diy solar

diy solar

DEYE Inverter UL Listed available in US

I'm still exploring options Haugen.
The statement from SolArks website about American Made is annoying. I think they removed it.
I guess everything is really made in China now.
 
I'm still exploring options Haugen.
The statement from SolArks website about American Made is annoying. I think they removed it.
I guess everything is really made in China now.
I asked for the EMP version of the SolArk and paid the extra. It took a couple weeks to arrive. There is no way they could have got a special order from China that quickly. There has to be some value being added in Texas.

My perspective is that, these are just like your wireless phone or most other electronics. Sure the parts are made in China, but there is a team dedicated to producing a quality product that has done the work to design the product and vet the supply chain to ensure that they won't be stuck holding the warranty bag for low quality junk.

Many people pay a 300% premium for Battle Born batteries for this same reason. I'm okay with throwing a little money to the American company to handle that for me on something as important as my home energy system.
 
I'm not sure exactly what is happening. Some companies just assemble Chinese parts and call it Made in USA
But the SolArk says Made in China right on the outside.

And People are saying Deye is the manufacturer and Deye is selling almost exactly the same thing that does all the same functions for less money. Some even come with the same software as SolArk with all of the same options.

I realize SolArk support and warranty is worth a lot but the above is interesting.

The latest post at this link says SolArk didn't pass the permit inspection. SolArk EnergySage
 
From reading that review it wasn't the Sol_ark specifically that didn't pass inspection, it seems it was the battery component/ess & overall "package" that caused the issue...

"As far as UL9540, that has been a sticky issue and I have actually seen the code. It states only integrated systems. Our system is not integrated with the battery. However NEC 20 is going to all in one designation. Many battery partners are going through this certification to satisfy for 2021. Our engineers can add to this."

So it looks like the inspector was looking for something along the lines of a Tesla power wall UL rating, When they reviewed the plans that the installer submitted (Sol-Ark 12k PLUS the Fortress 4 Eflex 5.4 batteries), the inspectors didn't see a UL9540 on any of the systems. So they ruled it didn't meet the NEC & IRC codes that their jurisdiction is using. That maybe an incorrect interpretation by the inspectors (needing UL9540), but I can certainly understand the owner's frustration. In the end, the inspectors always win.

One major moral to the story is: Don't buy any equipment until the installation permit(s) are approved.

I have passed on buying numerous items for my planned project (that could have save me $1000+, at least), because I don't have anything approved with my county yet.
 
Just so you know this is what the deye looked like in 2016 the case changed after solark started using the deye inverter to differentiate between them...they (solark) did add internal breakers and the emp hardening along with some placement changes on the main board tho.


be worried the DEYE is a cheap knock-off of a superior product. When I look at the images of the two products they're not identical (e.g., Sol-Arc has on/off button on the front, the display is different, different case, the DEYE weights 99 lbs, the Sol-Arc 75 lbs), so it's definitely more than "rebranding".

 

Attachments

  • zhwVCdQgSlys953mSaZrZw.jpg
    zhwVCdQgSlys953mSaZrZw.jpg
    131.5 KB · Views: 39
Lastly the 12k can handel over 12k of pv but inverts at 8k....in essentially the same chassis as the 8k...which is why i opted for the deye 8k.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20201207-185459_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
    Screenshot_20201207-185459_Adobe Acrobat.jpg
    128.1 KB · Views: 18
That Deye is a capable beast.

But I went with the SolArk 12K. If I wasn't dealing with permits I might have tried the Deye.

I asked Electriccarpartscompany if people were using the Deye for permit installations and they said they didn't know.

AltE is helping me deal with the permit. I paid $6210 for the latest outdoor version of the SolArk 12K. I've dealt with SolArk tech support and was impressed.
SolArk warranty is very good too. AltE probably gives good support as well.

I'm sure your Deye will be very cool and I hope to hear all about it.
 
They are a Chinese manufacturer that make quality items even sma had their sunny boy line made in china at one point....i need to enquire on the 63v upgrade see if its software or firmware
 
They are a Chinese manufacturer that make quality items even sma had their sunny boy line made in china at one point....i need to enquire on the 63v upgrade see if its software or firmware
Hello @Roqm

So you ended up going for the 8K Deye right?..... In your opinion, whats are the big differences between them and the sol-ark? only the good service, support and different case / connections?. I don't have distributors in my country of Solark. They are also double the price of a simillar Deye's, so the choice its clear. However i dont want to endup with a device without support or not being able to get parts in the future.

Also, why the need for 63V?, im used to 24V systems so not very clear for me... to attach 17 cells maybe?.

And lastly, were are you getting your Deye?, from the electric parts company?, or from alibaba?. Ive found an store called Eitai Xiamen New energy technology wich sells the 8k US version for $1779 USD + 200 shipping, around 2K; so less than 30% of the comparable Sol-ark

I asked Electriccarpartscompany if people were using the Deye for permit installations and they said they didn't know.

AltE is helping me deal with the permit. I paid $6210 for the latest outdoor version of the SolArk 12K. I've dealt with SolArk tech support and was impressed.
SolArk warranty is very good too. AltE probably gives good support as well.

I'm sure your Deye will be very cool and I hope to hear all about it.


What kind of permits are required by your utility company?. I think they generally ask for the UL1741, havent check in detail but i think the Deye has it, or at least its mentioned in their user manuals.
 
Last edited:
In my opinion solark offers excellent support and the reason you pay double what deye sells direct for is they(solark) offer 10 year warranty deye gives 5 so it might be to cover the cost of a replacement main board or other reasons...i cant speak on deye support as i have only had to ask them about the 12v pin out for rapid shut down, which is right there on the board, i purchased direct( deye on alibaba) as i am in the bahamas and no one here has an exclusive deal with them. About the 63v update it would give a bigger voltage window right now the inverter operates between 40vdc to 60vdc, at 15s with my nmc i would be right in both knees @43v- 61.5.
 
Hello @Roqm

So you ended up going for the 8K Deye right?..... In your opinion, whats are the big differences between them and the sol-ark? only the good service, support and different case / connections?. I don't have distributors in my country of Solark. They are also double the price of a simillar Deye's, so the choice its clear. However i dont want to endup with a device without support or not being able to get parts in the future.

Also, why the need for 63V?, im used to 24V systems so not very clear for me... to attach 17 cells maybe?.

And lastly, were are you getting your Deye?, from the electric parts company?, or from alibaba?. Ive found an store called Eitai Xiamen New energy technology wich sells the 8k US version for $1779 USD + 200 shipping, around 2K; so less than 30% of the comparable Sol-ark




What kind of permits are required by your utility company?. I think they generally ask for the UL1741, havent check in detail but i think the Deye has it, or at least its mentioned in their user manuals.
I think it's great you guys can get the Deye for 1/3 the price of a SolArk.
I am already saving a lot of money by using the SolArk instead of most other systems I have looked into.

I know you guys will get the Deye and figure out how to do everything.

I have a lot to learn even when I use the SolArk.
I just decided the Deye would confuse me more and possibly cause problems with my permit.
 
In my opinion solark offers excellent support and the reason you pay double what deye sells direct for is they(solark) offer 10 year warranty deye gives 5 so it might be to cover the cost of a replacement main board or other reasons...i cant speak on deye support as i have only had to ask them about the 12v pin out for rapid shut down, which is right there on the board, i purchased direct( deye on alibaba) as i am in the bahamas and no one here has an exclusive deal with them. About the 63v update it would give a bigger voltage window right now the inverter operates between 40vdc to 60vdc, at 15s with my nmc i would be right in both knees @43v- 61.5.

Please let me know if you have any update on the 63v... Altough i think i would be fine with LIFEPO4, with 16 cells we are talking 40 - 58.4V.

I think i found the official Deye store, so i will talk to them and check pricing. (Ningbo Deye Inverter Technology) sounds familiar?

I got a quote from Xiamen New Technology, they are cheap indeed!, 2079USD with DHL shipping for the 8K model. Sounds like a good deal but im aware im not buying from the official seller so support could be even more difficult.

The second thing I'm not crazy about is that Sol-Ark inverters are high frequency units. High freq units are fine for most applications, but they do not handle incoming or outgoing spikes very well, especially the type of spikes generated by the high in-rush currents of motors. It all comes down to heat dissipation.. and the instantaneous dissipation capabilities of a transistor on an aluminum heat sink are no where near the type of thermal capabilities of a large iron core transformer.

Hello @MurphyGuy

So im sliding between the heavy Victron's and this Solark / Deyes inverters.

In the first 5 minutes, this guy talks about the differences between cheap FET / high frequency inverters and their solution. They call it "Super inverters", based on IGBT's, can i get your opinion about this?.


With a quick glance, i see their specs show a more efficient inverter, also more capable with peak loads, so that tells me they are quite different compared with the usual cheap / light inverters.

I think it's great you guys can get the Deye for 1/3 the price of a SolArk.
I am already saving a lot of money by using the SolArk instead of most other systems I have looked into.

I know you guys will get the Deye and figure out how to do everything.

I have a lot to learn even when I use the SolArk.
I just decided the Deye would confuse me more and possibly cause problems with my permit.

Playing it safe its smart, and its perfectly reasonable to pay extra to avoid future headaches or tons of wasted time. Nothing worse than regretting a purchase. A couple of months ago i had failures with my MPP Solar's and you really start to appreciate a direct comunication with good support... it was difficult to deal with the manufacturer but fortunately at the end they solved my problem.

I would seriously consider them if they had a distributor in this country, or a little better pricing... hope i dont regret later!
 
Hello @MurphyGuy

So im sliding between the heavy Victron's and this Solark / Deyes inverters.

In the first 5 minutes, this guy talks about the differences between cheap FET / high frequency inverters and their solution. They call it "Super inverters", based on IGBT's, can i get your opinion about this?.


With a quick glance, i see their specs show a more efficient inverter, also more capable with peak loads, so that tells me they are quite different compared with the usual cheap / light inverters.



Playing it safe its smart, and its perfectly reasonable to pay extra to avoid future headaches or tons of wasted time. Nothing worse than regretting a purchase. A couple of months ago i had failures with my MPP Solar's and you really start to appreciate a direct comunication with good support... it was difficult to deal with the manufacturer but fortunately at the end they solved my problem.

I would seriously consider them if they had a distributor in this country, or a little better pricing... hope i dont regret later!

That guy is a salesman trying to sell you his version of a product.

There is no substitute for a low freq inverter with a big heavy transformer.

I see you're torn between two manufacturers and trying to see which suits your needs best.. but I don't quite understand.. With SMA Sunny Island's being sold on Ebay at stupidly cheap prices, why is this even a conversation? SMA's Sunny Island are far superior to ether of those brands.. and not just a little better, but in an entirely different league.

When the SMA's are being sold at retail prices, I understand the debate.. but not when they're being sold like a fire sale.

I've been reading lots of these types of threads.. and the one thing I seem to take away from them is that most people just don't realize how much more superior the SMA units are.
 
MurphyGuy, when you add up all of the pieces needed to equal the SolArk there's not much savings if any.
I looked into the SunnyBoy and thought hard about it.
But as far as I can see to equal a SolArk 12K it would take at least 2 Sunny Islands, 3 or 4 Midnight Classics, a Sunnyboy and more I'm sure. And it might require special BMSs. The warranty is questionable on a lot of that Ebay stuff too.
I don't blame you guys for sticking with what you know and I like the fact that more people know how to work on that stuff. But you can't blame people for going with the SolArk or Deye. Especially someone with little experience because the SolArk is easier.
 
MurphyGuy, when you add up all of the pieces needed to equal the SolArk there's not much savings if any.
I looked into the SunnyBoy and thought hard about it.
But as far as I can see to equal a SolArk 12K it would take at least 2 Sunny Islands, 3 or 4 Midnight Classics, a Sunnyboy and more I'm sure. And it might require special BMSs. The warranty is questionable on a lot of that Ebay stuff too.
I don't blame you guys for sticking with what you know and I like the fact that more people know how to work on that stuff. But you can't blame people for going with the SolArk or Deye. Especially someone with little experience because the SolArk is easier.
Bear in mind I'm only answering the last post here, didn't read the entire thread. And this is NOT targeting @ArthurEld! I just thought I would clarify these points in case anyone anywhere had any confusion about SMA systems.

I recommend avoiding the MN classics with SMA if you can. You don't need them and really don't gain anything by installing them IMHO. Someone else may have some other comments here (glad to hear them for sure) but from a lone installer's point of view it's more headache than it's worth with no gain. Just use SB's. They are cheaper per watt depending on where you source them and much easier to install. The X.X series (7.7, 7.0 etc) have a DC Disconnect and MC4 connections built-in. Very little to be done.

IMHO the more advanced BMS units do cost you more for sure but might be worth a consideration/recommendation in general for larger systems regardless of using SMA. But generally you only install SMA when you are wanting a medium to large system. BUT that is just my opinion. :)
 
MurphyGuy, when you add up all of the pieces needed to equal the SolArk there's not much savings if any.
I looked into the SunnyBoy and thought hard about it.
But as far as I can see to equal a SolArk 12K it would take at least 2 Sunny Islands, 3 or 4 Midnight Classics, a Sunnyboy and more I'm sure. And it might require special BMSs. The warranty is questionable on a lot of that Ebay stuff too.
I don't blame you guys for sticking with what you know and I like the fact that more people know how to work on that stuff. But you can't blame people for going with the SolArk or Deye. Especially someone with little experience because the SolArk is easier.

As far as the questionable warranty, I can provide an answer for that.

Had a bit of confusion on my end with the Sunny Islands.. SMA confirmed my serial numbers and provided support without any issues. Bought mine on ebay for $1100 each shipped to my door. Just to be clear: It was not an SMA malfunction, it was user ignorance while getting used to the inverters.

Also, you only need the Sunny Island(s) and a grid tied inverter like an SMA SB6.0 US-xx. The Sunny Islands will cause the grid inverter to make power off grid and its more efficient than the DC Charge controllers when you're using power. Less cabling, more options, more redundancy.

You are correct about needing two of them if you want a true 120/240 split phase system. My neighbor only has a single SI unit and uses a transformer.. his system uses a Victron Charge controller and is DC coupled.

I would ask the following: If an "all in one" inverter malfunctions, what happens to your power??

If a SMA SI malfunctions, you have a second one to keep you limping along. Also, its a lot easier to replace a grid tie inverter because they are so common.

Of course, none of this addresses the difference in quality. There is no substitute for a transformer...

Just my opinion for your consideration. I spent a lot of time researching all this stuff. Two years before putting in a solar array, then another two years before going into an off-grid system.


Both REC BMS and Batrium are capable of "talking" to the Sunny Island inverters if you go lithium. This is important. Also, the REC BMS can be configured for just about any lithium chemistry.. you're not stuck with one type or the other.
 
As far as what happens if something goes wrong with the SolArk, they ship out a part or a different SolArk quickly.
I am grid tied too so it probably isn't that likely that the SolArk will go down during an extended outage. I do have my MPP Solar all in one for a back up. lol
I think you guys have valid arguments but technology is moving rapidly and Chinese stuff isn't all bad. I'm taking a chance but if it doesn't work out I'll be buying some Sunny Islands off Ebay.
As far as the BMSs, I'm using 4 of them. You are probably talking about thousands of dallars for 4 of the ones you mention.
 
From my perspective, the Sunny Island isn't an All-in-One solution that makes the other hybrids standout, even at their much higher price points. The SI also appears to be primarily designed for AC coupling, where as the other AIO's are mostly DC coupled systems (w/ limited AC coupling in Sol-Ark's case).

I'm not experienced enough to critique Sol-Arks's comparison chart to other systems. Even though the attached chart is sol-ark marketing material, I have yet to see anyone refute the listed data...



Sol-ark-comparison.png

It has shows that the SMA SI systems (2 x 4548) have some pretty poor conversion efficiencies to batteries.
 
Of course, none of this addresses the difference in quality. There is no substitute for a transformer...
Having a long career in electronics, and following solar power systems for almost 15 years, and I have seen transformers fail just as often as other electronic parts.

Sure, antiquated technology is beefier, but a properly designed system does not push the FETs near their limits, and they will last as long as the panels.
If you think about it, part of the reason we go solar is because of the transformers that the grid uses are many times unreliable, and leave us without power.

As @ArthurEld said, SolArk has been selling their products for 7 years with no returns. The stand behind the product and from what I was told the whole system is modular and a quick board change will return service.
 
Back
Top