Sol-Ark 15k - Surge Amps

[Llaves]

The mystery deepens - I checked my dust collector. 1hp, type E, 120V. Min kVA for type E is 4.5kVA, which is only marginally different from the jointer. But it starts 100% of the time.

Ordinarily we keep wires to a motor short. I wonder if an extension cord, adding resistance and reducing peak current, would help? Having another load already powered, so inverter is producing some current when this load is applied?

The shop is about 100' from the inverter, so there already are long conductors to the inverter.
Tried starting the jointer with the dust collector running. Instant shutdown. Now I'll go reset all the clocks - again.

 

[Troubleshooter]

The mystery deepens - I checked my dust collector. 1hp, type E, 120V. Min kVA for type E is 4.5kVA, which is only marginally different from the jointer. But it starts 100% of the time.


The shop is about 100' from the inverter, so there already are long conductors to the inverter.
Tried starting the jointer with the dust collector running. Instant shutdown. Now I'll go reset all the clocks - again.

I have a similar issue, except for I have 2 12k sol-arks and a miter saw, rated at 9 FLA trips an F18 error. The saw is in the shop, connected to a sub-panel and I can almost always replicate this problem, however when I ran an extension cord from the main panel and tried the miter saw that way, I could not trip the system. Try doing the same and let us know.
I have a clamp amp meter with inrush capability enroute, so I should be better able to see what the draw is on startup. Until then I'm just guessing what the startup draw might be that it trips 2 12k sol-arks.

 

[robby]

Would this help you Guys?

Soft Start For Power Tools

Seems like people are happy with the revised 2022 model.

 

[BillD808]

My Sol-Ark 12K won't start my 1.5HP jointer, let alone the 3HP bandsaw and table saw. Blows it right off line. Power factor on induction motors is something like .2, so you could have some real issues.

Curious what


Curious what codes do you get and is the shutdown due to overdraw on the batteries tripping the input power or output draw tripping the load feeds?

Hi guys, I'm a new member in Hawaii. I assist contractors with solar applications and technical assistance as needed. We have used Sol-Ark for a few projects that are grid tied with batteries as self supply or self consumption only to avoid Utility hassles. I'm a bit late to the 'party' however if you are still connected and interested we can help each other.
I started searching around Sol-Ark and found some YT videos that might help.

 

[Bigblockcutlass123]

I just got rid of my 12K Growatt that started everything in my house for last 2 years no problems and got a 15K solarc. Hope this isn't a problem when it's actually off grid. I've had it in service for 2 months now. Pretty impressed with the Sol-ark and functions. Don't know how it'll be when I actually lose power. The Growatt ust went down the road for $1,600 hopefully it wasn't a mistake.

 

[Hedges]

You haven't tried losing power yet?
Better to do that in good weather, with the grid available in case you need to switch back.
(Similarly, I recommend installing tire chains in your driveway, before they are mandatory in snow country.)

Observe operation under several conditions: batteries low, batteries full, daytime, night time (maybe simulate night by disconnecting PV), grid goes away, grid returns.

 

[robby]

I just got rid of my 12K Growatt that started everything in my house for last 2 years no problems and got a 15K solarc. Hope this isn't a problem when it's actually off grid. I've had it in service for 2 months now. Pretty impressed with the Sol-ark and functions. Don't know how it'll be when I actually lose power. The Growatt ust went down the road for $1,600 hopefully it wasn't a mistake.

Ignore those two videos, they have already been debunked in other threads.
You still need to do the tests that @Hedges suggested. You need to know what you can and cannot do if your in an off grid situation.

 

[Llaves]

Ignore those two videos, they have already been debunked in other threads.

what aspect of these has been debunked? I've seen plenty of reports of tripping from load imbalances and I am personally experiencing problems with motor loads tripping the inverter.

 

[timselectric]

I haven't seen the second video. But the first one is a fact. There is a per leg limit.

Edit: second video is an unfair comparison. You can't expect a high frequency inverter to perform like a low frequency one.

 

[Llaves]

There is a per leg limit.

more important than the per leg limit, which any inverter will have, is the issue you can be within that limit and still trip a fault if there is a significant imbalance between the two legs.

 

[niktak11]

more important than the per leg limit, which any inverter will have, is the issue you can be within that limit and still trip a fault if there is a significant imbalance between the two legs.

There is no "imbalance limit", only the per leg limit.

 

[timselectric]

more important than the per leg limit, which any inverter will have

It's only an issue for split-phase high frequency inverters.
Due to the fact that they are actually two inverters in a single enclosure. So each inverter has its limit, regardless of what the other is doing.

 

[Hedges]

"F26 BusUnbalance_Fault Too much load on one leg (L1 or L2) Vs. the other leg or DC loads on the AC output when off-grid. Grounded PV +/- wire can cause F20, F23, or F26."

https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/15K-2P_Manual.pdf

But they don't tell us how much is too much.
I don't find a spec for how much load is allowed on a single leg, either.

... only the per leg limit.

And what is that limit?

 

[timselectric]

"F26 BusUnbalance_Fault Too much load on one leg (L1 or L2) Vs. the other leg or DC loads on the AC output when off-grid. Grounded PV +/- wire can cause F20, F23, or F26."

https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/15K-2P_Manual.pdf

But they don't tell us how much is too much.
I don't find a spec for how much load is allowed on a single leg, either.



And what is that limit?

4.8kw in battery mode. (On the "12k" model)
May be higher in one of the assisted modes.

 

[niktak11]

"F26 BusUnbalance_Fault Too much load on one leg (L1 or L2) Vs. the other leg or DC loads on the AC output when off-grid. Grounded PV +/- wire can cause F20, F23, or F26."

https://www.sol-ark.com/wp-content/uploads/15K-2P_Manual.pdf

But they don't tell us how much is too much.
I don't find a spec for how much load is allowed on a single leg, either.



And what is that limit?

About 7.8kW continuous for the 15k. Not sure about the 12k but probably around 4.8kW continuous.

 

[timselectric]

About 7.8kW continuous for the 15k

That's probably in one of the assisted modes.
Should be 6k, in battery mode. (1/2 of the 12k total limit)

 

[niktak11]

That's probably in one of the assisted modes.
Should be 6k, in battery mode. (1/2 of the 12k total limit)

That's in off grid mode. I'm not sure if that number requires any DC PV though.

 

[Hedges]

So is the error message "Too much load on one leg (L1 or L2) Vs. the other leg" misworded?
Should it just be "Too much load on one leg (L1 or L2)"?

 

[timselectric]

So is the error message "Too much load on one leg (L1 or L2) Vs. the other leg" misworded?
Should it just be "Too much load on one leg (L1 or L2)"?

Hard to say.
I'm not sure why an imbalance would be a problem. Unless it pushed one leg over the limit. Which is an over limit issue. Regardless of the imbalance.

 

[niktak11]

I think it's probably just confusingly worded. It mentions one of the PV conductors being grounded as a probable cause of the fault. I don't think it does anything to do with the AC output.