Advice Needed on Sol-Ark 15K Inverter "Grid" connection

[freethink]

Hey everyone,

I’m working on my solar system setup and considering a Sol-Ark 15K inverter.

I’m planning to connect the inverter’s “load” output directly to my main service panel and leave the “grid” connection unused. I don’t have batteries and I’m not planning to back up anything.

Would leaving the "grid" connection unused work?

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[BentleyJ]

So the Inverter Load would be connected to the main service panel simultaneously with the grid??

Or perhaps the plan is to turn off the grid and use the SA 15K during the day with solar panels only and no batteries??

Both are extremely poor ideas. The inverter can feed utility power through or blend battery and utility power only if the SA 15K Grid Input connection is used.
Solar alone is too unstable to reliably power a main panel without batteries connected to the inverter to act as a buffer.

 

[DIYrich]

I don't think that is supported. It looks like ac connected solar with nowhere for the power to go.

Connect your main panel to the grid input. Not load. It will feed all solar to the main panel, and stop producing if the grid goes down.

Why a 15k if you are not using the features? There are cheaper options without battery, grid connected.

 

[Oldphile]

Are you aware of the 120 rule? Most 200 Amp main panels have 200 Amp bus bars that limit the backfeed breaker to 40 Amp. That's 7680 watts. The Sol-Ark 15K would be overkill. And yes, connect to the Sol-Ark grid terminals, not load terminals.

 

[Hedges]

If this is an offgrid system, then what you describe is exactly the way to do it: Inverter "Load" terminals feed breaker panel.

If grid feeds breaker panel, then connect "Grid" terminals to breaker panel as others have said.
The inverter can backfeed to the grid, or limit its output to what loads consume (zero backfeed.)
It can also feed a separate backed-up loads panel, which will have power whether grid is up or down.

120% rule - that is one of several; different ways to do this without overloading the panel.
If you post a photo of the panel, tell us main breaker amperage, also busbar amperage (which may be higher, indicated on a sticker) we can help with that.

 

[Tulex]

The manual shows most of the various ways to connect to the inverter, found here
Maybe explain a bit more what you are trying to do, what your setup will be.

 

[JimP]

Why would you not use the 15k as intended - incoming grid connected to grid on inverter, main panel to load on inverter, and the 15k passes grid through to load when PV is insufficient?

 

[Ampster]

This question has been discussed here:

Don't need to connect Load output port with Sol-Ark 15K Inverter?

Hello everyone, I’m setting up a solar system and thinking about getting a Sol-Ark 15K inverter, but I don't have any batteries. I don't need to connect the Load output port back to the main panel, is that correct? (Since I don't have any batteries to run any backups). Thank you and...

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