Re: [RE-wrenches] Skybox

Wed, 06 May 2020 18:48:25 -0700

Hi Dave
The 5kW limit is the inverter power rating; that's all the solar or battery power it can generate.
Asking for more than that won't trip a breaker, the voltage will start to sag.
The grid breaker is 50 amps, so when the grid is present the loads should be able to draw (50 amps) x (240 volts) = 12 kWatts from the grid, not from the inverter itself.

Yes you have to be conservative as to how many loads can be backed up. Typically that's not the whole house; critical loads are moved to a new critical load sub panel.

The SkyBox does not have a built in bypass, that must be added if it is needed.

Don Barch
Energy Solar

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Skybox
From: Dave Tedeyan <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, May 06, 2020 6:30 pm
To: [email protected]
Cc: "[email protected]"
<[email protected]>

Is the 5kw limit and no surge capacity for the backed up AC loads only when operating off grid? If you occasionally trip a breaker during the relatively rare times when the grid is out (around here at least) it is not such a big deal. But if you had to deal with that daily, you would have to be way more conservative as to what loads are allowed to be backed up.

Also, is there an inverter bypass built into the BOS enclosure, or do you need to wire up a separate one in case of inverter failure.

Cheers, 
Dave

Dave Tedeyan, PE
Senior Engineer | Taitem Engineering, PC

110 South Albany Street | Ithaca, NY 14850
o. 607.277.1118 x121  f. 607.277.2119

Solar • Sustainability • Energy • Design
Certified B-Corporation since 2013


On Mon, May 4, 2020 at 8:24 PM <[email protected]> wrote:
I'm finding the SkyBox to be reliable hardware, if you don't need big surge capability.
But the software is still in flux. I have had to reject software updates that froze the system, going back to the previous version to bring it back again.

One issue is that AC coupling does not work with multiple Skyboxen, unlike with older Radians.
Another huge problem that seems to be software related is that dual SkyBoxen with different sized solar arrays discharge their battery banks at different rates. This becomes an issue in multiple day grid outages like we now expect in north CA fire season.  You'd think the SkyBox master-slave relationship would allow them to coordinate, but this causes the one with a smaller solar array to run down it's battery sooner, faulting the system causing a complete shutdown of both SkyBoxen.
OutBack says they are not fixing this, so I'm looking at SolArk for systems larger than 5 kW.

Don Barch
Energy Solar


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE-wrenches Digest, Vol 13, Issue 124
From: [email protected]
Date: Mon, May 04, 2020 2:40 pm
To: [email protected]

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Today's Topics:

1. Skybox (Dave Tedeyan)
2. Re: Skybox (Jerry Shafer)
3. Re: Skybox (jay)
4. Re: Skybox ([email protected])


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 3 May 2020 21:32:38 -0400
From: Dave Tedeyan <[email protected]>
To: RE-wrenches <[email protected]>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Skybox
Message-ID:
<ca+cq0butzbbg84gavcjoyq6ahpgz6ctwy_i_eczepubrfe7...@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Hi All,

Does anyone have experience using Outback's Skybox inverter? I have someone
interested and am curious to hear if people have had luck with them and if
they are reliable.

Also, I've been seeing promo material for Fronius' Gen 24 Plus inverter,
which looks like it fills the same niche. Are those even available for
purchase yet? If so, does anyone have experience with these?

Cheers,
Dave

*Dave Tedeyan, PE*
Senior Engineer | Taitem Engineering, PC

110 South Albany Street | Ithaca, NY 14850
o. *607.277.1118 x121* f. 607.277.2119
www.taitem.com

Solar ? Sustainability ? Energy ? Design
Certified B-Corporation since 2013
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 3 May 2020 18:46:09 -0700
From: Jerry Shafer <[email protected]>
To: RE-wrenches <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Skybox
Message-ID:
<camufgmwachaodr+puaxlrude8igsxd7mkpc+l-hnopqwbwx...@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Dave
I have used the radian and started using the skybox, it works well and is
as simple as it gets to install. My personal experience with fronius is not
good with there grid tie units. Outback has been around in the off grid
environment and is my go to, but hey that's just me
Jerry

On Sun, May 3, 2020, 6:32 PM Dave Tedeyan <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> Does anyone have experience using Outback's Skybox inverter? I have
> someone interested and am curious to hear if people have had luck with them
> and if they are reliable.
>
> Also, I've been seeing promo material for Fronius' Gen 24 Plus inverter,
> which looks like it fills the same niche. Are those even available for
> purchase yet? If so, does anyone have experience with these?
>
> Cheers,
> Dave
>
> *Dave Tedeyan, PE*
> Senior Engineer | Taitem Engineering, PC
>
> 110 South Albany Street | Ithaca, NY 14850
> o. *607.277.1118 x121* f. 607.277.2119
> www.taitem.com
>
> Solar ? Sustainability ? Energy ? Design
> Certified B-Corporation since 2013
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 3 May 2020 19:39:08 -0700
From: jay <[email protected]>
To: RE-wrenches <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Skybox
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

HI Dave,

The reason I?ve not used it, is that is has no surge.

You might also look at the Sol Ark

Jay
Peltz Power

> On May 3, 2020, at 6:32 PM, Dave Tedeyan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> Does anyone have experience using Outback's Skybox inverter? I have someone interested and am curious to hear if people have had luck with them and if they are reliable.
>
> Also, I've been seeing promo material for Fronius' Gen 24 Plus inverter, which looks like it fills the same niche. Are those even available for purchase yet? If so, does anyone have experience with these?
>
> Cheers,
> Dave
>
> Dave Tedeyan, PE
> Senior Engineer | Taitem Engineering, PC
>
> 110 South Albany Street | Ithaca, NY 14850
> o. 607.277.1118 x121 f. 607.277.2119
> www.taitem.com <http://www.taitem.com/>
>
> Solar ? Sustainability ? Energy ? Design
> Certified B-Corporation since 2013
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: [email protected]
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 4 May 2020 14:36:05 -0400
From: [email protected]
To: "RE-wrenches" <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Skybox
Message-ID:
<[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1

I second Jay's suggestion to look at the SolArk. The 8kW has no battery
disconnect, but the 12 kW has one, if you're using non-lithium based
batteries.

Daryl
Penobscot Solar Design


> HI Dave,
>
> The reason I???ve not used it, is that is has no surge.
>
> You might also look at the Sol Ark
>
> Jay
> Peltz Power
>
>> On May 3, 2020, at 6:32 PM, Dave Tedeyan <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Does anyone have experience using Outback's Skybox inverter? I have
>> someone interested and am curious to hear if people have had luck with
>> them and if they are reliable.
>>
>> Also, I've been seeing promo material for Fronius' Gen 24 Plus inverter,
>> which looks like it fills the same niche. Are those even available for
>> purchase yet? If so, does anyone have experience with these?
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Dave
>>
>> Dave Tedeyan, PE
>> Senior Engineer | Taitem Engineering, PC
>>
>> 110 South Albany Street | Ithaca, NY 14850
>> o. 607.277.1118 x121 f. 607.277.2119
>> www.taitem.com <http://www.taitem.com/>
>>
>> Solar ??? Sustainability ??? Energy ??? Design
>> Certified B-Corporation since 2013
>> _______________________________________________
>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>>
>> List Address: [email protected]
>>
>> Change listserver email address & settings:
>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List-Archive:
>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html
>>
>> List rules & etiquette:
>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>>
>> Check out or update participant bios:
>> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: [email protected]
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
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>




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