First Solar/ offgrid set up. Help please.

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AC\DC

Senior Member
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Florence,Oregon,Lane
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EC
Been wanting to tackle something like this for a while. Customer had another PV contractor install the PV system and Inverter. it is my job to wire to the inverter-install a Generator inlet tied to inverter and panel, that will then wire a small shed. then from panel going to Home wire into the small home.
Completely off grid.

so his inverter is 1 SolArk 5 kW Inverter System
at 240 volt his system is 21amps. I am just back feeding With a 30 amp breaker to a , 200 amp main Breaker panel with feed through l lugs. and then going off that to wire shed, and wire home.
His inverter says he does not need a Transfer switch in off grid since the Generator goes to the inverter.
Seems straight forward.
His batteries are 2 Discovery 42-48-6650 AES 130 Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries
I don't know were they are located I am hoping in a separate room. Never been to site just quoted over phone. I may break even for how little I charged him. It just seems a good being step to actually put my hands on a system. Never have seen one yet.
Any advice would surly help and I know its kinda vague. I am just worried about connecting to the panel. but seems straight ward.


Since this is something I have never done I have to physically touch it and read the code book at same time. only way I learn.
 
I'd say read the Sol-Ark manual carefully and probably be prepared to spend some time calling support.

PV/battery systems that incorporate generators are rare and can be complicated. Be clear if you are only responsible for installing and not for fixing, or for it working as intended.

I won't give anyone a binding quote without visiting a site, but to each his own.
 
I am not staring up system not scope of my work. The jobs 1 hour away and going to take my wife on a little vacation and hopefully learn more about this stuff.

Seemed small enough for a quick bid, I don't really care if I make anything on learning curve..
have not signed a contract yet so If I find something wrong call update price or just have a good vacation lol
 
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AC\DC said:
Been wanting to tackle something like this for a while. Customer had another PV contractor install the PV system and Inverter. it is my job to wire to the inverter-install a Generator inlet tied to inverter and panel, that will then wire a small shed. then from panel going to Home wire into the small home.
Completely off grid.

so his inverter is 1 SolArk 5 kW Inverter System
at 240 volt his system is 21amps. I am just back feeding With a 30 amp breaker to a , 200 amp main Breaker panel with feed through l lugs. and then going off that to wire shed, and wire home.
His inverter says he does not need a Transfer switch in off grid since the Generator goes to the inverter.
Seems straight forward.
His batteries are 2 Discovery 42-48-6650 AES 130 Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries
I don't know were they are located I am hoping in a separate room. Never been to site just quoted over phone. I may break even for how little I charged him. It just seems a good being step to actually put my hands on a system. Never have seen one yet.
Any advice would surly help and I know its kinda vague. I am just worried about connecting to the panel. but seems straight ward.


Since this is something I have never done I have to physically touch it and read the code book at same time. only way I learn.
Click to expand...
The Sol-Ark manual has a line diagram for off-grid with generator integration. For off-grid the generator inlet should be connected to the inverter using the grid terminals instead of the generator terminals. You should ask if he needs 2-wire start connection from the inverter. Sounds like you are also wiring a second generator inlet at the loadcenter for bypass?
This inverter is transformerless and I have heard they can have trouble with unbalance across the phases, so you should take care to try and balance house loads across L1 and L2.
Good luck
 
AC\DC said:
only one generator inlet to inverter. I’ll look into the 2-wire start thanks
Click to expand...
The customer should consider what he is going to do if the inverter fails. Either a transfer switch to isolate inverter and connect generator directly to load center, or a second generator inlet at the load center would enable him to use the generator as backup AC source.
 
solarken said:
The customer should consider what he is going to do if the inverter fails. Either a transfer switch to isolate inverter and connect generator directly to load center, or a second generator inlet at the load center would enable him to use the generator as backup AC source.
Click to expand...
Good point. On that I’ll talk to him about that.
 
solarken said:
The Sol-Ark manual has a line diagram for off-grid with generator integration. For off-grid the generator inlet should be connected to the inverter using the grid terminals instead of the generator terminals. You should ask if he needs 2-wire start connection from the inverter. Sounds like you are also wiring a second generator inlet at the loadcenter for bypass?
This inverter is transformerless and I have heard they can have trouble with unbalance across the phases, so you should take care to try and balance house loads across L1 and L2.
Good luck
Click to expand...

This is exactly correct.

A SolArk is really an inverter charger. When it senses AC input on the grid side, it will load share and charge the batteries using grid power and PV or whichever is available (depending on what the settings say the max grid capacity is).

The key piece of information about a SolArk, is the depth of the cabinet. I’ve never installed a 5k, only the larger rated ones — but the KO’s are so proximal to the front of the cabinet that if you’re going to a box or gutter you need at least 8” of depth. I found that out the hard way and had to pad the gutter out with strut.

They’re otherwise fairly simple and easier to wire than an OutBack radian or flex power.

Pair the SolArk with HomeGrid stack’d batteries, it’s a great combo and the battery’s BMS will prevent you from toasting them, because just like @jaggedben said, they take a lot of tweaking before they’re reliable.
 
BackCountry said:
This is exactly correct.

A SolArk is really an inverter charger. When it senses AC input on the grid side, it will load share and charge the batteries using grid power and PV or whichever is available (depending on what the settings say the max grid capacity is).

The key piece of information about a SolArk, is the depth of the cabinet. I’ve never installed a 5k, only the larger rated ones — but the KO’s are so proximal to the front of the cabinet that if you’re going to a box or gutter you need at least 8” of depth. I found that out the hard way and had to pad the gutter out with strut.

They’re otherwise fairly simple and easier to wire than an OutBack radian or flex power.

Pair the SolArk with HomeGrid stack’d batteries, it’s a great combo and the battery’s BMS will prevent you from toasting them, because just like @jaggedben said, they take a lot of tweaking before they’re reliable.
Click to expand...
Sounds like Solark doesn't talk to installers when designing their products. Who uses an 8 inch gutter for residential solar?
 
Well crap I looked at the manual that he had left there and it said to connect generator to generator port for off grid. But looking online I can’t find the same manual.
The ones I find say to connect to grid.
I have to go back and install proper labels will any damage happen if it’s used in while connect to gen, instead of grid.
Or does grid just allow the generator if it has a two wire to self start when battery is low?
First one so learning curve.
 
59b08d9ea5eed1656e8c925005865aec.jpg

Leaves the “gen” connection available for other uses.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
solarken said:
Sounds like Solark doesn't talk to installers when designing their products. Who uses an 8 inch gutter for residential solar?
Click to expand...
The vast majority of these off grid systems seem to be sold to hippie hillbillies who just want to stick it to the man. They don't use conduit or gutter, just run wires all over the wall.

Many "installers" do it this way too when they realize they are over their head/customer does not want to pay for all that extra junk.

It is an ugly market segment.
 
Birken Vogt said:
The vast majority of these off grid systems seem to be sold to hippie hillbillies who just want to stick it to the man. They don't use conduit or gutter, just run wires all over the wall.

Many "installers" do it this way too when they realize they are over their head/customer does not want to pay for all that extra junk.

It is an ugly market segment.
Click to expand...

We don’t do them often — I’ve maybe done 3 in the last two years. That being said: I prefer Solark over Outback simply because the wiring section is much easier to access on Solark. Outback is really temperamental, the KO’s aren’t in the best spot, and the field terminations are cut ground bar style terminals held off the metal enclosure by plastic standoffs that aren’t very firm.

You just have to plan for depth. You can use the KO’s on Solark to draw a template on your gutter, it takes planning though.
 
I Here gutters being used, I guess it all up to we’re your line and feeds are going. But seemed conduit was best bet.
Trying to picture using a gutter in my setup. Next week I’ll find out what I messed up on lol
 
AC\DC said:
I Here gutters being used, I guess it all up to we’re your line and feeds are going. But seemed conduit was best bet.
Trying to picture using a gutter in my setup. Next week I’ll find out what I messed up on lol
Click to expand...

It works pretty good to use a gutter because you can feed your load center from the gutter, batteries underneath into the gutter, and so on. Have to use dividers though.
 
BackCountry said:
We don’t do them often — I’ve maybe done 3 in the last two years. That being said: I prefer Solark over Outback simply because the wiring section is much easier to access on Solark. Outback is really temperamental, the KO’s aren’t in the best spot, and the field terminations are cut ground bar style terminals held off the metal enclosure by plastic standoffs that aren’t very firm.

You just have to plan for depth. You can use the KO’s on Solark to draw a template on your gutter, it takes planning though.
Click to expand...
Solark is brand new to the market and pure Chinesium inside. Not that I am against them, though, they seem pretty good. Their interface and software is really weird. It is like they never saw an existing off grid setup and just came up with their own new idea in some ways.

Outback is an old, legacy brand. 20+ years and they still sell some original products because they just work. Yes their bussing is a little strange.

I can't imagine doing a new off grid just out of an instruction manual. You need a lot of mentorship and experience to learn what works and what is a bad idea.
 
Birken Vogt said:
Solark is brand new to the market and pure Chinesium inside. Not that I am against them, though, they seem pretty good. Their interface and software is really weird. It is like they never saw an existing off grid setup and just came up with their own new idea in some ways.

Outback is an old, legacy brand. 20+ years and they still sell some original products because they just work. Yes their bussing is a little strange.

I can't imagine doing a new off grid just out of an instruction manual. You need a lot of mentorship and experience to learn what works and what is a bad idea.
Click to expand...

Outback at least has OpticsRE — I require some form of internet connection so we can remote diagnose. Solark is a little more user friendly but agreed very odd menus.

I do like the new home grid stacked batteries with Solark, that’s a pretty functional system.

We’ve also done a number of Victron systems — not as packaged as I’d like.
 
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