SignatureSolarJames
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it can do that 24/7 under standard rating environment as well as an unbelivable surge of 8.5kw for 30min and 11kw for 5min
SolArk15k vs Eg4 18k
- Thread starter Tiger Tom
- Start date
Yes
Gotshocked!
Solar Enthusiast
I've been learning about solar for a month + at this point and I know very little about electricity and mathematics was never my strong suit. I was quoted on a system which included a SolArk 15k and it looks and sounds (from what I've read and have been told) like a nice piece of equipment. It is expensive.
This new 18kpv has a much lower price. I guess one is saving on the lack of quality and support, as I've read all the comments on many youtube vid's regarding their products and there are an awful lot of EG4/SS haters out there. I have gotten a lot of questions answered by someone at SS, but then again, that's what a lot of people have written, the sales being great but the support being poor. I was originally looking at the 6500's but now know that I'll be much better off with MPP lv6548's.
I would think that if one can swing it, buy the SolArk. Life is too short, especially considering the times that we are in.
This new 18kpv has a much lower price. I guess one is saving on the lack of quality and support, as I've read all the comments on many youtube vid's regarding their products and there are an awful lot of EG4/SS haters out there. I have gotten a lot of questions answered by someone at SS, but then again, that's what a lot of people have written, the sales being great but the support being poor. I was originally looking at the 6500's but now know that I'll be much better off with MPP lv6548's.
I would think that if one can swing it, buy the SolArk. Life is too short, especially considering the times that we are in.
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timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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You have to say 18kpv
To keep down the confusion.
Gotshocked!
Solar Enthusiast
Done.
SolarSamAK
New Member
Hey Everyone,
I am stuck with Sol Ark as I was concerned about the minimum temperature. At -25C or -13 F as a temp limit, that will be an issue where I live up north. On windy nights during the winter we can dip below -25C though not by much. Has anyone tried using one outside in a northern climate or plan on it? The Sol Ark I purchased is rated for -40C or the same in Fahrenheit at -40F. Also is the warranty void should you use this in cold weather environment outdoors? Do they honor the warranty, at least with their other products?
I am stuck with Sol Ark as I was concerned about the minimum temperature. At -25C or -13 F as a temp limit, that will be an issue where I live up north. On windy nights during the winter we can dip below -25C though not by much. Has anyone tried using one outside in a northern climate or plan on it? The Sol Ark I purchased is rated for -40C or the same in Fahrenheit at -40F. Also is the warranty void should you use this in cold weather environment outdoors? Do they honor the warranty, at least with their other products?
robby
Photon Vampire
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I am not sure what you are talking about, Sol-Ark has the best warranty and customer service in the industry.
Plenty of people have used the Outdoor unit outdoors in all sort of environments. The only limitation is do not let the LCD screen get baked by direct sunlight.
Where will the batteries be?
That's not what the spec sheet says, it says lowest limit is -25C: https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/15K-2P_SpecSheet.pdf
EG4 18kPV has same limits.
Issue is that components like a capacitor for instance were likely not "industrial" rated which usually means down to -40C. The LCD would likely be very slow or unresponsive at that temp. Even a very small super insulated outbuilding would be enough to keep it a lot warmer since the heat from the Sol-ark/18kPV would keep it well above those temps with good insulation.
SolarSamAK
New Member
Hey everyone,
Okay the spec sheet on my Sol Ark 15K is rated down to -40C confirmed. This is important for me as I am in Alaska. My main panel and meter are near (just on the outside for meter) and inside my mechanical room (my main fuse box). My house is serviced with radiant heat via a gas boiler. Copper and PEX everywhere in the mechanical room as well as the house via the floors and master manifolds one on each of 3 floors. Few locations the installer and Muni would approve do to water and copper. We chose Sol Arc for many reasons including the outdoor rating and low temp tolerance. Mounting it outside the mechanical room on the exterior of the home.
At the time of my system design the EG4 18k was not available, so not an option. The low temp rating is different between the two inverters. I have no biasis for either company but did have a positive experience with Sol Ark support staff with my ongoing grid tie application.
My original question was if anyone in a cold, northern climate, like Canada, North Dakota, Alaska or some other frigid area is planning on putting at EG418k outside? My concern being if it would servive and function properly.
While my system has yet to go through its first winter many Sol Arc 12k systems have been doing just fine this past harsh Alaska winter. Again my system is the Sol Ark 15k. I will update how winter is going in December.
Okay the spec sheet on my Sol Ark 15K is rated down to -40C confirmed. This is important for me as I am in Alaska. My main panel and meter are near (just on the outside for meter) and inside my mechanical room (my main fuse box). My house is serviced with radiant heat via a gas boiler. Copper and PEX everywhere in the mechanical room as well as the house via the floors and master manifolds one on each of 3 floors. Few locations the installer and Muni would approve do to water and copper. We chose Sol Arc for many reasons including the outdoor rating and low temp tolerance. Mounting it outside the mechanical room on the exterior of the home.
At the time of my system design the EG4 18k was not available, so not an option. The low temp rating is different between the two inverters. I have no biasis for either company but did have a positive experience with Sol Ark support staff with my ongoing grid tie application.
My original question was if anyone in a cold, northern climate, like Canada, North Dakota, Alaska or some other frigid area is planning on putting at EG418k outside? My concern being if it would servive and function properly.
While my system has yet to go through its first winter many Sol Arc 12k systems have been doing just fine this past harsh Alaska winter. Again my system is the Sol Ark 15k. I will update how winter is going in December.
SolarSamAK
New Member
No batteries as of yet. Grid tie application in process. If I did get batteries would put them in my mechanical room, wall mounted up high or in my garage would be an option. Garage would be a long run with expensive cables so my least favorite option.
robby
Photon Vampire
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This is the one I have seen and it says -40c.
https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/15K-Specs-10-6-22.pdf
Sol-Ark tends to be very conservative in their initial release specifications and then changes the Ratings as more real world field testing data comes in.
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You can't do that with temperature ratings. As I said the components themselves have to be rated for that temp. i.e.: (from a digikey search)
The characteristics of the capacitor itself will change based on temp so the temp rating is important. This is just an example and don't know if they are using aluminum electrolytic capacitors but basically everything on the motherboard will have these ratings.
So this is interesting. Found the spec sheet from last year here: https://web.archive.org/web/2022113...k.com/wp-content/uploads/15K-2P_SpecSheet.pdf
It does show -40C as lowest but current one now shows -25C.
They also skipped the MPPT voltage range in the newer manual. The manual I posted was from August 19, 2022. The newer one says version 11, July 13, 2023.
SolarSamAK
New Member
Hey Guys,
Spec sheet from my installer.
Spec sheet from my installer.
.
That’s old.
robby
Photon Vampire
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Most electrolytic capacitors are rated for -40C.
Most other components that would make up an Inverter could easily do -40 to -55C.
Those caps you see that are rated for -25C are specially designed to work in hot environments, that is why the upper temperature is as high as +150C.
SolarSamAK
New Member
Hey everyone,
Maybe my inverter is old, I know I am. The temperature rating was important to me as my unit is mounted outside in Alaska. That being said it is mounted along the wall to my mechanical room. We could not put the unit in the mechanical room due to copper and water. I have radiant heat with pex and copper all over the place but tons of copper lines in the mechanical room running to manifolds on each floor.
My install is complete just awaiting a grid tie and activation. My concerns are the temperature here in Alaska. I literally chose this inverter due to the low temperature rating. Also snow, well I mean snow covering the unit. The unit is low to the ground. I did not install it. That all being said the exterior wall it is mounted on is pretty warm. The radiant heat usually results in a 2 foot outward area around my home remaining green year round and without snow. Likely the Sol-Arc will remain above -20C but I fear losing it my first winter. I am at least 1000 ft above sea level. -On the coldest night maybe -30 C. Probably have 4 or 5 nights like that a year. The Sol Ark faces East so it will get a little morning sun, what little sun we have in the winter here. I will enclose a picture of the set up.
Does the Sol-Arc 15k put out much heat? I have not turned my on yet as I am awaiting grid tie approval.
Thanks everyone for the insights.
Maybe my inverter is old, I know I am. The temperature rating was important to me as my unit is mounted outside in Alaska. That being said it is mounted along the wall to my mechanical room. We could not put the unit in the mechanical room due to copper and water. I have radiant heat with pex and copper all over the place but tons of copper lines in the mechanical room running to manifolds on each floor.
My install is complete just awaiting a grid tie and activation. My concerns are the temperature here in Alaska. I literally chose this inverter due to the low temperature rating. Also snow, well I mean snow covering the unit. The unit is low to the ground. I did not install it. That all being said the exterior wall it is mounted on is pretty warm. The radiant heat usually results in a 2 foot outward area around my home remaining green year round and without snow. Likely the Sol-Arc will remain above -20C but I fear losing it my first winter. I am at least 1000 ft above sea level. -On the coldest night maybe -30 C. Probably have 4 or 5 nights like that a year. The Sol Ark faces East so it will get a little morning sun, what little sun we have in the winter here. I will enclose a picture of the set up.
Does the Sol-Arc 15k put out much heat? I have not turned my on yet as I am awaiting grid tie approval.
Thanks everyone for the insights.
Attachments
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Surprised they let everything be mounted so low to the ground surely that's all going to be covered by snow?
SolarSamAK
New Member
Brucey,
Not likely to be covered but access in the winter will be difficult. Over hang above, but 3 stories above. The first 2 feet around my foundation are without snow commonly do to radiant heat in the concrete slab. The meter is also low but higher than the Sol Ark. The exhaust from my boiler is lower than the Sol Ark just to the right of it. Glad the Sol Ark is water proof. I would have preferred it to be inside my home but that was not an option. My mechanical room, has to much copper and water from the radiant heating system.
Not likely to be covered but access in the winter will be difficult. Over hang above, but 3 stories above. The first 2 feet around my foundation are without snow commonly do to radiant heat in the concrete slab. The meter is also low but higher than the Sol Ark. The exhaust from my boiler is lower than the Sol Ark just to the right of it. Glad the Sol Ark is water proof. I would have preferred it to be inside my home but that was not an option. My mechanical room, has to much copper and water from the radiant heating system.
shadowmaker
Solar Addict
I am surprised of this here. Not the fact that your inverter is mounted low/outside/Alaska. That has to be a major waste of energy to melt that much snow and keep the grass green all year round. I mean I live 62 degree North here in Finland and we have -35C days in the winter, but my tall concrete foundation can get frost on it as early as -3C and it's not a crawling space, I have rooms there underground (three story building). Also my house is 70 years old so no modern building materials used, thought thoroughly renovated some 15 years ago.
Don't know how much you pay for gas heating (nobody uses gas heating here), but if it's not free, I'd expect notable savings with some insulation.
At first I was going to install my inverters outside, next to my panel array, but eventually decided against it because I wanted batteries. I have some 150m from my panels to my "solar corner" (=old horse stable, now fully insulated) and another 100m to my house, so expensive ground cables were needed.
I think the most likely component failure would be the LCD screen. It may just stop working and not fail outright. That is, will function again after it warms up. I doubt that you'll use the screen in the winter.
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