Watts Happening
I call it like I see it.
- Joined
- May 3, 2022
- Messages
- 809
Forgive me for being lazy, I’m sure I could just call Sol-Ark and get an answer but hopefully this can help someone else long term. Additionally hopefully we can get a solid answer from both companies as the 15k and 18k are popular units. I fully understand you could just parallel two banks of batteries of the same type (lifepo4).
My question pertains to using more than one battery manufacturer and retaining battery/inverter communication. Why do this? With the incoming UL9540 requirements limiting a single battery bank to 20kWh, then a three foot separation to the next bank, I imagine some of us will have to get creative.
For me, I have SOK batteries from Current Connected and I have zero complaints. I have plenty of room to stack more on top of my gun safe, but I’d be “breaking the rules”. They are connected to the Sol-Ark and communicating perfectly.
So, I’ve considered adding something like the EG4 Power Pro on the wall below my inverter, this effectively doubles my capacity at an even better price, uses “dead space”, keeps things tidy and most importantly doesn’t leave easy access for a toddler to go play with high voltage power.
But then the question is, can either of these inverters “talk” to two different BMS’s at the same time? I’m not even sure how that’d work as I imagine one may call for ramping charging down while the other still calls for max charge, it’s not like the inverter can decide where electrons go. I was simply hoping for communication to help with state of charge calculations and to keep both banks “safe”.
Thoughts?
Picture for reference of my setup.
My question pertains to using more than one battery manufacturer and retaining battery/inverter communication. Why do this? With the incoming UL9540 requirements limiting a single battery bank to 20kWh, then a three foot separation to the next bank, I imagine some of us will have to get creative.
For me, I have SOK batteries from Current Connected and I have zero complaints. I have plenty of room to stack more on top of my gun safe, but I’d be “breaking the rules”. They are connected to the Sol-Ark and communicating perfectly.
So, I’ve considered adding something like the EG4 Power Pro on the wall below my inverter, this effectively doubles my capacity at an even better price, uses “dead space”, keeps things tidy and most importantly doesn’t leave easy access for a toddler to go play with high voltage power.
But then the question is, can either of these inverters “talk” to two different BMS’s at the same time? I’m not even sure how that’d work as I imagine one may call for ramping charging down while the other still calls for max charge, it’s not like the inverter can decide where electrons go. I was simply hoping for communication to help with state of charge calculations and to keep both banks “safe”.
Thoughts?
Picture for reference of my setup.