My Stacked Sol-Ark12k Setup

[Chris72]

I finally finished my first solar install. All I have left is the inspection from the city and SRP. My system consists of 2 Sol--Ark 12ks, 30 Sunpower x22 360w With Tigo RSD, 6 SunPower x21 350W enphase AC coupled. 9 REC 365W 2 Storz Power Server Rack batteries. I'm a little bit nervous about passing inspection so if anybody sees anything obvious in the photos please let me know. The array on the right in the photo was not complete at the time we took the photo.

 

[el-guapin]

Very nice!.. Congrats!

 

[1201]

Looking good! Good luck with inspection

 

[Chris72]

Looking good! Good luck with inspection

Well apparently the inspector is saying the batteries need to be 3 ft apart which doesn't make sense considering you can put them in a server rack. I thought it was 3 ft apart per 20 kilowatt hour bank. See R328.3.1

 

[k490]

Are you concerned with the heat in the garage in the summer? Seems like most solar installs here the inverter is outside with last year 30 days over 115F I wonder how many of those inverters lasted. I'm building an off grid in a shed plan to direct the hot air from the inverter outside it will power an AC unit in the shed. Last year I had a standalone inverter running it was like a hair drier blowing all that heat into the shed I'm trying to cool down.

You wonder if the inspector would question a contractor, or just has to come up with something to complain about since you're doing install yourself.

Why did you choose to do microinverters instead of going from panels to the Sol-ark inverters? I'm assuming grid ties into the Sol-ark would you be able to upload the diagram how everything is connected?

 

[SeaGal]

Well apparently the inspector is saying the batteries need to be 3 ft apart which doesn't make sense considering you can put them in a server rack. I thought it was 3 ft apart per 20 kilowatt hour bank. See R328.3.1

Do they define what an ESS unit is?

Also interesting to see section 328.5 saying "max individual ESS unit to be 20kWh". How does that fit with the upcoming 560Ah cells - i.e. 28.6kWh?

 

[pvgirl]

Well apparently the inspector is saying the batteries need to be 3 ft apart which doesn't make sense considering you can put them in a server rack. I thought it was 3 ft apart per 20 kilowatt hour bank. See R328.3.1

This is where UL 9540 and 9540A come in, these standards and testing show the safety of the the system in configurations that are outside the limits in the IRC. UL 9540A is the large scale fire testing referenced in that section, showing that the batteries have p[passed 9540A and are installed and spaced per manufactures instructions should satisfy this requirement. You may need to contact storz power for these certificates and reports to show your inspector.

 

[1201]

Well apparently the inspector is saying the batteries need to be 3 ft apart which doesn't make sense considering you can put them in a server rack. I thought it was 3 ft apart per 20 kilowatt hour bank. See R328.3.1

Maybe you can have him reinspect the system without batteries? ? And then add them back later ?

 

[Chris72]

Maybe you can have him reinspect the system without batteries? ? And then add them back later ?

So I sent the inspector documentation from the battery manufacturer and now they're okay with how they're mounted. The only thing that was required was that I put a Bollard post in front of the battery to avoid hitting them since they're in the garage and the heat detector in the garage. Other than that I'm good to go.

 

[Chris72]

Thanks everybody for your help. I went down to my neighbor's that has a solar setup with the battery in the garage and he didn't have a post so I asked the inspector why he didn't have to have one but I did.
His answer to me was not all inspectors are good.

 

[Oldphile]

See attachment for bollard requirements.

 

[Chris72]

See attachment for bollard requirements.

Wow thats a big help. Thank you.

 

[Chris72]

Are you concerned with the heat in the garage in the summer? Seems like most solar installs here the inverter is outside with last year 30 days over 115F I wonder how many of those inverters lasted. I'm building an off grid in a shed plan to direct the hot air from the inverter outside it will power an AC unit in the shed. Last year I had a standalone inverter running it was like a hair drier blowing all that heat into the shed I'm trying to cool down.

You wonder if the inspector would question a contractor, or just has to come up with something to complain about since you're doing install yourself.

Why did you choose to do microinverters instead of going from panels to the Sol-ark inverters? I'm assuming grid ties into the Sol-ark would you be able to upload the diagram how everything is connected?

The sol-arks and the batteries weren't outdoor rated. I'm planning on doing some insulating and maybe a mini split in the garage.
I went with micro inverters only on 6 panels because my all MPPTs were full with the other strings. That array with the microinverters faced in a completely different direction than the rest. Here's a diagram but the microinverter string is an add-on but it will be connecting to the generator input.

 

[k490]

The sol-arks and the batteries weren't outdoor rated. I'm planning on doing some insulating and maybe a mini split in the garage.
I went with micro inverters only on 6 panels because my all MPPTs were full with the other strings. That array with the microinverters faced in a completely different direction than the rest. Here's a diagram but the microinverter string is an add-on but it will be connecting to the generator input.

The Sol-ark 15k has 3 MPPT where the 12k has 2 MPPT? The price difference is only $200 according to NAZ Solar electric up in Flagstaff. Good information I really want to install a permitted system. I'm using my Shed project as a learning experience. Did you have someone help with the design? I noticed outdoor rated inverters and batteries like the EP Cube seem to have high voltage batteries I wonder if that reduces amount of heat generated.

 

[Chris72]

The Sol-ark 15k has 3 MPPT where the 12k has 2 MPPT? The price difference is only $200 according to NAZ Solar electric up in Flagstaff. Good information I really want to install a permitted system. I'm using my Shed project as a learning experience. Did you have someone help with the design? I noticed outdoor rated inverters and batteries like the EP Cube seem to have high voltage batteries I wonder if that reduces amount of heat generated.

The Sol-ark 15k has 3 MPPT where the 12k has 2 MPPT? The price difference is only $200 according to NAZ Solar electric up in Flagstaff. Good information I really want to install a permitted system. I'm using my Shed project as a learning experience. Did you have someone help with the design? I noticed outdoor rated inverters and batteries like the EP Cube seem to have high voltage batteries I wonder if that reduces amount of heat generated.

Yes 12k has 2 15k has 3. You can get both the 12k and 15k outdoor. I went to an engineering company like greenlancer for the plans. https://www.greenlancer.com
If you're in Arizona you need to use the approved batteries and inverters off the approved solar equipment list. AZ and CA Use the same list.

https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/solar-equipment-lists.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

I finally finished my first solar install. All I have left is the inspection from the city and SRP. My system consists of 2 Sol--Ark 12ks, 30 Sunpower x22 360w With Tigo RSD, 6 SunPower x21 350W enphase AC coupled. 9 REC 365W 2 Storz Power Server Rack batteries. I'm a little bit nervous about passing inspection so if anybody sees anything obvious in the photos please let me know. The array on the right in the photo was not complete at the time we took the photo.

That’s a nice looking setup.

May I ask why you went with dual 12ks instead of dual 15ks given not much difference in price?

I had dual 12ks before upgrading to the dual 15ks.

Wiring is so much easier on the 15ks IMO.

 

[Chris72]

That’s a nice looking setup.

May I ask why you went with dual 12ks instead of dual 15ks given not much difference in price?

I had dual 12ks before upgrading to the dual 15ks.

Wiring is so much easier on the 15ks IMO.

I got a good deal on both inverters. My original plan was to go with a 15K.

The power company requires certain safety switches, fused safety switches and meters that added to the price and the wiring complexity. Also finding the main panel that would accommodate the 2 large CTs for the 12K

 

[Chris72]

Do they define what an ESS unit is?

Also interesting to see section 328.5 saying "max individual ESS unit to be 20kWh". How does that fit with the upcoming 560Ah cells - i.e. 28.6kWh?

It seems the inspectors are kind of behind when it comes to non Tesla installs.

 

[Chris72]

Maybe you can have him reinspect the system without batteries? ? And then add them back later ?

Yeah that would require me to edit the plans and resubmit them both to the power company and the city.

 

[k490]

Yeah that would require me to edit the plans and resubmit them both to the power company and the city.

I have APS I noticed they have a max limit of 15kW DC solar panel for 200-amp service main panel.

 

[k490]

Yes 12k has 2 15k has 3. You can get both the 12k and 15k outdoor. I went to an engineering company like greenlancer for the plans. https://www.greenlancer.com
If you're in Arizona you need to use the approved batteries and inverters off the approved solar equipment list. AZ and CA Use the same list.

https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/solar-equipment-lists.

Is that list requirement enforced by the city code, or the utilities.

 

[Chris72]

Is that list requirement enforced by the city code, or the utilities.

The utilities.

 

[Bad Randy]

I finally finished my first solar install. All I have left is the inspection from the city and SRP. My system consists of 2 Sol--Ark 12ks, 30 Sunpower x22 360w With Tigo RSD, 6 SunPower x21 350W enphase AC coupled. 9 REC 365W 2 Storz Power Server Rack batteries. I'm a little bit nervous about passing inspection so if anybody sees anything obvious in the photos please let me know. The array on the right in the photo was not complete at the time we took the photo.

Looks Great.
My 2 cents,
Something to prevent water and debris from entering your battery's.
Maybe a metal shelf a couple inches above for ventilation.
I have the same habit of laying things anywhere there is space.

 

[k490]

The utilities.

Just another roadblock to keep solar expensive because the city not going to allow non-UL listed equipment. When sodium-ion batteries start to become widely available utilities are going to be in real trouble solar going to get lot cheaper. The problem here is during the summer we need so much power to run AC units it requires a much larger system. My power bill has increased a lot summertime I was over $500 a month winter without heat pump running still over $200 a month. I use evaporative cooling in the spring and fall my plan is to connect that to my offgrid system, and some servers, and computers I run 24/7. We need to move to a bigger home I'm thinking about buying 1 acer property where I can build large solar array on a ground mount and completely disconnect from the utility.

 

[Chris72]

Just another roadblock to keep solar expensive because the city not going to allow non-UL listed equipment. When sodium-ion batteries start to become widely available utilities are going to be in real trouble solar going to get lot cheaper. The problem here is during the summer we need so much power to run AC units it requires a much larger system. My power bill has increased a lot summertime I was over $500 a month winter without heat pump running still over $200 a month. I use evaporative cooling in the spring and fall my plan is to connect that to my offgrid system, and some servers, and computers I run 24/7. We need to move to a bigger home I'm thinking about buying 1 acer property where I can build large solar array on a ground mount and completely disconnect from the utility.

Pytes Batteries are on the list and they are one of the cheapest options. I also use evap cooler but I was thinking about adding mini splits in target areas of the house. So I don't need to run central unit as much iff at all.