Outpost_51
New Member
The Sol-Ark 5k Hybrid inverter is praised for it's all-in-one design, ease of installation, and it's many included features that are highly regarded for GRID-TIE solutions.
Unlike other reviews that are little more than "out of box" experiences, I installed this system (myself) and have operated it in a variety of conditions for a period of over 120 days (in a TRUE OFF-Grid environment). My comments in this review are a reflection of that period of use.
This "Off-grid system kit" with a Sol-ark 5k Inverter is loaded with excellent features I believe "could" be a very good (but not excellent) GRID-TIE solution. However, it falls WELL SHORT of a "complete Off-Grid solution" (by itself or in this kit configuration) and should NOT be "marketed" as one.
ON-Grid: (an explanation of ON-Grid is necessary for comparison and understanding)
So let's consider that you install this system for your home in a city somewhere and get everything working correctly. You're connected to the electrical GRID and can take advantage of all the capabilities of this system. The "pass-through" ability operates all the equipment in your home, and charges your batteries with normal GRID power that you buy from the electrical source company. In addition, the power produced from your PV array can reduce your power consumption from the GRID, charge batteries, and any surplus power (generated from the PV array and not otherwise used) can be sold back to the GRID to reduce your costs of electricity.
When the GRID goes out, you have battery power available to be converted to regular electricity by your inverter to run your "critical" loads- like your refrigerator, freezers, medical devices, security system, etc. In some cases and if your system is big enough you may even be able to (also) run your non-critical loads- things like your microwave, air conditioner, heaters, pin-ball machines, etc.
On-Grid Evaluation: (example only, I cannot do this, I'm OFF-Grid)
Most people will be satisfied with an ON-GRID test/evaluation such as this:
Create a power failure by turning off the main breaker to disconnect the power supplied to your home from the GRID.
Without a system like this, it's lights out and the only things that might work are probably your internet router and computer connected to your (i.e 650 watt) UPS battery backup.
Other things that work may include your phone if if you have one connected to the internet ( if that's working) and what most people "take for granted" is their water supply, fed to your house by the local utility. So in most cases you may still have water pressure to provide water to drink, take showers, and flush toilets with.
You CANNOT test a system for OFF-Grid use in this manner!!
(So let's do this right)
What is OFF-Grid?
For the purpose of definition, drive down your favorite country road to where the pavement ends and a dirt road begins. Put your vehicle in 4-wheel drive and continue to drive for another 10 miles or so, until there are no more utility poles for the power grid and cable television. It's likely that (here) there is no water or sewer supply, and if there isn't - congratulations, -you are "almost" OFF-Grid.
Now drive another 20 miles or so (are we there yet?) and check your cell phone. If your cell phone is still working, you are NOT there yet. Keep going. Eventually your phone will stop working and a few miles later you will find a beautiful piece of OFF-Grid property- where the only resources are the SUN, WIND, EARTH, and wildlife. Welcome Home Neighbor! THIS is OFF-Grid.
THIS is where you will learn if your OFF-Grid system is suitable for OFF-Grid use.
NOW you can move: (OFF-Grid)
Let's take that same home, configured the same way, and magically move it to this location, OFF-GRID.
You will be very pleased to find that MOST of what your electrical needs are working with the energy you collect from the SUN (for free) in your new OFF-Grid paradise. Your refrigerator, freezer, TV, toaster, lights....all work fine. Day or night.
If your solar system is sized correctly, you will also enjoy some comforts like heating and air conditioning, provided by an efficient mini-split or heat pump type of system.
You will provide your own water supply and septic system (But):
While the septic system will not require anything from your solar system, you may have a serious problem with water supply. For water supply, you can drill a well or collect water in other ways and store that water in a tank. You can gravity feed the water to the house but in most cases you will need to have a pump to supply pressure and have positive water for your water heater, shower, sinks, and appliances like a dishwasher and clothes washer.
The problem with motors:
An OFF-Grid system should be designed and/or include necessary equipment to provide adequate electrical power to "all" devices that you will typically use in your dwelling. This system falls "well short of that requirement" in and OFF-Grid application.
As wonderful as the Sol-Ark inverter is, it has a major shortcoming- and when installed in a true OFF-Grid environment is a "serious" problem. Due to it's "transformer-less" design, this inverter may, and usually does struggle and fail to start induction motors (especially 120V single phase). This will cause an overload fault with the inverter and/or overheat and possibly damage the motor that you're trying to start.
This is (usually) NOT a problem if you don't have any motors to use, but when you are OFF-Grid, it is guaranteed that you will have something like a well pump, a washing machine, or other device with a single-phase motor in it that you will need to use AND power it with your inverter as there is NO GRID POWER to operate these devices. Imagine living off the grid and not being able to run your washing machine? your dish washer? your well pump? Some motorized devices that only use (typically) 3-5 amps continuous to up to 15 amps start surge (@1800 watts) may not run on this system! Even though the system is capable of 5000 Watts! The solution ( that's NOT INCLUDED in the kit) is an add-on component that costs about $700 more.
Mis-communication:
In several communications with the retailer, we came to a solution for me to return a transfer switch (that I didn't need) for credit to be applied toward the "add-on" component. However, there was some mis-communication as to that agreement and I was also "accused" of sending the switch back without the hardware that came with it. Eventually I was credited (about 65%) for the switch, but the agreement for the purchase of the add-on was forgotten or lost in the communication that was passed between a few people in the company. After several months, I'm still using this solar system in a limited capacity while I shop for a solution that will be suitable for my OFF-Grid needs.
Remote Monitoring:
They tell you that remote monitoring works OFF-Grid, but remote monitoring does NOT work OFF-Grid.
Remote monitoring will require a constant internet service. I do not know first-hand but have been told that the remote monitoring with internet has a certain delay that may be annoying and significant. If you are OFF-Grid and do not have internet, you will not be able to use remote features on your phone or tablet or computer. An OFF-Grid system should not require internet! "This system lacks the ability to connect to your devices with blue-tooth or wireless ethernet." A possible solution is a third party add-on that may not provide all the features you would otherwise get through the normal internet connection. I found this (add-on) product will cost around $150 plus about $50 shipping (from another country) with an unspecified lead time.
Firmware Updates:
They tell you that you can update the system firmware Off-Grid, this is NOT "exactly" true.
Software and firmware updates require internet connection. If you are OFF-Grid and do not have internet you will not be able to update your firmware when updates are available. An OFF-Grid system should not require internet. "This system lacks the ability to connect to your devices with blue-tooth or wireless ethernet." The solution is the pay for an add-on device (a dongle, from the manufacturer) at a cost of about $200 more and get the firmware updates by email. If you live OFF-Grid (like me) you will need to drive into town to get an internet signal for your email to download the patch files that are required for the update though the ($200) dongle.
This system is really easy to install but the technical writers could have done a better job and added a little more details to the manual. However, to make any specific recommendation for that is not the purpose of this review.
The battery settings in the Sol-Ark inverter manual do not agree with the battery manufacturer's recommendations and I didn't discover this until I was 2 months into using the system and watched a few in-depth seminars (for installers) offered by the manufacturer of the batteries. This could have or may have "damaged my batteries" and reduced their capacity, but as an end user, I don't have a way to test that as I don't have access to the internal battery management system to verify. My batteries alone cost me almost $9,000.
The LED lights in the house sometimes flicker (slightly) at times, and particularly when an appliance with a motor is operating. I haven't seen a solution to fix that yet. Incandescent lamps are not a solution or work around either.
Overall, my rating for this system would be reduced to 2.5 out of 5 stars as evaluated FOR OFF-GRID ONLY in a TRUE OFF-Grid application.
Outpost 51 is completely off-grid in an Arizona desert.
We learn things.
We do things.
We're Made for This.
Unlike other reviews that are little more than "out of box" experiences, I installed this system (myself) and have operated it in a variety of conditions for a period of over 120 days (in a TRUE OFF-Grid environment). My comments in this review are a reflection of that period of use.
This "Off-grid system kit" with a Sol-ark 5k Inverter is loaded with excellent features I believe "could" be a very good (but not excellent) GRID-TIE solution. However, it falls WELL SHORT of a "complete Off-Grid solution" (by itself or in this kit configuration) and should NOT be "marketed" as one.
ON-Grid: (an explanation of ON-Grid is necessary for comparison and understanding)
So let's consider that you install this system for your home in a city somewhere and get everything working correctly. You're connected to the electrical GRID and can take advantage of all the capabilities of this system. The "pass-through" ability operates all the equipment in your home, and charges your batteries with normal GRID power that you buy from the electrical source company. In addition, the power produced from your PV array can reduce your power consumption from the GRID, charge batteries, and any surplus power (generated from the PV array and not otherwise used) can be sold back to the GRID to reduce your costs of electricity.
When the GRID goes out, you have battery power available to be converted to regular electricity by your inverter to run your "critical" loads- like your refrigerator, freezers, medical devices, security system, etc. In some cases and if your system is big enough you may even be able to (also) run your non-critical loads- things like your microwave, air conditioner, heaters, pin-ball machines, etc.
On-Grid Evaluation: (example only, I cannot do this, I'm OFF-Grid)
Most people will be satisfied with an ON-GRID test/evaluation such as this:
Create a power failure by turning off the main breaker to disconnect the power supplied to your home from the GRID.
Without a system like this, it's lights out and the only things that might work are probably your internet router and computer connected to your (i.e 650 watt) UPS battery backup.
Other things that work may include your phone if if you have one connected to the internet ( if that's working) and what most people "take for granted" is their water supply, fed to your house by the local utility. So in most cases you may still have water pressure to provide water to drink, take showers, and flush toilets with.
You CANNOT test a system for OFF-Grid use in this manner!!
(So let's do this right)
What is OFF-Grid?
For the purpose of definition, drive down your favorite country road to where the pavement ends and a dirt road begins. Put your vehicle in 4-wheel drive and continue to drive for another 10 miles or so, until there are no more utility poles for the power grid and cable television. It's likely that (here) there is no water or sewer supply, and if there isn't - congratulations, -you are "almost" OFF-Grid.
Now drive another 20 miles or so (are we there yet?) and check your cell phone. If your cell phone is still working, you are NOT there yet. Keep going. Eventually your phone will stop working and a few miles later you will find a beautiful piece of OFF-Grid property- where the only resources are the SUN, WIND, EARTH, and wildlife. Welcome Home Neighbor! THIS is OFF-Grid.
THIS is where you will learn if your OFF-Grid system is suitable for OFF-Grid use.
NOW you can move: (OFF-Grid)
Let's take that same home, configured the same way, and magically move it to this location, OFF-GRID.
You will be very pleased to find that MOST of what your electrical needs are working with the energy you collect from the SUN (for free) in your new OFF-Grid paradise. Your refrigerator, freezer, TV, toaster, lights....all work fine. Day or night.
If your solar system is sized correctly, you will also enjoy some comforts like heating and air conditioning, provided by an efficient mini-split or heat pump type of system.
You will provide your own water supply and septic system (But):
While the septic system will not require anything from your solar system, you may have a serious problem with water supply. For water supply, you can drill a well or collect water in other ways and store that water in a tank. You can gravity feed the water to the house but in most cases you will need to have a pump to supply pressure and have positive water for your water heater, shower, sinks, and appliances like a dishwasher and clothes washer.
The problem with motors:
An OFF-Grid system should be designed and/or include necessary equipment to provide adequate electrical power to "all" devices that you will typically use in your dwelling. This system falls "well short of that requirement" in and OFF-Grid application.
As wonderful as the Sol-Ark inverter is, it has a major shortcoming- and when installed in a true OFF-Grid environment is a "serious" problem. Due to it's "transformer-less" design, this inverter may, and usually does struggle and fail to start induction motors (especially 120V single phase). This will cause an overload fault with the inverter and/or overheat and possibly damage the motor that you're trying to start.
This is (usually) NOT a problem if you don't have any motors to use, but when you are OFF-Grid, it is guaranteed that you will have something like a well pump, a washing machine, or other device with a single-phase motor in it that you will need to use AND power it with your inverter as there is NO GRID POWER to operate these devices. Imagine living off the grid and not being able to run your washing machine? your dish washer? your well pump? Some motorized devices that only use (typically) 3-5 amps continuous to up to 15 amps start surge (@1800 watts) may not run on this system! Even though the system is capable of 5000 Watts! The solution ( that's NOT INCLUDED in the kit) is an add-on component that costs about $700 more.
Mis-communication:
In several communications with the retailer, we came to a solution for me to return a transfer switch (that I didn't need) for credit to be applied toward the "add-on" component. However, there was some mis-communication as to that agreement and I was also "accused" of sending the switch back without the hardware that came with it. Eventually I was credited (about 65%) for the switch, but the agreement for the purchase of the add-on was forgotten or lost in the communication that was passed between a few people in the company. After several months, I'm still using this solar system in a limited capacity while I shop for a solution that will be suitable for my OFF-Grid needs.
Remote Monitoring:
They tell you that remote monitoring works OFF-Grid, but remote monitoring does NOT work OFF-Grid.
Remote monitoring will require a constant internet service. I do not know first-hand but have been told that the remote monitoring with internet has a certain delay that may be annoying and significant. If you are OFF-Grid and do not have internet, you will not be able to use remote features on your phone or tablet or computer. An OFF-Grid system should not require internet! "This system lacks the ability to connect to your devices with blue-tooth or wireless ethernet." A possible solution is a third party add-on that may not provide all the features you would otherwise get through the normal internet connection. I found this (add-on) product will cost around $150 plus about $50 shipping (from another country) with an unspecified lead time.
Firmware Updates:
They tell you that you can update the system firmware Off-Grid, this is NOT "exactly" true.
Software and firmware updates require internet connection. If you are OFF-Grid and do not have internet you will not be able to update your firmware when updates are available. An OFF-Grid system should not require internet. "This system lacks the ability to connect to your devices with blue-tooth or wireless ethernet." The solution is the pay for an add-on device (a dongle, from the manufacturer) at a cost of about $200 more and get the firmware updates by email. If you live OFF-Grid (like me) you will need to drive into town to get an internet signal for your email to download the patch files that are required for the update though the ($200) dongle.
This system is really easy to install but the technical writers could have done a better job and added a little more details to the manual. However, to make any specific recommendation for that is not the purpose of this review.
The battery settings in the Sol-Ark inverter manual do not agree with the battery manufacturer's recommendations and I didn't discover this until I was 2 months into using the system and watched a few in-depth seminars (for installers) offered by the manufacturer of the batteries. This could have or may have "damaged my batteries" and reduced their capacity, but as an end user, I don't have a way to test that as I don't have access to the internal battery management system to verify. My batteries alone cost me almost $9,000.
The LED lights in the house sometimes flicker (slightly) at times, and particularly when an appliance with a motor is operating. I haven't seen a solution to fix that yet. Incandescent lamps are not a solution or work around either.
Overall, my rating for this system would be reduced to 2.5 out of 5 stars as evaluated FOR OFF-GRID ONLY in a TRUE OFF-Grid application.
Outpost 51 is completely off-grid in an Arizona desert.
We learn things.
We do things.
We're Made for This.
Last edited:
