[RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark AC Coupling Issues

[Vince McClellan]

Thanks Pieter
We seem to have the opposite problem from what you are experiencing. Our
freq-watt regulation of the Radian inverter by the Sol-Ark inverters seems
to be actuated by the DC power from the solar array that is DC connected to
the Sol-Ark inverters. It is supposed to be actuated by the SOC of the Blue
Ion batteries, but that is inconsistent at best. We can turn the DC power
from the solar array on on the master inverter, but when we try using the
MPPT channels on the two other inverters it briefly actuates the freq-watt
function of the Sol-Ark disconnecting the Radian inverter.

Vince McClellan
Energy Design
NABCEP PV Installation Professional
p. (541) 485-8122  f. (541) 338-8202

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On Wed, Jan 19, 2022 at 8:20 PM Pieter Huebner <
pieter at offgridenterprises.org> wrote:

> Vince, For what it is worth:
>
> We have also been working on similar issues when using multiple Solark
> inverters connected in parallel. The issue has been that parallel Solark
> inverters don't seem to be able to properly regulate the battery charge
> voltage. Although Solark technical support has been outstanding, and with
> their help we have diminished the severity but not solved the issue.  For
> the sites that we currently have deployed for the interim we had to resort
> to turning down the charge voltage set points in order to protect the
> Lithium batteries. and avoid BMS shutdowns. We have a client with an
> existing outback system and were planning to expand the existing system
> using AC bussed Solark 12K inverters with additional battery and solar
> capacity (the site is 100% off grid, and has evolved into a micro grid),
> but are now going a different direction. Although we have not yet attempted
> an AC bussed Solark system, I suspect that the issues you are having are
> related to the battery voltage regulation problem we have experienced.
>
> Pieter
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> *On
> Behalf Of *Vince McClellan
> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 19, 2022 5:16 PM
> *To:* RE-wrenches <RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark AC Coupling Issues
>
>
>
> Is anyone on the list familiar with AC coupling Sol-Ark inverters?
>
>
>
> We haven't been able to AC couple an existing Outback Radian system to a
> new system that we built with 3, Sol-Ark 12K inverters and 3, Blue Ion
> batteries. Each time we have tested the system the Sol-Ark inverters accept
> the power from the Radian inverter until we turn on the DC power from the
> new solar array to the Sol-Ark inverters. As soon as there is
> significant DC power coming from the solar array the Sol-Ark inverters
> freq-watt turns on for a brief second and disconnects the Radian inverter
> even when the Blue Ion batteries are below the programmed state of charge
> threshold. If we don't turn on the DC power from the new solar array the
> Radian will connect and stay connected.
>
>
>
> We have been working with Sol-Ark for several months now to get this
> system to accept the incoming power from the Radian without freq-watt
> kicking in on the Sol-Ark inverters and disconnecting the Radian inverter.
> Sol-Ark has sent two software revisions to the Sol-Ark inverters and we are
> still experiencing the same problem.
>
>
>
> Can anyone think of what we might be missing and where to direct our
> troubleshooting efforts next?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Vince McClellan
>
> Energy Design
>
> NABCEP PV Installation Professional
>
> p. (541) 485-8122  f. (541) 338-8202
>
> If you have received this email and are not the intended recipient please
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