My first Solar system

[Keo]

Hello everybody

As my home face some electricity outages i decided to buy and install my first solar system, as the prices are exaggerated in my country, I ordered an inverter online it was Sako Sunpolo 6kw hybrid I read everything about it and i liked it.

thankfully its arrived to me today, and before purchasing batteries i want to test it so my first question :

1- can i plug the AC in cable to the wall and check if its working and connect it via wifi etc ...? or its not recommended ?

also I'm planning to get 4x200AH 12V gel or acid batteries to run it , and regarding my calculation using (Imax= P*Pf/η/Umin/N/n) and considering a load of 1200VA the Imax = ~24A it should get me up to 8 hours for Shoto 6-FMX-200 :
2- However some engineers told me it will be only 5 hours so which is right? i would need 3 hours max , I won't install solar panels for now and incase of long outages i have a DG.

3- also what wires Gauge should i use? regarding Sunpolo 6KW manual it says 10 AWG for the AC input/ouput , which i feel its low and for batteries it recommend AWG 2 but it doesn't clear if same gauges should be used in the batteries DC-DC connection.

4- Is there any thing wrong in my plan ? and incase i cheap out and got 4x100AH batteries how much time this system will get me?

5- Is it safe to run an 18000 BTU 9 amp (startup current 20amp) A/C on it ? im not planning to run it on it but it will be simpler work for me if included it in the connection , just incase i added more bat or panels in the future. I will only connect it to the lights TV - none heavy outlets and the A/C wont include the kitchen or heaters.

6- I have two options for installation , first I install it beside the main circuit breaker box inside the house which is cooler due to the A/C, second which i like more is to install it outside the house , which is closed area (with roof so no raining of any kind its 4x10 m area with only last 2x2 m without roof so its almost like an indoor) however its hotter in that place, i like this place more as it wont ruin the look of the house also more room for batteries etc. and i will just need like ~3m AC cables to connect the main circuit box to the inverter, is it ok to install it outside?

Thanks in advance

 

[MichaelK]

calculation using (Imax= P*Pf/η/Umin/N/n) and considering a load of 1200VA the Imax = ~24A it should get me up to 8 hours for Shoto 6-FMX-200

This is complete gibberish. You have a 200Ah battery at 48V. That means the total amount of electricity is 200Ah X 48V = 9600Wh.

You never want to drain a lead-acid battery to zero. It's recommended not to go below 50%. So, that 9600Wh is 4800Wh of USABLE power.

If your load is 1200Wh, then you should run that for no more than 4 hours, max.

For your questions, one by one....

1) maybe not. It's always best to bring in inverter up first on battery power first, then connect AC input to it.

2) I guess my opening statement answers #2.

3) 10 gauge to your main electrical panel is fine. Also 10 gauge from future solar strings to the MPPT. I would consider 2 gauge from the batteries to the inverter very light. I myself used 0000 gauge from my batteries to my inverter.

4) I would say it's wrong to start out without panels. You should bring your system to full functionality while it's still under warranty to find out problems up front. This is a very low-end product. Don't expect it to last past the warranty period. Besides, panels are getting dirt-cheap now, and is basically the cheapest component of your system. As for the batteries, I consider 200Ah to be small. Cutting that in half leaves you with only 2400Wh of power. Maybe three hours of air-conditioning in one single room. A little over an hour with the air-con you mention.

5) Maybe, maybe not. For a unit that runs on 9A (is that at 230V?), a starting surge of 20A seems a bit low. Is the 20A value your measurement, or something the manufacturer posted? From experience, I'd go with 4X 9A, or 36A, which at 230V is going to be 8280W. What is the surge rating for that inverter? Not the watts surge, the time surge?

6) The electronics will be happier if they are running cooler. Three meters of 10 gauge wire is not much for 230VAC. Three meters from the batteries to the inverter is a lot, and should be avoided. Personally, I'd want the unit inside, so I could show it off to friends.

If this inverter is going to be connected in addition to grid power, make sure you are using a proper transfer switch.

 

[Keo]

calculation using (Imax= P*Pf/η/Umin/N/n) and considering a load of 1200VA the Imax = ~24A it should get me up to 8 hours for Shoto 6-FMX-200

This is complete gibberish. You have a 200Ah battery at 48V. That means the total amount of electricity is 200Ah X 48V = 9600Wh.

You never want to drain a lead-acid battery to zero. It's recommended not to go below 50%. So, that 9600Wh is 4800Wh of USABLE power.

If your load is 1200Wh, then you should run that for no more than 4 hours, max.

For your questions, one by one....

1) maybe not. It's always best to bring in inverter up first on battery power first, then connect AC input to it.

2) I guess my opening statement answers #2.

3) 10 gauge to your main electrical panel is fine. Also 10 gauge from future solar strings to the MPPT. I would consider 2 gauge from the batteries to the inverter very light. I myself used 0000 gauge from my batteries to my inverter.

4) I would say it's wrong to start out without panels. You should bring your system to full functionality while it's still under warranty to find out problems up front. This is a very low-end product. Don't expect it to last past the warranty period. Besides, panels are getting dirt-cheap now, and is basically the cheapest component of your system. As for the batteries, I consider 200Ah to be small. Cutting that in half leaves you with only 2400Wh of power. Maybe three hours of air-conditioning in one single room. A little over an hour with the air-con you mention.

5) Maybe, maybe not. For a unit that runs on 9A (is that at 230V?), a starting surge of 20A seems a bit low. Is the 20A value your measurement, or something the manufacturer posted? From experience, I'd go with 4X 9A, or 36A, which at 230V is going to be 8280W. What is the surge rating for that inverter? Not the watts surge, the time surge?

6) The electronics will be happier if they are running cooler. Three meters of 10 gauge wire is not much for 230VAC. Three meters from the batteries to the inverter is a lot, and should be avoided. Personally, I'd want the unit inside, so I could show it off to friends.

If this inverter is going to be connected in addition to grid power, make sure you are using a proper transfer switch.

Thanks a lot for your reply, regarding the equation this is how we used to measure datacenters UPS uptime, however i never went to deep in it as a PM and we never ever tried the max time that UPS would hold after commissioning we usually happy with 15-30 min till the DG will run which usually have multiple backup as well maybe its time to confirm this equation
4 - I don't believe I have any kind of warranty as I get it over seas and it will not be worth shipping it back nether cost nor time. the issue is that there is a *** 10 floors tall building was just built in front me and its blocking most of the sun , however im planning on moving out soon that's why i said later will add panels.

5- I have measure it with both clamp meter and 63A smart circuit breaker, this A/C unit is customize for low voltage (165-260) and enhanced startup current, however for continues consumption I find it consume more than normal units (usually 7.5-8A), in the manual i cant find the surge rating anywhere.

6- inside i dont have much space for the BATs i can manage but it will be 4 verticals rows and wont be nice looking, however in both cases BAT will be under the inverter directly


Last why would i need transfer switch? I'm i missing something ? I thought as hybrid inverter it will control the switching I was planning to do the following :
(We use 230V)
1- I'm having a 16mm copper cable goes in the main dual MCB breaker 63A and then it goes to a dual smart switch rated at 63A but limited to 50A logically also work as over voltage protection, then from this switch it goes to another 22 single circuit breakers each feed specifics load (room lights, rooms outlets, Heaters , A/C) the N line is taken from a copper busbar fed after the smart switch each CB has its own N Line, that's why I can select exactly which loads to put on the inverter.
2- so the plan is to take a line after the smart CB and feed it to a new 25A dual MCB CB that will be connected to the inverter input AC, then the output AC from the inverter will be connected to the lights and some outlets circuit breakers (after removing the old cable that was feeding those CB directly from the smart switch).

so with the grid AC is ON the inverter should work like UPS and forward the grid current up to 40A (as in the manual attached) after main grid fails the inverter should switch to BATs within 10ms (using UPS mode) is there something wrong in my plan ?

regarding the electrician work I'm very comfortable with it.

and for the inverter model i didn't know its very low end, as shops here made it like its one of the tops inverters lol xD. Sad

Thanks again for the help

Manual : https://sakopower.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SUNpolo-6KVA.pdf

 

[Keo]

also regarding the gauges you was talking about copper or aluminum? all the above is copper

 

[MichaelK]

Last why would i need transfer switch? I'm i missing something ? I thought as hybrid inverter it will control the switching I was planning to do the following :
(We use 230V)

Well, this is not what you said in your first post. This was your statement...

I have two options for installation , first I install it beside the main circuit breaker box inside the house which is cooler due to the A/C

Your statement to me was not very clear, but it does not sound to me that you would be passing the grid-power through the ACin via the inverter. It's sounds like you would want to connect the inverter into the main service box that already has power from the grid. That would be extremely dangerous.

If in fact you connected ONLY the inverter to the main electrical panel, and you connected the grid ONLY to the ACin of the inverter, then yes, that would be a safe installation.

I insist on working only with copper, so all gauges I specify are gauge of copper.

 

[Keo]

Well, this is not what you said in your first post. This was your statement...

I have two options for installation , first I install it beside the main circuit breaker box inside the house which is cooler due to the A/C

Your statement to me was not very clear, but it does not sound to me that you would be passing the grid-power through the ACin via the inverter. It's sounds like you would want to connect the inverter into the main service box that already has power from the grid. That would be extremely dangerous.

If in fact you connected ONLY the inverter to the main electrical panel, and you connected the grid ONLY to the ACin of the inverter, then yes, that would be a safe installation.

I insist on working only with copper, so all gauges I specify are gauge of copper.

i was talking about the physical location of the inverter and by A/C i mean air conditioner, sorry for the unclear communication, so regarding to my plan here I attached a clear drawing.

but i believe I will need to install at the garage (outside location that i descripted in my post) this way will make BAT wires as short as possible and get easier BAT upgrade plan.

Will made few test and be carful with it if i felt its too hot will change the plan.

however your comment gave me an idea I might install transfer switch so I can forward the grid power manually in case i need to remove the inverter this will give me less down time and make it for sure easier, however its still a thought.

Thanks for the help