Sol-Ark 12k

[turboedbug]

I am currently going throuh the manual on the Sol-Ark 12k and It makes suggestions that if you have arc fault/gfci breakers to install a sub panel.

Does this inverter have issues opperating arc fault and gfci breakers?

 

[Hedges]

I wouldn't think so, it has no knowledge of what happens down stream.

If it has a built in breaker panel, is that crowded? GFCI has a extra neutral wire per breaker. Some brands are now "plug-on neutral", which needs a special panel but reduces the number of wires.

 

[turboedbug]

No breakers have been installed into the 120/240 20/40 100 amp panel yet as this will be a new sub panel.

Only breakers on the inverter itself are grid, load and gen off the top of my head.

I find it odd how the manual talks about the breakers. Kinda makes me wonder why its stated like that.

I do have an email out to sol-ark for the same question.

I will post back what they say in regards to the arc fault/gfci

 

[Hedges]

Manual page 18 shows AC breakers for grid, load, generator. No room for any others. So all added breakers would go on a sub-panel.

"Deciding Backup Circuits
A. We recommend subpanels and require them if you have Arc-Fault / GFI breakers
B. Ensure you keep the Inverter within its amperage limits • ON-Grid = 63A Continuous (pass-through) • OFF-Grid = 37.5A Continuous | 67A Peak (10s) | 104A Peak (100ms)"

Maybe somebody would connect a load directly to the inverter, but for circuits less than 6 awg, need a sub panel for breakers.

https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/12K-2P-N_Manual.pdf

Some loads can be a problem for AFCI or GFCI. Excessive leakage current (many EMI filters) could trip GFCI. Brush-type motors can trip AFCI. Hopefully switching noise from the inverter is filtered well enough to not be a problem.

 

[turboedbug]

Ok I am starting to understand why you were talking about no space.

Ya the inverter itself doesn't have the room for said breakers hence the addition of the sub panel.

I still find it odd that its worded that way lol.

 

[Hedges]

Yup, odd.

I've never seen one of these. Other people here have SolArk. Would be good to hear from someone who does have AFCI and GFCI breakers fed by it to make sure no issues with waveform quality affecting them. Don't expect it, but would be good to know since inverters all have their quirks.

But if you already have the inverter, you can just try them out and report results.

 

[DougfromdaUP]

I have lots of gfci and afci outlets, and a couple breakers and no problems with the Sol-Ark.
The breaker is only an old gfci, now that I look.

 

[RV10flyer]

I have six GFCI 20A 120V breakers running fine from two 12K.

 

[RCinFLA]

I believe the manual is referring to newer houses that have GFCI and/or AFCI breakers in main panel. If you move these branch circuits to backed up inverter source, the GFCI/AFCI also have to move to output of inverter, requiring a subpanel to mount them.

For an inverter of that wattage, you want to have subpanel anyway for critical load battery-based backup.

You don't want GFCI's upstream of inverter as inverter EMI filters may create enough ground path leakage to trip the upstream GFCI's.

 

[Think About It]

I have a Sol-Ark 15 wired inline with the grid/load (not back-fed). I have many SquareD Homeline arc fault breakers and haven't had a false trip.

The 15K manual does not have the same stipulation for arc-fault as the 12K.

I also have a Generac 22KW whole home generator. Prior to installing the Sol-Ark my arc-fault breakers would occasionally trip when my transfer switch transferred to generator. This is probably due to EMI upstream of the breakers generated when the switch transfers under heavy load. I have turned off my grid power ahead of the Sol-Ark several times now. There is a noticeable but very short "blink" in the lights during the transfer to battery and the arc fault breakers haven't tripped (yet!). This may have to do with the way the Sol-Ark is performing the transfer. The sell sheet says "Sol-Ark 15K acts as a massive uninterruptible power supply with a lightning fast 4ms transfer time" So in reality there may be less chance of the arc faults tripping with the Sol-Ark acting as the transfer switch.

 

[Bkord]

I have afci and gfci in my main. And gfci in the sub. No problems.

 

[mgdean]

I have both AFCI and GFCI breakers in my critical loads panel and I have seen no issues. I did bring the neutral wires over form the main panel for each circuit. I did not like the common neutral approach stated in the installation book.