diy solar

diy solar

Sol-Ark 15K All in One Inverter Released.

Electric cabinet. Will do a temp install tomorrow maybe ? (Offgrid and power house through interlock). Trying to arrange the perminate install but it requires moving the mains so I'm waiting on power company and electrian to get a temp disconnect for that
View attachment 94209
Looks like they got some good connectors on there this time. Service rated stuff.
 
Are you grid-tied with it?
Not yet, I want the full 200a passthrough, and my stupid ass meter here is locked by <insert powe company here>, so I can't de-energize the mains.... To safely move the mains over I need an AC disconnect which I am trying to just work with an electrian to get done sometime soon
 
Some initial thoughts:
1.) its hard to install laying flat lol. the battery bolts have washer + lock washer, and getting those off a vertical terminal requires a bit of finagling.
2.) You connect the batteries to a breaker protected connection, which is nice. However, there is no built in bypass resistor, so flicking the breaker makes a spark. Kinda annoying, as you are stuck choosing to connect with the breaker on and using the resistor, or bypassing the breaker, but there isn't really room to do that.
3.) It won't energize the AC output unless there is a N/G bond in the system somewhere. The inverter itself (obv) is not bonded, so its expecting in the mains. Normally I energize the AC outs, probe the outputs to ensure good split phase, then attach to interlock, but that doesn't work. Has to be connected to interlock (thus connecting to your n/g bond in your main panel), then you can turn on AC output
4.) PV Connectors are pretty nice but don't fit 10ga ferrules (easily), so I had to just put the stranded wire in directly. But they clip in like a wago connector and didnt budge on a pretty good tug.
5.) screen is touchscreen, works well enough
6.) Plenty of room in electrical cabinet to do whatever
7.) using the bus-bars for N/G that expect terminals is kinda dumb imo.
 
Not yet, I want the full 200a passthrough, and my stupid ass meter here is locked by <insert powe company here>, so I can't de-energize the mains.... To safely move the mains over I need an AC disconnect which I am trying to just work with an electrian to get done sometime soon
Man, that sucks... I hate the meters with locks on them.
Around here, most are just wire clipped, we cut em, get the work done and call in the inspection.
 
Man, that sucks... I hate the meters with locks on them.
Around here, most are just wire clipped, we cut em, get the work done and call in the inspection.
I should clarify, mine are wire-locked with tamper seals on them.

Yes I could do this, but our power company "requires" that we schedule a shutoff w/ them
 
I should clarify, mine are wire-locked with tamper seals on them.

Yes I could do this, but our power company "requires" that we schedule a shutoff w/ them
I got a text message 30 seconds after I pulled my can. I had it pulled for about 10 minutes. 2 hours later the power company showed up and was like.... "Heyyy guyyyy, what's goin ooooon?"

1652319619101.png
Some initial thoughts:
1.) its hard to install laying flat lol. the battery bolts have washer + lock washer, and getting those off a vertical terminal requires a bit of finagling.
2.) You connect the batteries to a breaker protected connection, which is nice. However, there is no built in bypass resistor, so flicking the breaker makes a spark. Kinda annoying, as you are stuck choosing to connect with the breaker on and using the resistor, or bypassing the breaker, but there isn't really room to do that.
3.) It won't energize the AC output unless there is a N/G bond in the system somewhere. The inverter itself (obv) is not bonded, so its expecting in the mains. Normally I energize the AC outs, probe the outputs to ensure good split phase, then attach to interlock, but that doesn't work. Has to be connected to interlock (thus connecting to your n/g bond in your main panel), then you can turn on AC output
4.) PV Connectors are pretty nice but don't fit 10ga ferrules (easily), so I had to just put the stranded wire in directly. But they clip in like a wago connector and didnt budge on a pretty good tug.
5.) screen is touchscreen, works well enough
6.) Plenty of room in electrical cabinet to do whatever
7.) using the bus-bars for N/G that expect terminals is kinda dumb imo.

Check these for voltage. If they have voltage when closed, you can use the pencil method when it's open pretty easy.

1652319642755.jpeg


Does it have a FAN cooling making noise all the time? (Like Voltronic stuff)
 
I got a text message 30 seconds after I pulled my can. I had it pulled for about 10 minutes. 2 hours later the power company showed up and was like.... "Heyyy guyyyy, what's goin ooooon?"

View attachment 94348


Check these for voltage. If they have voltage when closed, you can use the pencil method when it's open pretty easy.

View attachment 94349


Does it have a FAN cooling making noise all the time? (Like Voltronic stuff)
Right I'm not in the mood to deal with that lol

There is no voltage on those screws, or continuity across... just verified, so you can't do that method unfortunately

The fan still isn't on when pulling 7500w (hot water heater) so far
 
Awesome. I think I might mount this inside. I'm "flying" two LV6548's now and their jet engines live in my garage at the other end of the house. Thanks for the photos.
They were on post shower.

Pretty damn quite vs my growatts though

Unrelated:
Does anyone know if sol-ark* has a "no A/c" or power saving mode/ MPPT only mode? I don't see one in the menu's/manual, and I'd rather it behave like the growatts where if the inverter is not on, the mppt won't kick on until there is charging current present.
 
They were on post shower.

Pretty damn quite vs my growatts though

Unrelated:
Does anyone know if sol-ark* has a "no A/c" or power saving mode/ MPPT only mode? I don't see one in the menu's/manual, and I'd rather it behave like the growatts where if the inverter is not on, the mppt won't kick on until there is charging current present.
Can you clarify what your trying to do in more detail.
 
I should clarify, mine are wire-locked with tamper seals on them.

Yes I could do this, but our power company "requires" that we schedule a shutoff w/ them
I don't recommend anybody do it but all the electricians I have had come by just cut the seal and take the meter out. I am a little surprised but they just tell me if the power company asks just tell them you had an electrical issue and the electrician had to cut the power immediately. The power company does show up anywhere from a day to a month later and I tell them what he said and they just put on a new seal and leave.
When you think about it what else is an electrician going to do if you have a faulty main breaker in the panel or a bad busbar? Leave you in darkness for several days waiting on an appointment.
 
Can you clarify what your trying to do in more detail.
So my old growatts if you had PV and battery connected, but the inverter turned "off", it would still power on and run the MPPT when the sun was up to charge batteries, there would just be no DC -> AC inverter running.

Other inverteres have a "power saving mode" where there will be no AC output if there isn't a load detected.

This would bring down the ussage to basically 0 overnight when there is no AC load...

I am seeing if this exists for the sol-ark. Right now (until I get the electrians out) I was planning to just let the sol-ark charge the batteries for a day or three, until full, then swap over to it for ~4-7 days until eventually usage outdraws the re-charge rate.

I would like it to be on "mppt only" mode during the "charging time"
 
Back
Top