Need help deciding between 2 quotes : Enphase vs Sol-Ark

[akitsen]

I have 2 competing quotes, with similar price ranges.

1. Sol-Ark 15k + 8.5kWh Q Cells = ~$2.70/watt
2. Enphase iQ8 + 8.5kWh REC = ~$2.65/watt

My current needs, both systems fit the bill BUT I do want to expand the system in the future as my usage increases.

Future Plans:
- Adding a battery for peak usage
- Added panels if usage goes up
- Electric Vehicle (3-4 yrs)

 

[Nobodybusiness]

I have 2 competing quotes, with similar price ranges.

1. Sol-Ark 15k + 8.5kWh Q Cells = ~$2.70/watt
2. Enphase iQ8 + 8.5kWh REC = ~$2.65/watt

My current needs, both systems fit the bill BUT I do want to expand the system in the future as my usage increases.

Future Plans:
- Adding a battery for peak usage
- Added panels if usage goes up
- Electric Vehicle (3-4 yrs)

If adding batteries my suggestion is the Sol-Ark.

 

[Zapper77]

I have 2 competing quotes, with similar price ranges.

1. Sol-Ark 15k + 8.5kWh Q Cells = ~$2.70/watt
2. Enphase iQ8 + 8.5kWh REC = ~$2.65/watt

My current needs, both systems fit the bill BUT I do want to expand the system in the future as my usage increases.

Future Plans:
- Adding a battery for peak usage
- Added panels if usage goes up
- Electric Vehicle (3-4 yrs)

Both are great options

But it may be easier to add battery storage to the Sol-Ark

 

[LydMekk]

Selecting Enphase WILL tie you to their equipment also in the future when trying to upgrade.
+1 for Sol Ark IMO.

 

[DIYrich]

Not even comparable. With any chance of battery - Sol-ark. Research what it will cost to add batteries to each.

Adding more pv will also be cheaper. Only cost of panels. Don't need more micro inverters.

 

[Oldphile]

Batteries on a Sol-Ark are a fraction of the cost of batteries with Enphase.

 

[akitsen]

I was already leaning toward the Sol-Ark, but ya'll are AWESOME and have confirmed I'm making the right choice.

Sol-Ark 15k it is!

 

[akitsen]

Selecting Enphase WILL tie you to their equipment also in the future when trying to upgrade.
+1 for Sol Ark IMO.

yeah, the only reason I was considering the Enphase setup is the cost... but realistically it puts me in a bad place for future expandability.

 

[DIYrich]

yeah, the only reason I was considering the Enphase setup is the cost... but realistically it puts me in a bad place for future expandability.

With only 8.5kW of panels, you could more than double your system before maybe needing to add an MPPT charge controller, or another 15k (just the cost of installing the panels). With enphase, you are are looking at another $2.65/watt

 

[SeaGal]

All of the above.. plus with Enphase you have to commit to their internet connectivity requirements and send them all your usage data for them to monetize or get hacked.

 

[Aridom82]

when i am in doubt i tend to go to the product with more information available

 

[42OhmsPA]

I was already leaning toward the Sol-Ark, but ya'll are AWESOME and have confirmed I'm making the right choice.

Sol-Ark 15k it is!

If you're not in the USA I'd get a Deye over the Solark...

 

[Nobodybusiness]

If you're not in the USA I'd get a Deye over the Solark...

Pretty sure NorCal is Northern California but I could be wrong.

 

[Shimmy]

FWIW, the game I like to play is ask the vendors for updated prices with storage added in the mix-- at least 15kWh. Also, if you are planning for expansion, plan for the expansion. Make sure the layout will work for whatever else you think might be coming, along with a bit of buffer. Re-work is where you really waste money (especially if it isn't DIY).

Edit... Do the economics for solar work at all now in California without a battery?

 

[Mud1070]

I went with the Enphase, and now I am limited on battery options.
I will need the system controller before designing a battery system.
If I go Enphase batteries, they come at a higher cost currently. If I want an other system it will require extra equipment.

When planning for future upgrades, size your system components accordingly with buffer.
I oversized my system to account for degradation of the panels and inverters over 30 years.

 

[Shimmy]

When planning for future upgrades, size your system components accordingly with buffer.
I oversized my system to account for degradation of the panels and inverters over 30 years.

I'll be the contrarian and say to just size your system for what you need now, better options will exist in the future.

I also have an Enphase system, and I wish it was 20-50% bigger. It was installed in 2014 at a cost of $5/W by the previous owner. In 2014 getting battery backup would have entailed a lead-acid system; today I can get a longer-life LFP system for significantly less than what lead-acid would have cost. Today I can also get 21% efficiency panels instead of the 14-16% from years past. Today my issue is resiliency; when the system was installed the owner's concern was energy cost.

Often times it is better to separate the energy objective from the resiliency objective, although with modern TOU rates favoring storage the line can get blurred.

 

[Hedges]

I went with the Enphase, and now I am limited on battery options.

Which model Enphase?
Some will AC couple with other brand battery inverters.

But if starting from scratch, with Enphase and SolArk the same price, obviously the batteries optional hybrid costs less after just adding the battery vs. adding battery + inverter.

Unless you plan to switch from gas to electric, future "expansion" could entail more efficient electric appliances rather than more PV.

But I do like how string inverters can be nicely over-paneled, vs. microinverters that are already undersized for one panel.

 

[wheisenburg]

I went with the Enphase, and now I am limited on battery options.
I will need the system controller before designing a battery system.
If I go Enphase batteries, they come at a higher cost currently. If I want an other system it will require extra equipment.

You can AC couple Schneider or Sol Arc with Enphase now. Enphase did a recent firmware update that now allows this to work. It is probably good enough as a backup for a grid tied system. I still wouldn't go that route for an off grid installation.