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Sol-Ark 15k will only invert 13k of DC PV to AC

Clint-L said:
I have a big update on this.
I have been successul in getting 18Kw now from my array. The way I did that was sending about 10kw in to my batteries. There is a limit on actual inverting output power on the Solark15k of about 15kw (makes sense). That said - The limit of DC PV going direct to battery in combination with inversion is 18kw - PERIOD I've not seen it do 19.2 as stated in manual. That 18kw is a limitation in the software that if you change it, it just reverts back, even in powerview.

Solark did tell me they are working on a fix for the limiting power. Interesting enough, they seem focused on the MPPT limiting amerage, which I was as well for a while. I feel silly that I never discharged my batteries far enough to prove this out until now. It seems so simple now, and Solark should have stated this more clearly in their marketing.

They had me thinking I have an a line voltage issue, while my microinverters have ZERO issues. They do not disconnect and they are UL1741SA just like the Solark.

Oh well, It sounds like this is what it is, unless we get some software update that changes things. Good news is, they have admitted the issue and I am talking to a new person on the Solark side that seems to understand and is honest about "their" issue. So I guess, this is may be a hopeful start to a real solution. :)

TLDR: - Solark 15k will produce 18kw max DC-PV to DC and will only allow a total inversion of 15kw when you add the load and the grid sell numbers together it will always = 15kw. I had never caught on to that until I had an epiphany the other day. ???????

The load + the Grid will NEVER be over 15kw. I believe that is the end of the story.

View attachment 134999
View attachment 135000
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Can you post what each MPPT is receiving and producing?

That panel sizing calculator Sol-Ark has on their website always maxes out at 6500W (6440?) per MPPT. However, someone here posted over 7200W on a MPPT making power.
 
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Danke said:
Thanks so individual MPPT’s can handle more and all three together can produce more than 15,000W.
Click to expand...
Each MPPT is limited to 26A. They can handle a total of 19,500 Watts on the 15K-LV model. The max power per MPPT is 500V x 26A = 13,000 Watts.
 
Danke said:
Can you post what each MPPT is receiving and producing?

That panel sizing calculator Sol-Ark has on their website always maxes out at 6500W (6440?) per MPPT. However, someone here posted over 7200W on a MPPT making power.
Click to expand...
The sweet spot is going to be 6400 watt per array and you just need to base the string for series and parallel around a specific panel. The calculator on their site is a good tool and you can have them add your specific panel you are looking at if you ask them. They added some QCells for me a year ago or so.
 
Danke said:
I call Sol-Ark two different times and I get two different answers. Three different times, three different answers…

The tech support I talked with today really was unsure of her answers so I asked if there’s somebody else I could speak with, I got put on hold and nobody ever came back. Before she left me on hold, she said the Sol-Ark could only do 15K total, that’s AC load and battery charging combined. Maybe I’ll try to call them again tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Sounds about right lol.... hard to find good help these days. ?
 
Clint-L said:
I have a big update on this.
I have been successul in getting 18Kw now from my array. The way I did that was sending about 10kw in to my batteries. There is a limit on actual inverting output power on the Solark15k of about 15kw (makes sense). That said - The limit of DC PV going direct to battery in combination with inversion is 18kw - PERIOD I've not seen it do 19.2 as stated in manual. That 18kw is a limitation in the software that if you change it, it just reverts back, even in powerview.

Solark did tell me they are working on a fix for the limiting power. Interesting enough, they seem focused on the MPPT limiting amerage, which I was as well for a while. I feel silly that I never discharged my batteries far enough to prove this out until now. It seems so simple now, and Solark should have stated this more clearly in their marketing.

They had me thinking I have an a line voltage issue, while my microinverters have ZERO issues. They do not disconnect and they are UL1741SA just like the Solark.

Oh well, It sounds like this is what it is, unless we get some software update that changes things. Good news is, they have admitted the issue and I am talking to a new person on the Solark side that seems to understand and is honest about "their" issue. So I guess, this is may be a hopeful start to a real solution. :)

TLDR: - Solark 15k will produce 18kw max DC-PV to DC and will only allow a total inversion of 15kw when you add the load and the grid sell numbers together it will always = 15kw. I had never caught on to that until I had an epiphany the other day. ???????

The load + the Grid will NEVER be over 15kw. I believe that is the end of the story.

View attachment 134999
View attachment 135000
Click to expand...
After breaking these numbers down, I was initially fooled. I am able to get just under 18kw when running DC in to the batteries of at least 4.5kw. However, when I subtract the micro inverter AC, I notice that the Solark is only inverting 13500watts just like always. Oh boy.... Once I have figured out the math which is to take the grid sell back and then subtract the micro AC amount - Then add the load - that will give you what the inverter is actually "inverting" which is 13.5~kw ish....


So,,,,,, the 13.5kw cap seems to remain for me. I am continuing to test by discharging my battery bank in the evenings. I had originally left them always full because to be prepared for an outage, and why cycle them if not needed. However, I'm discharging them to about 18% each evening now so that I can do better testing and I will share results.
 
Danke said:
I call Sol-Ark two different times and I get two different answers. Three different times, three different answers…

The tech support I talked with today really was unsure of her answers so I asked if there’s somebody else I could speak with, I got put on hold and nobody ever came back. Before she left me on hold, she said the Sol-Ark could only do 15K total, that’s AC load and battery charging combined. Maybe I’ll try to call them again tomorrow.
Click to expand...
I was told that they just graduated 20 new customer service reps so if you get someone new go easy on them. If in doubt call back and try another person. The older guys can rattle off answers quickly but the new ones will often times put you on hold.
 
I'm just getting started with solar. I have the SA 15K with 11.2kW (28-400WREC), and 6-100ah SOKs. I'm not getting the clipping Clint is seeing, but I do think my system is throttling my PV Grid sell back. So I think it is similar although, not exactly the same. This seemed relevant for this thread, at least enough for me to get my first post logged. When my batteries are charging from PV, I get a steady bell curve but once the batteries are full, I get a lot of patchiness in the PV and Grid sell curves. The gaps start around 11:30AM and continue until around 2:30PM, for what should be the biggest production time of the day. I'm on version 7.2.2.2. I have had the system on for almost a month and the highest PV so far is just over 10,000W, but that was only once and as you can see, right after that, even with the sun still blaring, it throttled down. I do have communications connected and a couple of times when the POV dropped way down, I noticed an audible clicking sound from one of the batteries. Does this graph seem right? I would think I should see the full bell curve of offsetting green and gold if the sun is shinning brightly here in Florida.
 

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@Spunky Here is my system work mode. Of note...I am grid-tied with batteries and selling back. I have 11.2Kw of panels.
1677427691638.png
 
My system was topping out at just over 10Kw on the PV side, even after adding another array. My 1st array was 32 - 375w for 12Kw and that was putting out just over 10Kw, like you're saying.

10Kw was close to 85% of full rated output, so I thought that to be a limit of the PVs and got more panels.

Ultimately, I believe the issue was a max setting somewhere. I made a lot changes before I got a full sun day.
IMG_20230226_152216.jpg

Now maxing at 18Kw
Screenshot_20230226-142512_PV_Pro.png
 
I made an adjustment to my Max Sell Power this morning based on @Spunky post. The jury is still out but I think I got the full power out of the PV today. No clouds today and the curve is smooth with no dips. I'll keep watching this as it didn't have over 9kW at any point so I'm not sure I hit the threshold. But this looks very promising.
1677459173168.png


Graph from today Peak is at 8485Watts:
1677459185715.png
 
dsimonl said:
Dumb question: Why limit it at all? Why not enter the maximum?
Click to expand...
If your talking the maximum sell power I know that some power companies specify a limit as to how much you can send back to the grid.
 
dsimonl said:
Dumb question: Why limit it at all? Why not enter the maximum?
Click to expand...
For me, certain questions were asked during software setup that I did my best to answer.
Some things were just to define the system and others are to prevent over taxing the batteries, wire capacities or sending out more than the power company will purchase.
 
Update: Well it doesn't look like the change to the Max Sell Power worked. :( Today we had some scattered clouds so the gaps before 1pm seemed explainable, but then the PV dropped to a few hundred watts for an extended period and the sun was bright. It had even gone over10,000W earlier with no issues. But now the master battery was clicking about every 2 seconds between FULL and CHG status and PV was throttled to less than the load in the house. Looks like I was even using some grid power to make up the difference. I'm not sure if it is a setting on the SolArk, a software issue, a firmware issue, a closed loop communication issue or something with the batteries. For more background, I have 2 strings of 7 going to MPPT1, 1 string of 7 going to MPPT2, and 1 string of 7 going to MPPT3, all are 400AlphBlkRECs with the SA panel sizing calculator allowing up to 2 strings of 8 on all 3 MPPTs. I tried unplugging the communications cable but nothing changed. PV didn't go up and batteries were still clicking. Next, I turned on battery sell-back for 5 minutes to bleed off some of the battery storage and turned off sell-back 5 minutes later (that is the up and down blue ~2pm. That seemed to smooth the curve. It seems that it doesn't like something at 1pm onward until I intervene. I'm on grid mode UL 1741SA for sell-back. Curve has been smooth since, but the sun isn't at full strength now.
1677526234863.png
 
Spunky said:
Have you explored the Custom graphs?
View attachment 137166
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Yes, lots of options. Any best guesses what to look for? Going through all of the default views for Input, Output, Battery, Grid, etc... didn't seem to have anything outside of the params and I would have thought when it hit 10,000 earlier in the day, that would have triggered a response versus when it did. After the earlier screenshot, it has continued a smooth, solid curve as the sun continues to wain. I noticed in your signature you have the SOKs too. Do you have them communicating thru CANBus and have you ever heard them or one of them click after they are full? I'm going to be talking with the folks at CC to see what they think. I know the 15K is fairly new and that they support closed loop, but I'm really new to all this and trying to learn as much as I can. Thanks for the continued feedback.
 
TIHI said:
Yes, lots of options. Any best guesses what to look for?
Click to expand...
I looked for params that were maxxed, like battery charge Amps. The PVs stop producing, if nothing is calling for power.

Yes, I can run Closed-Loop (CANBus) with my 14 SOKs. I've tested both ways to see, if the BMS was influencing the inverter's changing ability and found I could get the 275A max either way. I've never heard them clicking, but they're in an attachment to the basement on the other side of a cement block wall. CC has always been quick to reply and to get out comm cables or other goodies and Dexter will just pickup the phone to get things done too.

BMS charge voltage, notice long tapper into Float 55.8v.
IMG_20230227_172329.jpg
 
I talked to SolArk and they are aware SOK is going through certification to have official closed loop communications with them. The tech recommended for now that I turn off CLC and run open loop for now. He said to note the CLC settings, then turn off BMS and adjust settings with voltages, then after that, you can flip to percentages. He said it would take a couple days for it to fully adjust and learn. When CLC were connected, it has the Float, Abs and Equalization all at 57.6V. I'm pretty sure in the online manual, it says Flt 55.2V and Abs 57.6V. I didn't see an Eq number. Anyone know for sure if running open loop what they should be for the 100ah SOKs?

Also, I was standing in front of the equipment this morning when the battery reached 57.6V with the CANBus cable removed from the SOK side. Well, it seems like the same thing happened. The Master battery started clicking although the other batteries weren't up to 57.6V yet and the solar seemed to throttle. I ended up shutting off all 6 batteries and turned off SolArk's battery disconnect to see what happens. It is patchy clouds so I don't have a definitive yet. I'll update how the day goes, but at the moment, I am defeating the purpose of having the SA as a UPS. :(
 
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That 57.6 that the Sol-Ark is showing when in Li-Batt mode, isn't what the BMS is commanding the inverter to send. That last screen shot is what the BMS is doing.
The SOC from the BMS is much closer than the inverter could ever assume. Even the BMS starts guessing after a week of not being top-charged.

My screen shot from post #321, shows open-loop and the inverter's SOC hits 100% before my set absorption of 55.2v, but obviously incorrect.

You can access the BMS info with a PC, that will let you know if all the batteries are in the network. I purchased Solar Assistant to remotely monitor my bank of 14, here's a couple shots of the available info.
 

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