

Battery knows SoC and SCC knows PV curtailment. Inverter, if aware of battery SoC and charge current needs, could use frequency decrease as well as increase to request less/more consumption and if necessary curtailment.

A battery SoC monitor (or box communicating/evesdropping on BMS data link) could implement the control algorithm, allowing cooling and other functions while maintaining a desired amount of reserve stored watt-hours.

Internet/WiFi connectivity would be another way, since some appliances already have that.

Hedges said:

That can be partly supported by frequency shift of battery inverters controlling AC coupled PV. When they want less power they raise the frequency.
A load that observes frequency increasing to start consuming more, before frequency reaches the point where PV production starts to be curtailed.
This could cool the house, pump water, or charge EV but only with surplus power; it wouldn't also consume power stored in battery to maintain comfort or achieve your commute range requirement.

Battery knows SoC and SCC knows PV curtailment. Inverter, if aware of battery SoC and charge current needs, could use frequency decrease as well as increase to request less/more consumption and if necessary curtailment.

A battery SoC monitor (or box communicating/evesdropping on BMS data link) could implement the control algorithm, allowing cooling and other functions while maintaining a desired amount of reserve stored watt-hours.

Internet/WiFi connectivity would be another way, since some appliances already have that.

Click to expand...

I am really thinking more about BPL implemented with a Standard protocol for Solar Inverters.
I want much more control and two way communication between the devices and the Inverter.
For example a Dryer trying to be shutdown but knowing that the humidity inside is almost at shutdown point can ask the inverter if it can hold another two minutes before shutting off. The Inverter can pool it's devices and see if any equivalent loads can be suspended for 2 minutes and if so give the dryer the command to go ahead and finish the load, if not kill it.

With Well Pumps they can request to start up and the Inverter will suspend most of the HVAC compressors and heating and other high loads, everything it needs to in order to facilitate the known startup current for 30 seconds. Then send the pump an OK to start command and let her rip. After a few seconds it resume all the devices without the home owner even realizing this happened.

I am looking for True Micro management, with all major devices reporting the current they are consuming and what they will be consuming if they change to a different setting. An Inverter that is watching all of this and constantly calculating out how to make it all work as seamlessly as possible.

I think more load management/integration will allow better utilization.
But I dread all inverter and appliance manufacturers pushing daily updates like M*cr*s*ft as they never get it right, especially interacting together.
I'd rather a separate manager box, that could be switched off if misbehaving, allowing reversion to user control.
Working within my inverter's features, I plan to enable A/C and dryer & water heater elements when > 80% SoC using a relay.
Load adjustment to frequency response will need extra control hardware, but could make operation very clean.

I installed the 600A CTs on my incoming 400a service conductors today. Those CTs seem unnecessarily massive. I probably could have fit 4 conductors per CT if I wanted.

Does anybody know if there are any other features new to the 15k compared to the 12k other than the rated output?

Lt.Dan said:

Does anybody know if there are any other features new to the 15k compared to the 12k other than the rated output?

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The third MPPT is significant, as is the 200A pass through which can greatly ease install and possibly eliminate the need for a critical loads panel.

Wet1 said:

The third MPPT is significant, as is the 200A pass through which can greatly ease install and possibly eliminate the need for a critical loads panel.

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Im at an impasse because of the restrictions of how I have to install the inverter. This is basically my best option right now:




So because of this, I cannot fully utilize the 200a bypass, and I can't even feed everything in my home if power goes out. The sub-panel does have all the breakers for all the lights and receptacles in the home. The only thing I would want to move from the main breaker panel to the sub panel is the refrigerator (dunno why its not in the sub panel already, the refrigerator is less than 20 feet away from the sub panel, but its about 80 feet from the main panel?).

So because of this, I'm thinking about going with the 12k. But is it worth it to just spend the extra ~$1300 and get the 15k?

EDIT: I'm also in California, where I'm going to most likely have to wait until August (more than likely even later than that) to even get permits approved to install it. Whereas the 12k I can get installed right now.

Is it possible to insert SolArk between utility meter and 200A main breaker of main panel?
Can you do a line-side tap (between meter and 200A main breaker), feed that into a fused disconnect?

If not, can you put an interlocked "generator" breaker adjacent to 200A main breaker? Maybe that can be up to 125A.
In that case, another 125A breaker in main panel feeds SolArk, which feeds sub-panel. In case of a power failure, turn off 125A breaker feeding SolArk, and switch the interlock (200A main off, 125A "generator" on.) SolArk now powers the house. (One catch, there is nothing except your neighbor's lights to indicate when grid comes back on.

Also, put an interlocked "generator" breaker in sub-panel. That way if SolArk fails you can just flip the interlock to restore power.

I've done both of these interlocks, and then did the line-side tap (easy in my case because meter box had its own 200A breaker.)

Another option: rename "main breaker panel" to "non-protected loads panel", use it only for excessive loads like electric furnace. Install a "protected loads panel" and transfer all non-excessive loads to it.

It would be convenient to have a way to turn off larger loads if battery SoC gets too low - e.g. only run A/C when there is enough power, keep refrigerator running rather than having all power go out.