DIY Off-Grid Solar Upgrade - Solar Edge Auto-Transformer

[@rongray4118]

Thank you so much for providing this video, Steve! My wife and I have a property we are trying to get on to with our 40 Jayco JayFlight LOFT while we build a modified Earthship Biotecture home in Northern Nevada. This video helps out tremendously in working out the RV power supply until we are built out.

[@wesleyofficer1237]

Good info, I’ve used both Outback and Victrons models, and I like the layout of this little one you show.

[@benssolarandbattery]

Hey Steve, I'm just seeing this now! Glad I could help. I've found that it really helps in my system, especially when off grid, hope you found the same. One question I get a lot is "did you disconnect the neutral from the Sol-Ark?" No, I didn't and it works almost as well. There's also no risk of the autotransformer breaker tripping out and causing a surge on L1 or L2, because if it does, worst case the Sol-Ark will just overload and shut down. Thanks for the shout out! Ben

[@NeverTakeNoCut-offs]

What's interesting is that the Victron autotransformer documentation says to not connect the source neutral to the AT when using it in a balancing scenario, only use the neutral from the AT to connect to the load panel.

[@MrSummitville]

​@@NeverTakeNoCut-offs Victron is correct. But this NOT Victron equipment and it is NOT a typical Victron design. There are very good reasons for not connecting two active neutrals together. In this video, he is masking a limitation/problem in the Sol-Ark.

[@loganv0410]

Fantastic vid! I'd heard of these autotransformers before, but not from someone I know and trust. Keep up the good work neighbor.

[@MrSummitville]

So, what was the amps in L1 and L2 before the AT was installed? And then what was amps in L1 and L2 after the AT was installed? Because the AT does not actually fix the inbalance, it only refuces the imbalance.

[@jkuoverland8507]

Wow, I have a Schneider 4024 and this may just fix my issues also! Thank you so much for the video.

[@stvbird]

The only reason I needed this was we had a buried 2-2-2-4 feeder line go dead on one leg, so until I replace it we've been drawing everything on that line from one load leg. Otherwise, it's never been an issue. However, this little thing has completely fixed our current issue until we can get around to replacing the 2-2-2-4.

[@linuxxxunil]

A very educational video for me. Peace.

[@NeverTakeNoCut-offs]

What type of switches are those you are using to bypass the inverter?

[@onthelake9554]

Nice video Steve ! Just a FYI for anyone that thinks they might need more balancing capacity , Victron makes an autotransformer that is 100 amps , includes a fan and circuit breaker . It's double the price of the little Solar Edge one though at about 650.00 .

[@stvbird]

Yeah, I looked at that one, too. Maybe when I stack a second Sol-Ark that capacity will be just what I'm looking for. Thanks.

[@wadebrewer7212]

I cant find the solar edge anymore. Looking fir a different solar project.

[@MrSummitville]

The bigger Victron 100 amp Autotransformer does NOT provide any more balancing amps vs their smaller Autotransformer. In this situation, the Victron 100 amp AT would be a waste of money.

[@onthelake9554]

@@MrSummitville It's never a waste of money to plan for future expansion and with the added breaker and fan included more so .

[@OnusBones]

Very nice! I'll just file that away for if and when going off the grid becomes a more imminent goal.

[@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369]

HOWdy S-B, Thanks COOP ...

[@yamlcase230]

Steve, David Poz has a more recent video where he demonstrates a perfect balance when removing the neutral off the Sol-Ark and using this same autotransformer. Have you any insights on this configuration and if Sol-Ark supports it? Thanks.

[@stvbird]

Thanks! Do you have a link? I'd like to see that.

[@yamlcase230]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4qsq3iNapmSmLs at around 20:50

[@awbean5254]

Great video Steve. Due to the intense weather concerns, do you have concerns regarding your wooden power shed being close to water level that could flood or all your equipment being blown away? Would you consider raising it above grade and using a concrete structure?

[@stvbird]

That's my pond behind it. I live about 1000' above most of the state. I'm not really floodable barring something biblical. That building is also on a permanent concrete pier foundation, not blocks, and it's bolted to each of them.

[@thebestcompaniondogforyou3367]

Well explained Thx

[@TerraFirmaX]

Excellent video. I have a question. Does these draw any additional power? and how does it affect any other 240 or 120 loads? Does this limit your capacity? I will not be on grid power at the homestead.

[@stvbird]

Scott Hunt @engineer775 explained to me the loss/draw was negligible. It doesn't limit your load. It will only balance so much but generally speaking an unbalanced load isn't that big of a problem except in unusual circumstances like running a 30 amp RV. A 30 amp RV draws everything off of one leg. A 50 amp RV pulls from both legs.

[@TerraFirmaX]

@@stvbird ok cool thanks

[@mendohomepower7492]

Did you disconnect the Solark neutral before before hooking up the Solar Edge. I have used them and they are designed to center tap a 240v line. Not sure of the longevity of it with Sol-Arks neutral tied into it.

[@yamlcase230]

David Poz has a video with this same AT and sol-ark setup. He was able to demonstrate perfect balance once he removed the neutral from the sol-ark. I've got questions about Sol-Ark's support for this undocumented configuration though.

[@mendohomepower7492]

@@yamlcase230 I've pretty much pulled away from the Sol-Ark but thanks for refreshing my memory on the Poz video. Here in California the Grid tie side of things is getting touchy. Straight off grid solutions are becoming more popular with a grid backup. So there is less need for the bells and whistles Sol-Ark offers. Can get more out of a pair of Growatt 240v 5k's

[@diysolaradventures7894]

Can I use the SolarEdge transformer with my 230-40v single phase inverter to create the two 120v legs my inverter ac output only has L & N no ground

[@unionse7en]

Would a simple way to think about be: This inverter is made up of two 120v inverters ,each rated at half of its 220v rating.

[@miabellasalonandmedicalspa2822]

Why not use surge protector instead of auto-transformer to solve the load balance?

[@stvbird]

If you currently have grid power, which I’m assuming you do as most people do, you’re loads in your homes breaker panel are balanced by the transformer on the pole near your house. This is basically doing the same thing. I’m not sure how a surge protector would solve this problem. A 240 system is just two 120 lines coming from the same source. In my case, the Sol-Ark. If too much draw/load comes from one side of the breaker box (each row of breakers represents a 120 leg of those two loads, unless you’re using a 240 breaker, then it contacts both sides of the breaker box to give you 240. Anyway, if you pull more from one side than the other, the load is unbalanced, but in an on-grid world, that balancing is done in the transformer on your pole as stated earlier. Where my problem came from isn’t so much the limitations of a Sol-Ark, it’s from a failed 2-2-2-4 feeder line that’s buried underground. One of the load legs has a broken wire underground, so to power our 50 amp/240 RV, I’m having to use a 30Amp RV adapter to run our power box off of a single load leg (50 amp RV’s are both legs, 30 amp RV’s use a single leg). That’s where our unbalance came from. We’re powering two refrigerators, two air conditioners, two microwaves, TV’s, and a washer and dryer all off of one leg. In a normal world, or in a world where I replace that buried line, our power imbalance won’t be an issue, but the autotransformer is helping me avoid my problem until I can fix it right.

[@JimmyDevere]

Thanks for your videos. I'm looking to get a Sol-Ark 12k and I would not be running AC units (mostly just misc small critical loads) but I do have a 230v well pump 1hp about 8.5 draw. Do you think I would have a problem such as you are describing in this video with the Sol-Ark not being able to handle imbalanced loads?

[@stvbird]

If the well pump is 240v, it would be a balanced load, pulling from both legs, so that wouldn't create a problem at all.

[@JimmyDevere]

@@stvbird Ok thanks.

[@hawkeye312456]

How do I connect this to an inverter? Also with the way the transformer is setup in your video does it power the transformer and step it up to 240v?

[@stvbird]

You don't need to hook it to your inverter. You run it through your load panel. You can use it to step 120 up to 240, or wired like mine, with L1 in one side of a 240 breaker, and L2 into the other input of the same breaker, it essentially contacts both loads in your breaker box (left side and right sight of the box) and balances it out. Essentially each load leg of your breaker box flows into it and are balanced between each other inside the auto transformer.

[@stvbird]

Btw... My Sol-Ark 12K is 240 based, so my breaker panel is already 240. This just balances it all out and makes the L1 and L2 from the Sol-Ark be pulled on more evenly in cases where you're pulling more from one side of the breaker panel than the other. You can use this to double a single 120 line into 240, that's just a different use than what I'm doing.

[@hawkeye312456]

@@stvbird Thanks

[@chrisparker9886]

So much for your transformerless efficiency! 😥

[@stvbird]

Lol. It's only being used because of a broken buried 2-2-2-4 load leg that I don't feel like digging up and replacing at the moment. It's not a Solark problem. It's just so I can pull more through one leg until that feeder line is fixed.

[@chrisparker9886]

@@stvbird Look at the reviews about Sol-Ark unbalanced leg problems. There's a lot of people complaining about it. Professional installers are trying not to use them because of it.

[@roberrbush5446]

If you add a auto transformer like the growatt it will help. Check out David Pos video he did it. I think Solar new one's are better

[@solarandwindinsouthtexasda1473]

If you are off grid Why you bought a ridiculous price inverter you could’ve bought an inverter for quarter of the price I would’ve came out better

[@mattpkp]

Agree the solarc is way too expensive for a 100% off-grid scenario. If you have grid power and can sell it back to pay for itself then it makes sense. That is why it's called a hybrid inverter

[@UKsystems]

all in one is great untill you have to fix it