Tamooj
DIY IoT Guy
I just monitor my sol-ark inverters locally over MODBus, via RS485 to an eGauge. Under emergency conditions like a storm when i really need to be grid independent i don't have Internet anyway.
Sol-Ark needs a serious Change!
- Thread starter ret60sp
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Nobodybusiness
Collecting the leftovers of the Great Sky Reactor.
Hardly anything is Not made in China anymore.
I’m not sure if Taiwan or Singapore make any inverters either.
Lets see Zenith and Motorola and RCA and Texas Instruments used to make the good stuff. If I reacll we shipped it all out to Sony and the like long ago. You can head on down to Radio Shack and see what they offer in a USA model? Oh wait they went away too-(back online now)
Taiwan makes the chips for them for sure
The global market place is what we have now like it or not.Even if we made it here in the US it would be all from imported components .
Taiwan makes the chips for them for sure
The global market place is what we have now like it or not.Even if we made it here in the US it would be all from imported components .
MurphyGuy
It just needs a bigger hammer
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The products coming out of China have a tendency for lots of features, but low quality. All flash and shine, very little horsepower.
The products coming out of Germany are the polar opposite. The SMA Sunny Islands are the undisputed king of off-grid inverters, but their user interface is a 2 line dot matrix display you need to squint to see.
Sanwizard
Solar Wizard
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MPP Solar is a Taiwan based company. They buy from Voltronics and add firmware changes to make them US compliant split phase, just like Sol-ark does with their Deye supplied inverters.
SMA is from Germany I believe, and Victron is EU. I believe Tesla and Generac may be made in the US, but probably not.
Nobodybusiness
Collecting the leftovers of the Great Sky Reactor.
Good to know.. thanks!
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Some SMA manufactured in US and Canada. Used to be all in Germany, probably US models moved here for tariff reasons.
Sunny Island is made in Germany.
For a while, some models in China. The Sunny Boy -22, I thought. Maybe not:
"Engineered in Germany, Assembled in USA"
Perhaps some of this model were the one assembled in China, perhaps a different model.
Sunny Island is made in Germany.
For a while, some models in China. The Sunny Boy -22, I thought. Maybe not:
"Engineered in Germany, Assembled in USA"
Perhaps some of this model were the one assembled in China, perhaps a different model.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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It's not a hybrid, but paired with Sunny Boy it does what a hybrid would.
Note that for split-phase you need two, or a transformer. US model is 120V.
As Murphy mentioned, features. Sunny Island may not have the features you want built into its firmware, if you want to time-shift or zero-export.
But it makes a great off-grid or grid-backup system.
If you're not already aware of them, check out eBay and Craigslist for liquidation bargains, thanks to DC Solar.
Note that for split-phase you need two, or a transformer. US model is 120V.
As Murphy mentioned, features. Sunny Island may not have the features you want built into its firmware, if you want to time-shift or zero-export.
But it makes a great off-grid or grid-backup system.
If you're not already aware of them, check out eBay and Craigslist for liquidation bargains, thanks to DC Solar.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Refer to the following for compatible GT PV inverters:
Sanwizard
Solar Wizard
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All I know is that the sunny boys on the house I just bought have been running with zero issues since 2006. They just work. I assume the sunny islands will be similar. The Sunny Boys are not that expensive either, but the sunny islands are a lot more, plus you need to buy communications, MPPT controllers, etc.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Off grid, you have choice of DC coupled or AC coupled.
for DC coupled PV, older model SI supported communication with Midnight Classic through an interface Midnight sells (emulates SIC-40 sold by MSTE). Newer firmware broke that, so SCC would have its own settings, and shunt required.
I suggest AC coupled with Sunny Boy. Off-grid, don't need latest grid-support. You can get older transformer type Sunny Boy like 5000US. That lets you select positive-ground or negative-ground PV array, whichever polarity completely eliminates "PID" (which affects some PV panels more than others.) Or newer transformerless; in that case make sure PV panels are "PID Free". You should use a load-shed relay to remove excessive (or all) loads at some DoD so battery can keep inverter running until sun comes up.
Off-grid, you set Sunny Boy to "island" or "off-grid", no communication required.
You can also use any other brand inverter which supports UL-1741-SA. If you are also going to use a generator, the wider voltage and frequency limits of "off-grid" setting in Sunny Boy could be better.
Check the SB-OffGrid list & instructions I linked above.
5kW is relatively small. If you get 2 to 7 effective hours sun winter/summer, 10kWh to 35kWh per day.
What are your load running and surge wattage requirements? During the day (A/C), GT PV inverter helps carry, battery inverter just provides surge. At night, all off batteries. SI-6048US is 5750W continuous at room temperature, 11kW 3 second surge.
If you use AC coupling, will need a transformer to make 240V from a single Sunny Island. One from Outback or other sources could do it, and you can repurpose an isolation transformer. (drive only the windings intended to be primary from Sunny Island, don't drive the 120/240V secondary windings, which I can explain if necessary.)
Or, two Sunny Island. They're close to $3000 on eBay, so a lot of money to buy two if you don't need the wattage.
I was able to get both Sunny Island and Sunny Boy 5000US new in the box, but you have to look around. Sometimes SB can be had for $0.10/W which makes it even cheaper than DC coupling with Midnight Classic.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Oh, communications not needed between SI and SB if in off-grid mode. But communications probably needed for configuring SB, unless it is a brand-new newer model set by switches. Some are settable by Bluetooth. Some by RS-485 or Ethernet, requiring a daughter card and maybe USB dongle for your PC. Installer password required to change some parameters after SB has been commissioned. I use Sunny Web Box and Sunny Boy Control which get past some of those restrictions. When I use free software Sunny Explorer, I need installer password and personal unlocking key for the inverter, which SMA have provide me.
houseofancients
Solar Wizard
correct, it's dutch
The Victron company is in Holland but the manufacturing is in India ^^.
Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
India Is the new "China". I just read it surpassed China in population and has lower manufacturing costs than China. They also seem to have a Cozy Relationship With Russia. They have already become the call center capital of the world and a source of scam calls.
