1st Gen Sol-Ark 12K with Cummins ATS

[mikecogs]

I have an older Sol-Ark 12K from 2021, https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/Indoor-12K-Manual-indoor-legacy.pdf

When my system was installed in 2021, my utility required me to add this specific Automatic Transfer Switch, even though I was not going to have a generator:

https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/manuals/7771c8876d55a188551735a75e137982.pdf

I had the install done with the thought of adding battery later.

I have now added the battery, but what is happening is the ATS is not disconnecting me from the grid.

So in a power outage, the Grid AC In/Out on the Sol-Ark disconnects from the grid, but as you can see by looking at my one line diagram here, https://drive.google.com/file/d/11DSOqKLm2lGI5W94ntIyDwcvXuVLOCSw/view?usp=sharing

when my batteries start sending power to the Load of the Sol-Ark, it is supposed to be cut off by the ATS to not back feed the grid. Since that does not happen, I end up back feeding the grid. Obviously highly unsafe, so I have disconnected the batteries until I can figure this out.

The Sol-Ark has the 2-wire "Gen Start Relay" that I was hoping could be used to tell the ATS to perform it's intended purpose and disconnect me from the grid. Will that work? If so where do I connect the wires to in the ATS?

Also, if I manually turn the ATS to disconnect me from the grid, it does automatically reconnect me when grid power comes back.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

I’m a little confused why you need the ATS, the Sol-Ark can detect the presence of an active or inactive grid on its own?

 

[DIYrich]

I’m a little confused why you need the ATS, the Sol-Ark can detect the presence of an active or inactive grid on its own?

12k doesn't have isolation like the 15k.

 

[DIYrich]

ATS should be on the AC in/out line, and not connected to main panel. ATS disconnects the 12k from the grid.

 

[mikecogs]

12k doesn't have isolation like the 15k.

I’m a little confused why you need the ATS, the Sol-Ark can detect the presence of an active or inactive grid on its own?

Actually, according to Sol-Ark, the 12K will disconnect the AC in/out when it detects grid failure.

The reason for the setup the way it is is because my 12 K only has 50A max continuous AC output. So I could not set it up exclusively as whole home. There would definitely be times where I exceed the 50A like in the summer when my AC is running, I am doing laundry with an electric dryer, charging my EV and trying to cook with my electric range/oven, on top of the base load of lights/chargers/wifi etc. We needed a way for the grid and the Sol-Ark to send power simultaneously to my panel.

In a grid outage I would obviously limit my electric usage to not exceed the 50A.

What is supposed to happen in a grid failure is the Sol-Ark disconnects the AC in/out, the ATS flips to also disconnect my panel from the grid, and then my batteries power my main panel and then I manually control what I use to not exceed the 50A.

Had the Sol-Ark 15K with 200A pass through been available at the time of my install, I would have bought that and this would all be a moot point.

 

[Oldphile]

I have an older Sol-Ark 12K from 2021, https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/Indoor-12K-Manual-indoor-legacy.pdf

When my system was installed in 2021, my utility required me to add this specific Automatic Transfer Switch, even though I was not going to have a generator:

https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/manuals/7771c8876d55a188551735a75e137982.pdf

I had the install done with the thought of adding battery later.

I have now added the battery, but what is happening is the ATS is not disconnecting me from the grid.

So in a power outage, the Grid AC In/Out on the Sol-Ark disconnects from the grid, but as you can see by looking at my one line diagram here, https://drive.google.com/file/d/11DSOqKLm2lGI5W94ntIyDwcvXuVLOCSw/view?usp=sharing

when my batteries start sending power to the Load of the Sol-Ark, it is supposed to be cut off by the ATS to not back feed the grid. Since that does not happen, I end up back feeding the grid. Obviously highly unsafe, so I have disconnected the batteries until I can figure this out.

The Sol-Ark has the 2-wire "Gen Start Relay" that I was hoping could be used to tell the ATS to perform it's intended purpose and disconnect me from the grid. Will that work? If so where do I connect the wires to in the ATS?

Also, if I manually turn the ATS to disconnect me from the grid, it does automatically reconnect me when grid power comes back.

You need a transfer signal that occurs upon loss of grid power. The Sol-Ark Gen Start Relay isn't going to do that. If the transfer switch is wired correctly, there is no way the load terminals of the Sol-Ark would connect to the grid.

Your SLD doesn't show where the transfer signal comes from. Where is the transfer signal coming from now?

 

[DIYrich]

when my batteries start sending power to the Load of the Sol-Ark, it is supposed to be cut off by the ATS to not back feed the grid. Since that does not happen, I end up back feeding the grid. Obviously highly unsafe, so I have disconnected the batteries until I can figure this out.

Page 26 of ATS Manual:
Grid power to #1 Utility Source
SA Load Output to #5 Generator Source
Main panel to #7 Main Breaker Panel

With that setup, the SA should not be able to export to grid when grid is down. The Load is never connected to the Grid line. Grid line will not export when grid is down.