Obligatory "I'm a noob".
I'm looking for grid-tied solar but require battery because there aren't any good or consistent net metering plans here, and because I want backup against grid failures. All the main batteries (Powerwall, Enphase) installed by installers are way too expensive, but the EG4-LL is like 1/3 the cost and seems high quality (see Will Prowse). With those prices, I am considering solar now, but local installers don't generally do these batteries yet.
I think I can DIY the battery back itself, but I don't feel the need to get on the roof and install the panels, run the cables, etc. I spoke with a local installer who suggested that they install the panels and use a Sol-Ark 15k (hybrid?) inverter, which seems like a bullet-proof unit. However, it's also pretty expensive so I'm looking for other options as well. But I don't really understand how to find other them. This article was really informative in helping me learn what AC and coupling is, but it names the 2 inverters needed as the "interactive inverter" (the one connected to the panels) and the "multimode inverter" (the grid-listening one which also connects the batteries).
I'm struggling to know which inverters in the market might work as the multimode inverter and the interactive inverter. For example, the Growatt 70kW 3 phase grid-tied Inverters: it says "grid tied", but the manual talked about MPPTs and has no discussion of batteries. So is it for solar-only installations? Alternatively, I see that the manual for the EG4 6500EX-48 off-grid inverter explicitly talks about batteries and MPPT but for not grid-tied systems. I assume this means it doesn't have grid-listening features, but it otherwise can work as a string inverter for panels and a charger for a batter bank (again, I'm not sure if this is AC or DC coupled since it sounds like you'd just use the single inverter, similar to the Sol-Ark).
So I don't waste anyone's time, could anyone point me to good threads or guides that might be able to help? Thanks!
I'm looking for grid-tied solar but require battery because there aren't any good or consistent net metering plans here, and because I want backup against grid failures. All the main batteries (Powerwall, Enphase) installed by installers are way too expensive, but the EG4-LL is like 1/3 the cost and seems high quality (see Will Prowse). With those prices, I am considering solar now, but local installers don't generally do these batteries yet.
I think I can DIY the battery back itself, but I don't feel the need to get on the roof and install the panels, run the cables, etc. I spoke with a local installer who suggested that they install the panels and use a Sol-Ark 15k (hybrid?) inverter, which seems like a bullet-proof unit. However, it's also pretty expensive so I'm looking for other options as well. But I don't really understand how to find other them. This article was really informative in helping me learn what AC and coupling is, but it names the 2 inverters needed as the "interactive inverter" (the one connected to the panels) and the "multimode inverter" (the grid-listening one which also connects the batteries).
I'm struggling to know which inverters in the market might work as the multimode inverter and the interactive inverter. For example, the Growatt 70kW 3 phase grid-tied Inverters: it says "grid tied", but the manual talked about MPPTs and has no discussion of batteries. So is it for solar-only installations? Alternatively, I see that the manual for the EG4 6500EX-48 off-grid inverter explicitly talks about batteries and MPPT but for not grid-tied systems. I assume this means it doesn't have grid-listening features, but it otherwise can work as a string inverter for panels and a charger for a batter bank (again, I'm not sure if this is AC or DC coupled since it sounds like you'd just use the single inverter, similar to the Sol-Ark).
So I don't waste anyone's time, could anyone point me to good threads or guides that might be able to help? Thanks!
