Sol-Ark 15K All in One Inverter Released.

[rossmoesis]

They will be in the garage, so probably not. Unless they are high pitched turbines, then yea, might be a problem.

My sol-ark is in the garage and my only complaint is the noise. It’s not super loud but it’s noticeable. I would pay more money for a quieter inverter vs cheaper louder inverter like a growatt. I spend a lot of time in my garage working though.

You should reach out to some growatt owners for reference.

 

[Lt.Dan]

If you think the Sol-Ark is at all loud, then you would HATE a Growatt or MPP/Voltronic model. My 12k is a whisper compared to my LV6548's

 

[hipringles]

Curious what quotes people are getting for a bypass installs...

 

[DIYrich]

Yea, that is literally the price increase. The CFO (wife) is already complaining about the cost.

Do you tell her how much you are saving in taxes? "but I saved 30% on the dress..."

 

[Ryushin]

Do you tell her how much you are saving in taxes? "but I saved 30% on the dress..."

The CFO is a pinny pincher, which is a good thing in many ways. The upfront cost though is the shocker. And what I thought it was going to cost compared to what it is costing keeps going up. The big cost that has blown up is the Ironridge racking. It three times what I thought it would cost. Especially now that I'm doing phase1 (38 panels) and phase2 (additional 36 panels) to start with. Just need to get it done so the CFO sees we have no energy bill, but a credit each month.

 

[DIYrich]

The CFO is a pinny pincher, which is a good thing in many ways.

Sol-ark 15k + 3 growatts is about $11,000.
Two EG4 18k is about $11,000. Seems that if you call them, they might give you an "unadvertised price".

 

[Ryushin]

Sol-ark 15k + 3 growatts is about $11,000.
Two EG4 18k is about $11,000. Seems that if you call them, they might give you an "unadvertised price"

Based on what I've researched, I'm more comfortable with the Sol-Ark with some of it's features, such as the 5ms transfer. There is a premium for Sol-Ark and it's worth it to me. I have a quote for the SA 15K for a good price. If I had the extra funds, I'd do the EMP version. Maybe I can convince the CFO on that one.

So far I've only heard good things about the EG4 18K. More competition is good. But yea, I went back and forth for about a week between the two.

 

[Hedges]

Estimate future electric bills, then convert to net present value.
Show the CFO how much she will be spending, if electric rates don't increase (yeah, right!)

 

[Ryushin]

Estimate future electric bills, then convert to net present value.
Show the CFO how much she will be spending, if electric rates don't increase (yeah, right!)

Yea, I was working it out. I figured we would recoup about $4K a year in savings. Still it's going to be 7-10 years before we break even. Though security we will have is in many ways, priceless.

 

[Hedges]

Value of freezer full of food, probability of losing it ...
Running water and hot showers? (Compare to cost of a hotel.)

The other approach is His, Hers, Ours checkbooks.
My wife knows how to pinch pennies. While I'm adept at that, I've also been known to blow ten or a hundred grand (back when that was REAL money.)

 

[hipringles]

Has anyone gotten this installed successfully after they purchased it from an electrician? Curious what quotes/prices we are are getting when installing it between the mains and the panel...

I am getting quotes in the 6-10k range, with quotes like "this is the hardest inverter to install"

Note: this is an install price for **just** the inverter, not batteries, or solar

 

[Tulex]

Has anyone gotten this installed successfully after they purchased it from an electrician? Curious what quotes/prices we are are getting when installing it between the mains and the panel...

I am getting quotes in the 6-10k range, with quotes like "this is the hardest inverter to install"

Note: this is an install price for **just** the inverter, not batteries, or solar

I don't know what is hard about installing it other than how heavy it is. I installed mine with my wife's help, and other than getting it up on the bracket, I couldn't have asked for an easier install.

 

[hipringles]

I don't know what is hard about installing it other than how heavy it is. I installed mine with my wife's help, and other than getting it up on the bracket, I couldn't have asked for an easier install.

And your doing the full 200a passthrough?


I have mine installed in off-grid mode, and literally to make it passthrough I just need move the mains from the panel, into the inverter, then output of inverter will go to main panel, rather than my offgrid panel.

Quote: 10k

 

[Hedges]

Between mains and panel - think it requires a fusible disconnect or breaker. Unless you already have separate breaker at main connection.

Any reason you're not doing it yourself?

Quote: 10k

Sure, I'd be happy to give you a similar quote ?
(Who doesn't like money?)

 

[hipringles]

Between mains and panel - think it requires a fusible disconnect or breaker. Unless you already have separate breaker at main connection.

Any reason you're not doing it yourself?



Sure, I'd be happy to give you a similar quote ?
(Who doesn't like money?)

I need to get a disconnet from the power company to move the power off my mains.

They won't do it without a permit

The permitting offices here hate DIY, and are giving me a massive runaround (funny enough the company who wants 10k is saying they have to argue with the permitting office for "weeks" to get these permits,)

 

[Tulex]

And your doing the full 200a passthrough?


I have mine installed in off-grid mode, and literally to make it passthrough I just need move the mains from the panel, into the inverter, then output of inverter will go to main panel, rather than my offgrid panel.

Quote: 10k

I am. I pulled my meter, mounted a 200 amp breaker disconnect below it. Ran the wire through the wall into a 10X10X48 wire trough. Had already installed the wire trough and 6" long emt to line up with the inverter and new main panel. Main panel is to the side of my inverter, so just had to run wires from the inverter down into the trough and back up into the main panel. My main panel has a sideways breaker, so I was able to mount the box upside down. And, I did this all with my wife holding flashlights. Did the whole thing in a day. That includes taking out the old main panel, having to do some siding work to allow for the mounting of the disconnect, and having to do some structural work for mounting, insulating the area where this all went, and putting up drywall.

 

[hipringles]

I am. I pulled my meter, mounted a 200 amp breaker disconnect below it. Ran the wire through the wall into a 10X10X48 wire trough. Had already installed the wire trough and 6" long emt to line up with the inverter and new main panel. Main panel is to the side of my inverter, so just had to run wires from the inverter down into the trough and back up into the main panel. My main panel has a sideways breaker, so I was able to mount the box upside down. And, I did this all with my wife holding flashlights. Did the whole thing in a day. That includes taking out the old main panel, having to do some siding work to allow for the mounting of the disconnect, and having to do some structural work for mounting, insulating the area where this all went, and putting up drywall.

Our meter can is locked and tagged or else I'd just do this myself. Sigh, what a pain in the ass.

I literally have (somewhat illegally) installed offgrid feeding a partial panel.

The company is claiming the install is "as difficult as most small commercial jobs" and "significantly harder than any generator/ATS install"

 

[Quattrohead]

Our meter can is locked and tagged or else I'd just do this myself. Sigh, what a pain in the ass.

I literally have (somewhat illegally) installed offgrid feeding a partial panel.

The company is claiming the install is "as difficult as most small commercial jobs" and "significantly harder than any generator/ATS install"

Bollocks. Find someone else.

 

[hipringles]

Bollocks. Find someone else.

Glad I am not taking crazy pills here.

 

[RayofSunshine]

Our meter can is locked and tagged or else I'd just do this myself. Sigh, what a pain in the ass.

I literally have (somewhat illegally) installed offgrid feeding a partial panel.

The company is claiming the install is "as difficult as most small commercial jobs" and "significantly harder than any generator/ATS install"

Have you asked Sol-Ark for any recommendations of installers in your area? They might recommend someone a bit further away, but since the recommended installer may be more familiar with the Sol-Ark, their quote might come in lower. Then again, if your AHJ is such a PITA, and the Sol-Ark recommended installer is unaware of this, they might have to raise their cost to deal with the BS, so ask them if they are familiar with dealing with your AHJ.