Trying to finalize SOL-Ark attachment to grid

Ben2022 · Apr 10, 2024

Ok so I have kind of an odd layout and I’m trying to make sure I connect my Sol-Ark correctly for my weird setup- don’t fry anything or myself. I have called two local electricians and neither will work with the Sol-Ark unless I give them explicit instructions because they aren’t familiar with it.

I have AC panels on my home all other equipment is on a detached garage.

I have a Sol-Ark 15k
30Kw of batteries
10kw of DC panels
An Auto transfer switched hooked to a 22kw Generac
The main power meter is on a pedestal a significant distance from both the house and garage.

I want this to be a hybrid grid tie with both battery and generator backup (when batteries die and there’s no grid)

I reached out to Sol-Ark several months ago but now that I’m to this point what they gave me doesn’t seem to match up with my situation (it’s just pages from a manual for AC coupling . I’m currently waiting on another response now.

I’ve attached visuals with what options I THINK I have along with the problems I see with each. I could type it out but I don’t know if that truly shows the situation well.

Options 1 and 4 seem the most logical to me.

Nobodybusiness · Apr 10, 2024

Ben2022 said:
Ok so I have kind of an odd layout and I’m trying to make sure I connect my Sol-Ark correctly for my weird setup- don’t fry anything or myself. I have called two local electricians and neither will work with the Sol-Ark unless I give them explicit instructions because they aren’t familiar with it.

I have AC panels on my home all other equipment is on a detached garage.

I have a Sol-Ark 15k
30Kw of batteries
10kw of DC panels
An Auto transfer switched hooked to a 22kw Generac
The main power meter is on a pedestal a significant distance from both the house and garage.

I want this to be a hybrid grid tie with both battery and generator backup (when batteries die and there’s no grid)

I reached out to Sol-Ark several months ago but now that I’m to this point what they gave me doesn’t seem to match up with my situation (it’s just pages from a manual for AC coupling . I’m currently waiting on another response now.

I’ve attached visuals with what options I THINK I have along with the problems I see with each. I could type it out but I don’t know if that truly shows the situation well.

Options 1 and 4 seem the most logical to me.

I doubt Sol-Ark will give you any specific wiring documentation because it makes them liable.

No company will probably give you specific wiring for your situation because of that.

I’ll take a look but hopefully some others in here can give you specifics.

Ben2022 · Apr 10, 2024

Nobodybusiness said:
I doubt Sol-Ark will give you any specific wiring documentation because it makes them liable.

No company will probably give you specific wiring for your situation because of that.

I’ll take a look but hopefully some others in here can give you specifics.

I really just want to make sure I don’t fry my Sol Ark when I flip the power back on.

If not for the AC coupling it would be pretty straightforward it seems.

One of the ways I looked at hooking it up when the batteries died (and grid is out) it would trigger the ATS— the generator would kick on but wouldn’t feed back to the Sol Ark and therefore wouldn’t recharge the batteries UNLESS I put a separate charger on the batteries.

Ben2022 · Apr 10, 2024

Nobodybusiness said:
I doubt Sol-Ark will give you any specific wiring documentation because it makes them liable.

No company will probably give you specific wiring for your situation because of that.

I’ll take a look but hopefully some others in here can give you specifics.

Here is one of the pages Sol-Ark recommended and the top solution is virtually perfect EXCEPT they show the Sol-Ark load going back to only a critical loads panel and I want to power everything. I ASSUME that is to prevent the generator from feeding back to the Sol-Ark through the Loads lugs.

Nobodybusiness · Apr 10, 2024

Ben2022 said:
If not for the AC coupling it would be pretty straightforward it seems.

Yup the AC coupling puts the wrench in the works.

When you add it to the Gen input the inverter freq shifts to shut the micro-inverters down.

As long as your on Grid or your battery is low it has the ability to shove that excess power back out while it is freq shifting.

I’m assuming that it is setup like this ( in the diagram) so if the Grid Drops then the Inverter has to start the generator (see the 2 wire start line from generator to inverter?)
Then the inverter knows that the grid input is now a Generator and shuts down the AC coupled panels.

Ben2022 · Apr 10, 2024

Ok so if anyone else stumbles across this thread- Sol-Ark got back to me and walked me through everything. I’m blown away by the service.

Attached is the wiring schematic that I need EXCEPT it doesn’t show the AC coupling going to the Gen lugs on the Sol-Ark but that’s in fact how I can wire it per Sol-Ark Tech. They just didn’t have the diagram showing that option for the AC coupling.

@Nobodybusiness you are exactly correct.- I totally overlooked the fact that I can disconnect the “start” function from the ATS and route it instead to Pin 7 & 8 in the inverter.

Sennen · Apr 13, 2024

manual calls for a fused disconnect between solark and grid (diagrams starting at page 47)

robbob2112 · Apr 21, 2024

Look at the manual for the EG4 16k inverter. Around page 35 it shows AC coupling and a number of others. One basically matches what you have so far. Just sub in the Sol-Ark inverter.

Just realize your 15k will only put out a max of 62.5 amp with full sun on the panels. So I hope you did your energy audit correctly.

Trying to finalize SOL-Ark attachment to grid

Ben2022

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Nobodybusiness

Collecting the leftovers of the Great Sky Reactor.

Ben2022

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Ben2022

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Nobodybusiness

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Sennen

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robbob2112

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