Sol-Ark 15K idle consumption

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

I'm looking to get a quick thread going for all the Sol-Ark 15K owners to provide any information they have so I can compare. I've been working on a low current issue affecting my SOC and immediately after installing a Victron Shunt in front of the Sol-Ark, I'm noticing what seems to be a consistent 50 (ish) watts of power difference. Higher on the Victron Shunt than what the Sol-Arl is reading for its battery consumption.

I have a tiny load, just a single full-size refrigerator running with 60kWh of EG4 LifePo4 Battereis supplying the inverter.

My guess is that the 50w difference is the actual consumption of the Sol-Ark, but the manual says this should be closer to 90w. So I'm wondering if anyone else can provide any numbers if you happen to track your actual consumption in front of the Sol-Ark with a shunt, and what the difference might be.

I'm using the Victron Smartshunt 500amp with the latest I think 4.14 firmware and the Sol-Ark has version 7.2.2.2 which I believe is the current firmware.

 

[Oldphile]

The latest 15K manual shows 60 W. I believe it was 90 W previously.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

So does that mean the Sol-Ark omits it’s own usage in the battery draw calculations?

 

[Lt.Dan]

So does that mean the Sol-Ark omits it’s own usage in the battery draw calculations?

It has to. The draw could come from multiple places, Battery, Grid, or PV.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

It has to. The draw could come from multiple places, Battery, Grid, or PV.

I don't understand how the draw from the batteries could come from multiple places exactly, I have no PV hooked up, and the grid is not connected, only the load side. So, energy only has one place it's being drawn, from the batteries through the Sol-Ark and to the load terminals. I guess the shunt uses a tiny bit of energy, but otherwise, nothing else is drawing current.

 

[RV10flyer]

Just add a bunch more PV and lots of loads and you’ll never notice. Most current shunts or hall sensors are not that accurate down low. Be thankful you don’t have a EG4’s or it would be double.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

Just add a bunch more PV and lots of loads and you’ll never notice. Most current shunts or hall sensors are not that accurate down low. Be thankful you don’t have a EG4’s or it would be double.

I am thankful I didn't use EG4 inverters, and I couldn't be happier with my Sol-Ark.

I did finally get an answer to this from Sol-Ark, basically, the CTs measure the current via a magnetic field and will never be as accurate as a shunt that measures the current traversing a physical conductor, especially when the current is really low.

Also, the battery power watts measurement in the photo above does include the Sol-Ark's actual consumption and according to Sol-Ark when the Inverter is using a closed loop that number is told/measured/blended together by the Sol-Ark, when the inverter is in an open loop, that number is exclusively derived by the Sol-Ark.

Hope this thread was helpful if anything from a thought exercise for anyone else wondering the same or similar. Hats off to Sol-Ark tech support, answered on the first ring and explained the entire thing very patiently.

 

[Lt.Dan]

I don't understand how the draw from the batteries could come from multiple places exactly, I have no PV hooked up, and the grid is not connected, only the load side. So, energy only has one place it's being drawn, from the batteries through the Sol-Ark and to the load terminals. I guess the shunt uses a tiny bit of energy, but otherwise, nothing else is drawing current.

No the idle consumption is not calculated because the idle consumption alone could come from so many places, so the calculation is left out for simplicity.

 

[diytx]

@MaikaiLifeDIY Where did you buy your Sol Ark?

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

@MaikaiLifeDIY Where did you buy your Sol Ark?

I purchased mine from GREENTECH RENEWABLES.

I believe they are a franchise all across the United States.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

It was actually cheaper than the EG4 18k.

Which IMO is a more mature, stable and certainly unarguably better supported product.

 

[400bird]

It was actually cheaper than the EG4 18k.

Which IMO is a more mature, stable and certainly unarguably better supported product.

Which inverter are you saying is more mature and better supported?

 

[webbbn]

It was actually cheaper than the EG4 18k.

Which IMO is a more mature, stable and certainly unarguably better supported product.

Do you mind saying how much you paid, and which office you got it from? There is a local office in Tucson that is one of the Sol Ark approved installers, but their website says to call them for a quote, which usually means $$$. I've also been wondering if their warranty requires installation by an approved installer, or any other fine print like that.

FWIW, I just got some "recycled" batteries from them, and I was pretty impressed dealing with them.

 

[400bird]

but their website says to call them for a quote, which usually means $$$.

I've purchased 4 new panels from CED greentec, the price was reasonable. I don't know why they don't list prices online, but expected the same before calling them, was pleasantly surprised.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

Which inverter are you saying is more mature and better supported?

Any Sol-Ark inverter, aka AIO (All In One).

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

Do you mind saying how much you paid, and which office you got it from? There is a local office in Tucson that is one of the Sol Ark approved installers, but their website says to call them for a quote, which usually means $$$. I've also been wondering if their warranty requires installation by an approved installer, or any other fine print like that.

FWIW, I just got some "recycled" batteries from them, and I was pretty impressed dealing with them.

We’ll I got a special deal through a friend of mine that is a solar installer. My Sol-Ark 15K was $5500, plus tax.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

Do you mind saying how much you paid, and which office you got it from? There is a local office in Tucson that is one of the Sol Ark approved installers, but their website says to call them for a quote, which usually means $$$. I've also been wondering if their warranty requires installation by an approved installer, or any other fine print like that.

FWIW, I just got some "recycled" batteries from them, and I was pretty impressed dealing with them.

I used the San Diego location. As far the Sol-Ark warranty, you get the same warranty if you self install or have someone do it. There is a card/checklist if things they have you do to verify proper installation and then a registration for to activate/validate the warranty.

With basic electrical skills a Sol-Ark is very easy to install. It’s an amazing device and I love it.

 

[TK1979]

It was actually cheaper than the EG4 18k.

Which IMO is a more mature, stable and certainly unarguably better

Nice!

 

[ksmithaz1]

It was actually cheaper than the EG4 18k.

Which IMO is a more mature, stable and certainly unarguably better supported product.

I'd rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy.

If the cost statement is accurate this could be the beginning of a little healthy competition in this space. Hopefully it points to improvements from both companies, and even more innovative products. I had to make a rather rapid decision, and at he time It was about $6K more for a pair of Sol-Ark's. For an extra $1K I would have likely gone with the more mature product. EG4 now has a foothold, they just need to improve their support, and more importantly their product stability, so you don't need the support. It will be interesting to see the next hardware releases and software improvements in the 240/50 class of AIO's!

 

[Oh_Snyt]

MaikaiLifeDIY, thanks for the post. I've been looking at the "lost" (idle) consumption of my Sol-Ark 12k. I am calculating all the sources (PV, Grid, Battery) and subtracting the loads (Load, Battery when charging). I am NOT using a shunt, but just the internal Sol-Ark sensors. Just watching a few days, it seems that when the sun it shining, self-consumption (idle) is between 100-175 watts, in the non-charging times it is around 70-ish.

I assumed the readings are not the best at the low power levels. Thanks for verifying that.

I also love my Sol-Ark. It is quiet and has been quite reliable. I was able to get an "open box" deal from ShopSolarKits for $4,000. I've seen that price since as well. It made the Sol-Ark easily the best choice I could make.