Eric and Wrenches, We have come to the same conclusion. Sol-Ark isn't ready for prime-time off-grid. Too many glitches...
One serious off-grid disadvantage with Sol-Ark is idle consumption. It really is much, much higher than older style inverters so it needs to be factored into the load analysis. The spec sheet is not accurate. The firmware is all over the place, many glitches and issues. I do admire that they are diving into the battery communication arena but voltage control works quite well. If a system can't effectively keep power on, do we care if the charging algorithm is slightly more efficient? My big question, that I've never really understood is why is it so hard to standardize battery communication? Isn't CanBus, Modbus and RS-485 a standard? Doesn't that mean that it should be easy and structured? I must not really get it... On Thu, Jan 6, 2022 at 12:59 PM Christopher Warfel < cwar...@entech-engineering.com> wrote: > Eric, Have you had the same issues with SolArk when multi-mode? We are > getting ready to put one in. Chris > On 1/6/2022 1:25 PM, Eric Smiley wrote: > > Kirk > We tried using SolArk for off- grid applications but stopped for several > reasons: > - surge on single phase loads > - too many firmware updates (i.e. bugs in the firmware or new features > that are standard in other inverters) > - too many service calls: false positive arc faults, AGS not working, > battery over charging,.. > - not modular. If one component has an error, it can take out the whole > system. > - too reliant on an internet connection > - hidden settings that aren't described in the manual - including one that > could only be accessed via the internet and left a customer without AGS for > several months until they hooked up their satellite internet. We thought we > were going to have to replace the inverter. > > We've gone back to equipment that does less and has a longer track record; > so we don't feel like we're beta testing equipment with our clients and we > know what the limitations are. > Tech support has been great and the monitoring is quite good. It just > hasn't been reliable enough for full time offgrid. > > When we compare the service calls for our Magnum, Outback, Conext, Trace > (yes we still have two SW systems going strong) and SolArk systems, the > initial savings with SokArk disappear. I can't recall the last time I had > to repair/service a Magnum system unless it was user error. > Keep it simple! > > Eric Smiley > Project Manager, North Island > > E: e...@vecoop.ca > T: 1-888-386-0116 ext 702 (toll free) > C: 250-703-6004 > W: viridianenergy.ca > > On Thu., Jan. 6, 2022, 09:28 Jerry Shafer, <jerrysgarag...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> Kirk >> You can also connect an outback through the NaMaka and the optics, plus >> the Outback has better surge power then the SolArk, We use both Solark and >> Outback coupled with the Blue Planet, 2.0 and now the 3.0, Yes solark can >> do 3 phase including delta, has high voltage dual PV input, Outback has one >> big benefit and that is surge along with being modular from internals to >> charge controllers, all separate and serviceable individually >> >> On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 6:45 AM Kirk Herander <kirkh@vermont.solar> >> <kirkh@vermont.solar> wrote: >> >>> Hi All, >>> >>> I am considering changing the inverters on several Blue ion HI LFP >>> storage systems I'm installing this Spring from Outback Radians to Sol-Ark. >>> I have no experience w/ Sol-Ark, but it seems more advanced than the >>> Radian. I'm wondering if Sol-Ark and the BI Namaka gateway/monitor can >>> directly interface as Namaka can with some inverter brands. And I'd be >>> interested in hearing of any experiences you may have as to how nicely >>> these different components play together. Thanks. >>> >>> -- >>> >>> *Kirk Herander / **kirkh@vermont.solar <kirkh@vermont.solar>* >>> >>> *Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC* >>> >>> *Celebrating our 31st Anniversary 1991-2022!!* >>> >>> *www.vermont.solar* >>> <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.vermontsolarnow.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9f0330d75a244870112408d685311841%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636842843233477645&sdata=0NjyuKeQbEK6245SNnk8X4XnP9Q%2B%2BqtvcALkdDghvk4%3D&reserved=0> >>> >>> dba Vermont Solar Engineering >>> >>> 802.863.1202 >>> _______________________________________________ >>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>> >>> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >>> >>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try >>> the other: >>> https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List rules & etiquette: >>> http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>> >>> Check out or update participant bios: >>> http://www.members.re-wrenches.org >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org >> >> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the >> other: >> https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out or update participant bios: >> http://www.members.re-wrenches.org >> >> > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & > settings:http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other:https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette:http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios:http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > > -- > Christopher Warfel > ENTECH Engineering, Inc. > PO Box 871, Block Island, RI 02807 > 401-466-8978 > <http://entech-engineering.com> > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > > -- Mac Lewis *"Yo solo sé que no sé nada." -Sócrates*
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