Looking for recommendations for off-grid inverters for a system with these characteristics:
- 48V
- un-inspected: off-grid, no building or electrical inspections required
- ~6 KW solar panels expanding to 12-18 KW over time
- PV array would probably settle in at around 400 V, 19 A initially, expanding to multiple arrays
- battery storage (looking at the EG4 batteries at the moment)
- 9100 ft elevation
- many days below freezing, with many also below zero
- ~5-6 KW of inverter capacity initially, expanding if required
- 240 V required
- The cabin will be uninhabited 3-5 days/week
- generator backup, and I have a Honda EU700is generator, currently without autostart
If you have an inverter brand/model recommendation based on your experience, please indicate why you recommend, and pros/cons. I've seen a lot of discussion of issues with certain brands on this forum, but not anything collecting it into one place for my scenario.
Research so far:
- Sol-Ark 12K: Perhaps not the best for off-grid use. Seems to include features that benefit grid-tie systems that I would not want to pay for. Seems touchy, as a lot of folks have struggled with it shutting down with slight imbalances on the AC legs. Needs an additional autotransformer to overcome this. Pricey.
- Victron Quattro 5000 KVA: Seems straightforward. You buy two to get 240 V. Not UL listed, which does not matter for me. Less pricey than Sol-Ark for two. Reputable brand.
- Growatt 5000W 48V: Price seems too good to be true. Needs an autotransformer to produce 240 V. Relatively high idle watt usage. Reputation of the brand? Reliability? Longevitiy?
Would appreciate any advice you guys can provide as I embark on my design.