Is anyone installing Storz? From what I understand, they have closed loop comms with Sol-Ark and a very close working relationship between manufacturers. I believe all customer support for Storz supplied Sol-Arks goes through Storz. They have a special Sol-Ark firmware that they maintain.
Maybe users have a better experience with this collaboration. Jason Szumlanski Florida Solar Design Group On Thu, Jan 6, 2022, 8:09 PM Mac Lewis <maclew...@gmail.com> wrote: > 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* > _______________________________________________ > 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 > >
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