Sol-Ark 12K with small generator
- Thread starter Rojillio
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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"Grid Hz High 65 Hz,
Grid Hz Low 55 Hz"
Your generator is dropping below 55 Hz ... how high does it run no-load? You may be able to adjust it higher so it stays within range.
Are you able to program how much power should be pulled from generator, have charging draw less current so generator isn't as heavily loaded? Will SolArk also assist generator from battery so loads aren't too much either?
On your 2nd posting with more screen images I see 50 Hz, seems odd when the rest were based on 60 Hz +/-
I also see "droop", etc. which is probably output voltage sagging with load to facilitate sharing with paralleled inverters.
It may have a Volts-Watts and Frequency-Watts grid support mode, not sure if those also help generator.
Ideally SolArk inverts from battery to carry part of the load when more than generator (or grid) programmed max current. Not sure how it handles transient when first connecting. My Sunny Island similarly assists carrying load above programmed limit. Depending on mode, it disconnects to prevent backfeed (But does NOT have programmable max backfeed current.) Yours, I saw "20W" as zero-backfeed limit.
Grid Hz Low 55 Hz"
Your generator is dropping below 55 Hz ... how high does it run no-load? You may be able to adjust it higher so it stays within range.
Are you able to program how much power should be pulled from generator, have charging draw less current so generator isn't as heavily loaded? Will SolArk also assist generator from battery so loads aren't too much either?
On your 2nd posting with more screen images I see 50 Hz, seems odd when the rest were based on 60 Hz +/-
I also see "droop", etc. which is probably output voltage sagging with load to facilitate sharing with paralleled inverters.
It may have a Volts-Watts and Frequency-Watts grid support mode, not sure if those also help generator.
Ideally SolArk inverts from battery to carry part of the load when more than generator (or grid) programmed max current. Not sure how it handles transient when first connecting. My Sunny Island similarly assists carrying load above programmed limit. Depending on mode, it disconnects to prevent backfeed (But does NOT have programmable max backfeed current.) Yours, I saw "20W" as zero-backfeed limit.
You're exactly right. I tried a new voltage regulator on the 6500, no help. The inverter lugged it enough that the frequency dropped enough that it never got started. And Sol-Ark kinda freaked out at the suggestion that I drop the frequency setting to 54 or 53hz.
Sol-Ark recommends a generator that runs at 70% of the generator rating. I assume that means normal rating not spike. My DeWalt 8000 runs at anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 watts, depending on the load. It seems to always want to send 3,800 - 4000 watts to the battery charging. From there it just depends on the house's load. If the house is using 1000 watts it runs the generator at ~5000 watts. If the house is using 400 watts it runs the gen at ~4,400 watts.
Sol-Ark recommends a generator that runs at 70% of the generator rating. I assume that means normal rating not spike. My DeWalt 8000 runs at anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 watts, depending on the load. It seems to always want to send 3,800 - 4000 watts to the battery charging. From there it just depends on the house's load. If the house is using 1000 watts it runs the generator at ~5000 watts. If the house is using 400 watts it runs the gen at ~4,400 watts.
Can you alter the power demand (charge rate) from the inverter? Turn it down, report back.
I'm also wondering if an inverter generator might be a better option - lots of inverter generators in <5KW range.
Not that I can tell but I haven't played with it since Sol-Ark went into it and set my settings in the new version. Yesterday they'd set something then call me to tell me about it and they'd discover I had changed a setting. So for now I've been laying off of it.
Here's a pick showing 3800w going to the batteries. The rest is house ac window units and/or lights.
Here's a pick showing 3800w going to the batteries. The rest is house ac window units and/or lights.
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2020
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- 20,611
As I said, check no-load frequency of generator, try turning up closer to 65 Hz.
Is Generator shown as "Grid", 5kW, 60.4 Hz?
"Gen" shows 5V, 62.6 Hz
Is Generator shown as "Grid", 5kW, 60.4 Hz?
"Gen" shows 5V, 62.6 Hz
One difference there might be that the inverter is going to expect to see a neutral ground bond at that lug as "grid". Generators come in various configurations of N/G bond. I'm guessing here... It very well might be frequency variation also.
My EG-4 inverters definitely have a configurable "rate" of grid charge.. I'd be surprised if those don't have something similar.
