Sol-Ark Panel Calculator has been updated

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

In December of 2022, I ran the Sol-Ark panel calculator using the following panels and the calculator said I could run 30 of these panels.

Panels are Risen 550W. (See attachment for specs)

The output of the calculator:


Recently I re-ran the calculator to see if anything might have changed and suddenly this is what I'm getting with the same values/panels.



The Sol-Ark manual says the 26 amp is self-limiting so I presume it will reduce the current.

I'm concerned cause I have the panels already and will be hooking them up soon and the calculator went from saying yeah you're good to now saying no, this doesn't work.

Any thoughts from anyone else?

Thank you in advance!

Cheers!

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

Re-reading the manual I found this except. It seems to imply it can limit the current up to 30 before damage is caused. What gets damaged, the inverter, the panels, I'm not quite clear on what exactly would be damaged based on the language.



Still confused how this was a green light on the calculator 10 months ago, and now it is not..

 

[Balrog006]

Damage is to the inverter, I can’t answer the rest.

 

[rhino]

At -40C your panels would be pretty close to causing damage. That is likely why especially if the calculator is rounding some of the numbers during the calculations. Can calculate it yourself: 25°C - (-40°C) = 65°C temp difference. 65 * 0.045 = 2.925 which is the % increase in your Isc at -40°C. So 13.94A * 0.02925 = 0.407745A increase. 13.94A + 0.407745A = 14.35A (rounded). Since you have two strings in parallel that would be 14.35A * 2 = 28.7. This isn't including any safety factor either.

You'd have to call them and see what they say. Maybe they are being overly cautious.

 

[Oldphile]

-40C? Where are you located? I entered -25C when I was verifying my strings.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

Actually I’m close to Yuma Arizona so realistically the coldest it might get here is -1C.

 

[pvgirl]

It looks like they have updated there calculator to be very cautious on the Isc value, limiting to 26amps. Given this contradicts the manual this would really be a question for their support. It could be a bug or and intentional change in the calculator.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Actually I’m close to Yuma Arizona so realistically the coldest it might get here is -1C.

If its only going to be -1C then put in -10C or -20C in the Calc just in case, and see if it's any better.

My money is on it being just fine.

 

[MaikaiLifeDIY]

Spoke with Sol-Ark Technical Support and two different techs said even though the calculator is showing red the (Isc) is still under the 30 amp maximum and will operate safely.