Sol-Ark / NEM woes

[jmzorko]

Hello, all ...

I _love_ my Sol-Ark 8k. It's awesome. I have it connected to a Fortress Power eVaultMAX - also awesome. Those being said, i've an issue where the Sol-Ark doesn't automatically switch over to battery power when the grid is down. The grid wires from the utility breaker are connected to the grid inputs of the Sol-Ark, the load connections on the Sol-Ark are connected to my subpanel, and yet, when the power goes out, I have to go outside, turn off the utility breaker, then come back inside and turn off the grid breaker in the Sol-Ark for it to switch over. When the grid comes back, I need to manually reverse the process.

Now, the woes: while this seems like it would be a simple matter for an electrician or Sol-Ark contractor / installer to fix, neither is an option, because:
1. electricians see the Sol-Ark and refuse to touch it
2. every Sol-Ark contractor or installer i've contacted refuses to touch it because _they_ didn't install it (the original installer is AWOL and hasn't responded to calls or messages in months)
3. the latest solar contractor I contacted, who initially said they could help months ago with this as well as the NEM paperwork, suddenly bailed on me the other day after 2 months of not responding to my requests for updates

So, this essentially leaves me with a very expensive (but very awesome) inverter, paired with a very expensive (and also very awesome) battery, setup in a system that doesn't quite function as it should (I mean, TOU works well enough, but I purchased all of this for the off-grid capabilities), with no one willing to address whatever this issue is, with the NEM 3.0 April cutoff (i'm in Northern California, hence have PG&E) bearing down upon me.

Is anyone available to help?

Regards,

John

 

[400bird]

Sounds like you've got some wiring switched up. But I don't have a SolArk so I'm no help there. Can you post pics of the connections and breakers? Are you going to fix this if someone sees the issue?

More importantly, how is the inverter not working properly for back up related to NEM 3 implementation? No where in the paperwork for PGE do they care that it actually works in any way, just that the equipment is approved and permit signed off.

 

[nc73]

Doesn't sound so awesome to me. I guess if you paid that much money you have to say it's awesome.

 

[Hedges]

when the power goes out, I have to go outside, turn off the utility breaker, then come back inside and turn off the grid breaker in the Sol-Ark for it to switch over.

What is the function of turning off utility breaker, if there is already no power on its input?
That doesn't change voltage present on its output, but it does change the impedance (from possibly near short to open circuit.)

What if you only turn off the grid breaker in Sol-Ark? (should look the same to it.)
Does that breaker have any position indicator, which might tell it to turn on? Because again, no impact on voltage. Maybe on impedance, if other house loads are present between utility breaker and Sol-Ark grid breaker.

Schematic of what's back there could help.

Maybe some incorrect mode.

 

[jmzorko]

Sounds like you've got some wiring switched up. But I don't have a SolArk so I'm no help there. Can you post pics of the connections and breakers? Are you going to fix this if someone sees the issue?

More importantly, how is the inverter not working properly for back up related to NEM 3 implementation? No where in the paperwork for PGE do they care that it actually works in any way, just that the equipment is approved and permit signed off.

Yes, agreed. I put the 2 items together because if I need something else installed like a transfer switch (though Sol-Ark support suggests that I don't need one - Sol-Ark support has been very helpful as far as they can be without actually being here, i've nothing but good things to say about them), then the SLD has to be updated as far as I know. PG&E keeps telling me that the SLD is incorrect somehow, anyway. If I could hire someone who can see what the original installer did, tell me what they did wrong or missed if anything, and then update the SLD and NEM application such that PG&E will accept it, i'd be quite appreciative. I'll gladly pay for this service, but no one seems at all interested.

 

[jmzorko]

Doesn't sound so awesome to me. I guess if you paid that much money you have to say it's awesome.

Fair point!

(though I really do think that they're awesome)

 

[400bird]

Oh, so PGE is rejecting the application. That's an important detail. That inverter shouldn't need an external transfer switch. I wonder if the original application didn't call out the internal relays on the SolArk...

Can you scrub your details and post the SLD?
What's your location?

 

[jmzorko]

Oh, so PGE is rejecting the application. That's an important detail. That inverter shouldn't need an external transfer switch. I wonder if the original application didn't call out the internal relays on the SolArk...

Can you scrub your details and post the SLD?
What's your location?

I'm in northern California, just south of Napa. I'll try to scrub the personal info from the SLD and post it here in a bit.

 

[ericTheHalf]

jmzorko,
I'm also in Northern California and my read of it is that one only has to have submitted a final interconnection application before NEM 3.0 goes into effect on April 14th. And you'll need your system to be built and connected to the grid within the first three years of NEM 3.0 to retain your NEM 2.0 eligibility.
If my understanding is not correct, don't tell me. I'll be very unhappy. If I am correct, you have some breathing room.

 

[jmzorko]

jmzorko,
I'm also in Northern California and my read of it is that one only has to have submitted a final interconnection application before NEM 3.0 goes into effect on April 14th. And you'll need your system to be built and connected to the grid within the first three years of NEM 3.0 to retain your NEM 2.0 eligibility.
If my understanding is not correct, don't tell me. I'll be very unhappy. If I am correct, you have some breathing room.

Eric,

Many thanks for the info! It looks like I found someone who is willing to fix the issues i'm having. He came out today, is very familiar with Sol-Ark and battery systems, immediately figured what was wrong and gave me a quote to fix it. I believe he'll be doing the work this coming Friday. He also says that he can get me in touch with someone to regenerate the SLD and the updated NEM application. I'm hopeful.

Regards,

John

 

[400bird]

Great news, I'm curious what the original installer did wrong.

 

[robby]

Is this in limited power to home or limited power to load mode?
If it’s in limited power to home do you have CTs connected and at what point are they located?.

 

[jmzorko]

The Sol-Ark now switches to battery power automatically! The problem was that the original contractor did not install a critical loads sub-panel and just wired everything into the existing subpanel in the garage. Once this was fixed, the Sol-Ark immediately switched to using the battery when the PG&E breaker outside was turned off. Many thanks to Dean at Wired Into The Future (https://wiredintothefuture.com). When no other Sol-Ark contractor I contacted wanted anything to do with my system, Dean came over, instantly identified the issue, and 2 days later it was fixed

He also gave me the contact info for someone who can help with the SLD and NEM application.

 

[jmzorko]

Hello, all ... i've a question. After going back and forth with PG&E for over a year trying to get this NEM application through, said application has now disappeared from the PG&E interconnect portal. The last communication I had from them (on 3-27-23) was verification of their receipt of the correct permits and small SLD changes they requested. I've been waiting for them to respond wrt status of the application, to see if they had any more issues or if everything was ok. 4 business days passed without a response. 10 business days passed without a response. On the 12th day (April 12th), I called them and spoke with 2 people (who were both very friendly and obviously were doing their best with the limited info they had), and they said that, since the application was still "in progress", and no new changes were requested of me, that I was _probably_ ok and the application would be approved before the NEM 2.0 cutoff date (today). So, I logged into the portal this morning to see, and that's when I found that the application was no longer listed.

Does this indicate that it was approved? I've received no indication from PG&E that it has been, though I have the entire email chain saved - from initial application in Feb 2022 to their receipt of the correct permits and updated SLD.

 

[Ampster]

Does this indicate that it was approved? I've received no indication from PG&E that it has been, though I have the entire email chain saved - from initial application in Feb 2022 to their receipt of the correct permits and updated SLD.

Do they have the final building permit inspection or is that still in process? Just a clarification that the deadline of yesterday was that the application be submitted by then, not that it had to be approved by then. You already have an acknowledgement of their receipt for your application so you have met the requirements for the first step in that process.

 

[jmzorko]

Do they have the final building permit inspection or is that still in process? Just a clarification that the deadline of yesterday was that the application be submitted by then, not that it had to be approved by then. You already have an acknowledgement of their receipt for your application so you have met the requirements for the first step in that process.

The city did the inspection a year ago, and everything passed, as indicated on the permit PDFs I sent them on 3-23-23. So, hopefully it's all good?

This has been _quite_ the arduous process - from buying this place a bit over 2 years ago and immediately starting work to get the then-3kw PV upgraded, to multiple solar contractors _saying_ they could upgrade it but all walking it back, to finally finding a contractor who would do it, to realizing that said contractor didn't know anything about the Sol-Ark, to also realizing that the contractor had no interest in doing _any_ of the paperwork, to finding someone who could create the SLD, to PG&E telling me that the SLD was incorrect, to me trying to find someone else to do it right, to PG&E telling me that the batteries I chose weren't on their "approved" list, forcing me to purchase the Fortress Power eVaultMax because it was on said list, to said contractor falling off the face of the earth and refusing to return my calls / texts, to realizing that the system didn't even work off-grid when the power went out during the storms this past winter, to frantically looking for someone who would figure out why and fixing it, to finding someone in January only to have them bail after 2 months of not responding to my emails, to finally finding someone (Dean at http://wiredintothefuture.com - thank you!) willing to actually fix what the original contractor screwed up, to finally getting the SLD updated, to PG&E _still_ refusing to accept the SLD for seemingly very minor things, to getting those fixed (thanks again, Dean!) ... wow, what a colossal pain in the a** this entire thing was.

 

[Ampster]

The city did the inspection a year ago, and everything passed, as indicated on the permit PDFs I sent them on 3-23-23. So, hopefully it's all good?

Sounds like it is all good. Maybe because all the steps are completed it is no longer considered in process and you should be getting a PTO letter in a week or so. My sister had a solar installation completed and inspected in February and the PTO letter came about 10-14 days later. I think things are pretty jambed up in that department right now judging from the anecdotal information I get just from this forum and a few others about phone wait times. The more time the PG&E staff spend on the phone the longer it is going to take them to process paperwork.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

The city did the inspection a year ago, and everything passed, as indicated on the permit PDFs I sent them on 3-23-23. So, hopefully it's all good?

This has been _quite_ the arduous process - from buying this place a bit over 2 years ago and immediately starting work to get the then-3kw PV upgraded, to multiple solar contractors _saying_ they could upgrade it but all walking it back, to finally finding a contractor who would do it, to realizing that said contractor didn't know anything about the Sol-Ark, to also realizing that the contractor had no interest in doing _any_ of the paperwork, to finding someone who could create the SLD, to PG&E telling me that the SLD was incorrect, to me trying to find someone else to do it right, to PG&E telling me that the batteries I chose weren't on their "approved" list, forcing me to purchase the Fortress Power eVaultMax because it was on said list, to said contractor falling off the face of the earth and refusing to return my calls / texts, to realizing that the system didn't even work off-grid when the power went out during the storms this past winter, to frantically looking for someone who would figure out why and fixing it, to finding someone in January only to have them bail after 2 months of not responding to my emails, to finally finding someone (Dean at http://wiredintothefuture.com - thank you!) willing to actually fix what the original contractor screwed up, to finally getting the SLD updated, to PG&E _still_ refusing to accept the SLD for seemingly very minor things, to getting those fixed (thanks again, Dean!) ... wow, what a colossal pain in the a** this entire thing was.

Good lord I’m glad I don’t have deal with all that..

 

[jmzorko]

Sounds like it is all good. Maybe because all the steps are completed it is no longer considered in process and you should be getting a PTO letter in a week or so. My sister had a solar installation completed and inspected in February and the PTO letter came about 10-14 days later. I think things are pretty jambed up in that department right now judging from the anecdotal information I get just from this forum and a few others about phone wait times. The more time the PG&E staff spend on the phone the longer it is going to take them to process paperwork.

Hmm, said application has suddenly re-appeared. I logged in again just now, and it's baaaaack, specifying review in progress. I'm still hopeful that it'll be good.

 

[cj5orion]

The Sol-Ark now switches to battery power automatically! The problem was that the original contractor did not install a critical loads sub-panel and just wired everything into the existing subpanel in the garage. Once this was fixed, the Sol-Ark immediately switched to using the battery when the PG&E breaker outside was turned off. Many thanks to Dean at Wired Into The Future (https://wiredintothefuture.com). When no other Sol-Ark contractor I contacted wanted anything to do with my system, Dean came over, instantly identified the issue, and 2 days later it was fixed

He also gave me the contact info for someone who can help with the SLD and NEM application.

Hmmm,I also have an 8k, No CLP. ,Evault Max.Just got the system up n going,still messing with TOU settings,an hour here,an hour there.
Recently had a power outage and was quite disappointed system didn't switch to solar/batt.
Called Sol ark next day and got a bunch of mumble jumble (but their customer support is A+),basically saying the system is not designed to do that. Still working on this issue.
But I cannot understand how installing a CLP would fix this problem ?