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Sol-Ark/All-in-One Repairability

rhino

Solar Wizard
Joined
Jun 6, 2020
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Minnesota
I was originally considering an all-in-one system for off-grid but then began to be concerned about the fact that the inverter and charge controller(s) are all in one unit. Are people going to have to send the entire unit back for repair? In an off-grid situation not having a back up in place is too risky for me so it makes me think having a separate inverter and charge controller(s) may still be a better option to prevent a single point of failure for the entire system. I was interested in the Sol-Ark especially because of it's charge controllers supporting 500V PV arrays but am veering away from this now. Thoughts?
 
I'm with you on that. I'd rather just replace a bum charge controller rather than be without my inverter.
 
From what I hear you don't have to send the unit for repair. They send a new board. I don't know who puts the board in though.
Snoobler, the reason I want a SolArk is because all of the pieces play well together. Do you think it is smarter to buy separate parts and make them work in a grid tied system with batteries. The system has to be able to create an island when the grid goes down. SolArk also has programmable loads based on battery state of charge.
It hurts me to think about making all of that happen with separate pieces. I can still change my mind though.
 
My grid-tie knowledge is in its infancy. My comments were in the off-grid context of this thread. To my knowledge, grid-tie is always a "charge controller" and inverter all-in-one.
 
Side note: The only critical component for grid tied is the inverter. I currently have an old Outback VFX3648 inverter that can sell back to the grid without issue. You can use any combination of charge controllers, batteries, or other components in your system since the Outback is the gateway to the grid.
 
Grid-tie is typically either a high-voltage string inverter or a bunch of micro inverters. PV in, AC current delivered according to AC voltage received.
Some, like Outback and Xantrex, will have separate PV to DC charge controllers, battery, and DC to AC inverters providing grid-tie and off-grid operation.

I'm using SMA Sunny Boy GT inverters and Sunny Island battery inverters, which play together nicely for grid tie, backup, off grid.
Can also use Midnight charge controllers with data link to Sunny Island, or any DC source and a shunt so Sunny Island can count electrons.

If you have a small battery, it is important for something to limit battery charge current. Mine does. I hear some DC charge controllers do when paired with same brand inverter. Otherwise, you have to keep PV/SCC small to avoid cooking batteries, and then they won't deliver extra current when inverter wants it. (Or have a battery big enough for 3 days, and you'll never charge it too fast.)

Obviously having multiple SCC or multiple GT inverters provides redundancy in case of a failure. Same goes for battery inverter. And battery, although whatever kills one could kill all.
 
I emailed Sol-Ark support for clarification on what happens if charge controller or inverter appears to have failed and if they send parts to you or if entire unit needs to be sent in.
 
Grid-tie is typically either a high-voltage string inverter or a bunch of micro inverters. PV in, AC current delivered according to AC voltage received.
Some, like Outback and Xantrex, will have separate PV to DC charge controllers, battery, and DC to AC inverters providing grid-tie and off-grid operation.

I'm using SMA Sunny Boy GT inverters and Sunny Island battery inverters, which play together nicely for grid tie, backup, off grid.
Can also use Midnight charge controllers with data link to Sunny Island, or any DC source and a shunt so Sunny Island can count electrons.

If you have a small battery, it is important for something to limit battery charge current. Mine does. I hear some DC charge controllers do when paired with same brand inverter. Otherwise, you have to keep PV/SCC small to avoid cooking batteries, and then they won't deliver extra current when inverter wants it. (Or have a battery big enough for 3 days, and you'll never charge it too fast.)

Obviously having multiple SCC or multiple GT inverters provides redundancy in case of a failure. Same goes for battery inverter. And battery, although whatever kills one could kill all.
So, what do you think of the SolArk?
 
So, what do you think of the SolArk?
Since I haven't used or seen SolArk, I can't comment on it.

Just tossing out the AC coupled approach that SMA uses, since it allows multiple of everything. System will just continue operating for some failures, while others (master Sunny Island going down) could be dealt with by configuring another to take on the role.
 
Here is the response from Yang at Sol-Ark:
If the 12K requires repair, we usually will work with customer to make sure that you will still have power since you're off-grid.

We will sent you parts if its field-replaceable.
We will sent you a replacement system, with a credit card hold, where you can swap out the unit, and sent back the old one.
The hold will be released once the old system is received on our end.

The charge controller RARELY goes bad, but the resolutions will be evaluated on a case by case cases.

So that actually seems like a pretty good response. You would still have the time something is broken to the time you get a replacement but at least it seems like they would do everything on their end to help you.
 
As a followup wanted to check about shipping:

Question:
If it is still under warranty who pays for the shipping of the unit back to Sol-Ark for repair and the shipping cost of new unit back to me?
Answer (from Tom at Sol-Ark):
You pay for shipping to us (~$200) via FedEx ground and we pay return shipping if no fault of yours.
 
I think you'll find the slowest Federal Express shipping is faster (and more expensive) than you need if you've been delivered a loaner unit. UPS and other carriers may have a better offering.

If you have to pay shipping on both your unit and the loaner, that doubles your cost.

If you configure a system with redundant hardware (probably at a greater expense), then you can limp along while part of it is down for service.
Multiple battery inverters, balancing transformer (additional losses) you can switch in if necessary, generator for those extended overcast times (or when not all equipment is up).
A well designed off-grid system should enable loads depending on battery state of charge and other loads. For instance, run well pump when battery full, when not doing laundry or operating A/C, etc.
Over-panel because PV panels are the cheapest part of the system; that gives you more generating capacity than you need on the best days, less shortfall on bad days.
 
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