Sol-Ark 8/12/15k with Tigo TS4-A-O?

[lasuti]

I recently installed a Sol-Ark 15k with 28 Silfab 370 HC panels, one Tigo CCA, one Tigo TAP and 28 TS4-A-O modules.

We solved the PV Rapid Shutdown integration by simply using a Big Red switch with an integrated dual pole switch.

The Normally Open contacts of one pole of the dual pole switch connects to the Sol-Ark 15K on pins 11 &12.

The Normally Open contacts of the other pole of the dual pole switch connects to the AUX input of the Tigo CCA.

When the Big Red switch is pushed, two contact pairs get closed, one pair for the Sol-Ark and the other pair for the Tigo CCA AUX input.
Tigo PV-Off via AUX Link

We ran 4 wires from the equipment room on my second floor to the Big Red switch outside for the "PV Rapid Shutdown" regulatory requirement.

Separate poles are needed because the closure sense voltage on the Sol-Ark is 12vdc, while the Tigo AUX port uses 3.3vdc.

(The remote relay circuit described earlier in this thread achieves the same goal in a different way.)

Do you have a link to the switch you used? I'm looking to do the same thing.

 

[daurtanyn]

I used a commercial button assembly from Eaton.

Button: Eaton 10250T5B62-1-POP
Contact Block with two NO contacts: Eaton 10250T2
Outdoor enclosure for button: Eaton 10250TN11

(Installed image attached)

 

[Restlesseye]

Need some help regarding Tigo CCA and connecting it to my Sol-Ark 12k.

As it stands right now, my CCA is connected to my TAP through the GATEWAY, which in turn, is wirelessly communicating to all of my T4-A-S-O units. Per my Tigo app on my cell phone, it looks like everything is running perfectly, and I'm getting information from my panels.

The question I have is, do I need to connect my CCA to my Sol-Ark via the RS485-1, or should I just leave it alone? Is there any need to connect the CCA directly to the Sol-Ark?

Thanks in advance.

PS. I'm being lazy, my CCA is connected to the router in my house, and the TAP is directly connected to my CCA. If it serves no purpose, I don't want to run another 100 feet of wire to connect my CCA to Sol-Ark.

 

[Ampster]

How does it shut down the SolArk if that is required?

 

[2TrevorJ]

There's no reason to tie the CCA to your Sol-Ark via RS485. They don't need to communicate to operate optimally.

Now...as Ampster said, you may want to use the Sol-Ark's rapid shutdown to signal the CCA to shutdown the array at the same time via the Aux input on the CCA. Details are earlier in this thread.

 

[Ampster]

Now...as Ampster said, you may want to use the Sol-Ark's rapid shutdown to signal the CCA to shutdown the array at the same time via the Aux input on the CCA. Details are earlier in this thread.

Actually the thing I was implying was shutting down the SolArk for the safety of first responders. If they pull the meter or shut off the main service disconnect the SolArk will still power the critical loads panel as if there was a power outage. There could be power to the roof because the micros are fed by the SolArk and there definitely would be live circuits in the home.

 

[2TrevorJ]

Apologies but the Tigo are not microinverters and they aren't fed by or dependent on power/signal from an inverter. They are their own system but you're right in that they'll stay energized (DC) and keep on operating unless signaled to shut down.

 

[Ampster]

Apologies but the Tigo are not microinverters

No apology needed, I was referring to the micros on my roof that could be fed from my SolArk when power is disconnected to my house by first responders. Is there an issue that your SolArk could be still putting out power from the batteries even though the solar panels are shut down by the Tigos?

 

[2TrevorJ]

Is there an issue that your SolArk could be still putting out power from the batteries even though the solar panels are shut down by the Tigos?

Absolutely. If you wire the rapid shut down button to the Tigo CCA's AUX it would only shut down the array but the Sol-Ark will keep on truckin' on battery.

I think we're both saying the same thing. Gotta ensure the entire system shuts down when you smack the button...not just part of the system.

 

[tve]

I'm a little puzzled about the rapid shutdown... I have a 15k with Tigo CCA, in California. Everything is mounted outside the house, so the SA is readily available. Questions:
- what does the "PV disconnect switch" on the left side of the Sol-Ark actually do? Just disconnect the PV input power? Does that actually shut down the PV panels in terms of getting the output voltage down?
- what happens in terms of PV voltage if the SA is turned off using the ON/OFF button on the outside?
- if neither of these two switches causes the PV voltage to be shut down do I need an explicit shutdown signal to the CCA and what's the easiest way to accomplish that?

(This is not a DIY install, I'm just checking that the installer crossed all the t's and dotted all the i's...)

 

[Ampster]

Does that actually shut down the PV panels in terms of getting the output voltage down?

No they revert to Open Circuit Voltage.

(This is not a DIY install, I'm just checking that the installer crossed all the t's and dotted all the i's...)

The easiest way it to hit the RSD shutdown button or switch that your installer put next to your meter and see what happens. Or perhaps he had to demonstrate to the building inspector that it worked.

 

[cs1234]

I find the idea that *anybody* can just come up to the side of my house and with the flip of a big switch / push of a button, shut down all my electricity, including battery backup, extremely disturbing. Fireman have hatchets/axes, maybe it could have been something they have to smash / cut through to disable. It would only take them a tiny bit longer, though it would be more permanently disabled.

I already get ding dong ditchers and children leaving strange stuff on my porch. A big red switch labeled "Shut off my electricity, please." seems a bit too enticing.

 

[Lt.Dan]

I find the idea that *anybody* can just come up to the side of my house and with the flip of a big switch / push of a button, shut down all my electricity, including battery backup, extremely disturbing. Fireman have hatchets/axes, maybe it could have been something they have to smash / cut through to disable. It would only take them a tiny bit longer, though it would be more permanently disabled.

I already get ding dong ditchers and children leaving strange stuff on my porch. A big red switch labeled "Shut off my electricity, please." seems a bit too enticing.

Exactly the reason why I mounted mine in the garage. Leaving it open to criminals was out of the question for me.

The rapid shut down is required to shut down power at the individual PV panel level. If you flip the PV disconnect switch on the side of the inverter, all it does it is disconnect your entire array from the inverter, but the wires up to it, are still live. The rapid shutdown cuts power at the panel so there is no live wire anywhere.

 

[cs1234]

@Lt.Dan They were also talking about disabling the inverter / battery system from the rapid shutdown button / alert.

What are the rules for inside garage mounting, what do you have to make accessible to shutdown? Do battery backed up circuits on that garage inverter still have to be able to be shutdown from outside?

 

[tve]

Thanks for the confirmations regarding the PV-off switch... I sent the installer a question. Inspection hasn't happened yet...

As far as I can tell, one can argue that turning the Sol-Ark off (power off button on the side) cuts power to the CCA and that shuts panels down, except that there's a bypass switch, so if that is flipped and there's grid power then the CCA remains powered. Alternatively one can reach into the load breaker panel and flip the breaker labeled "tigo box" to off.

I live in a high fire area and I'm wondering whether it's not prudent to turn PV off if we're evacuating due to a fire nearby. No need for sparks up there... Or perhaps the arc fault stuff takes care of that? (Not sure where that's implemented, the arc fault in the Sol-Ark is turned off.)

 

[Lt.Dan]

@Lt.Dan They were also talking about disabling the inverter / battery system from the rapid shutdown button / alert.

What are the rules for inside garage mounting, what do you have to make accessible to shutdown? Do battery backed up circuits on that garage inverter still have to be able to be shutdown from outside?

I have a 12k, and not using a 200a passthrough, so this is a bit different. I'm not sure what the rules are about the inverter being mounted in the garage, as I wasn't involved with the install as much as I would have like to have been. But the main panel on the outside of the home is labeled, saying something along the lines of an auxiliary power source and PV power in the garage. Along with a map/layout of the home and location of the inverter.

It passed inspection in California, so it must be legit.

 

[cs1234]

@Lt.Dan

That's neat it if just needs a label and then directions to where in the house you have to go to disable it. Not that I imagine the fire fighters would like to have to smash into your garage to turn off the electricity.

 

[Lt.Dan]

@Lt.Dan

That's neat it if just needs a label and then directions to where in the house you have to go to disable it. Not that I imagine the fire fighters would like to have to smash into your garage to turn off the electricity.

Yeah it doesn't sound very smart, but it passed inspection?

 

[themizz]

I did exactly this setup, thanks to your post! I also added my solar-assistant to a DIN rail mount so it fits in the box nicely.

View attachment 123278
My CCA is powered from a 15A breaker in my load breaker box that also runs a room's lights so it stays powered as long as there is power to be had either from grid, PV or battery.

If I lose grid, and my battery runs out at night, I am planning to do the exact same thing that @eia2022 is doing, lower the battery cutoff threshold and "jumpstart" the system. I also have a few cars I can pull 12V should I need to run the CCA off of something else other than the battery backup.

The only issue I ran into was that shorting pin 11-12 would only turn off the relay for about 30 seconds then it would turn it back on momentarily for a second or so at times and the Sol-Ark had no indication that the PV was shut down at all or any kind of RSS has happened.

I contacted Sol-Ark thinking it was a possible firmware bug and they identified that my inverter needed a new MCU. I swapped in the new MCU this morning and now if I push the emergency shutdown button I lose all power in the house and my Tigo also shuts down, I also get an F22_Tz_EmergStop_Fault which is the expected behavior.

If your system stays on with pin 11-12 shorted then your RSS is not working properly.

View attachment 123279

Hi, I'm just getting my Sol-Ark 15 with Tigo TS4-A-O ready for AHJ inspection. Question - Why is using this relay and connecting the CCA to the Sol-Ark necessary at all? Can't you can just wire a NO button directly to CCA Aux to achieve rapid shutdown per:

https://support.tigoenergy.com/hc/e...g-a-Manual-Latching-Push-Button-Safety-Switch

 

[y0bailey]

I did exactly this setup, thanks to your post! I also added my solar-assistant to a DIN rail mount so it fits in the box nicely.

View attachment 123278
My CCA is powered from a 15A breaker in my load breaker box that also runs a room's lights so it stays powered as long as there is power to be had either from grid, PV or battery.

If I lose grid, and my battery runs out at night, I am planning to do the exact same thing that @eia2022 is doing, lower the battery cutoff threshold and "jumpstart" the system. I also have a few cars I can pull 12V should I need to run the CCA off of something else other than the battery backup.

The only issue I ran into was that shorting pin 11-12 would only turn off the relay for about 30 seconds then it would turn it back on momentarily for a second or so at times and the Sol-Ark had no indication that the PV was shut down at all or any kind of RSS has happened.

I contacted Sol-Ark thinking it was a possible firmware bug and they identified that my inverter needed a new MCU. I swapped in the new MCU this morning and now if I push the emergency shutdown button I lose all power in the house and my Tigo also shuts down, I also get an F22_Tz_EmergStop_Fault which is the expected behavior.

If your system stays on with pin 11-12 shorted then your RSS is not working properly.

View attachment 123279

I am heading the DIY route and ditching my SolarEdge optimizers so I can run an EG4 inverter. I do have shading and panels on different roof pitches, so I do think I need at least some optimization.

Did you have any issues running the TS4-A-O's "blind" as stand-alone optimizers? Did you notice huge improvements after getting them properly installed with the CCA/TAP?

They make it sound scary on the TIGO website: https://support.tigoenergy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4770355167635-TS4-Systems-Blind-Deployment


Any info you have will be greatly appreciated! I never saw your official verdict after getting things properly configured.