AmpliPHI Sol-Ark Integration Guide

ManualsBrandsSimpliPhi Power ManualsSolar & Wind PowerAccESS Pre-built system with Six PHI 3.8 kWh Batteries and Sol-Ark 12K Inverter

Table Of Contents

1. introduction
2. PHI battery bank-to-inverter connection
Wire the PHI Battery bank to the Sol-Ark according to the PHI Battery Installation Manual, not according to the Sol-Ark Manual:
Figure 1 – Sol-Ark to Battery Connection
It is acceptable but not required to use the ferrite choke on the positive and negative DC busbar-to-inverter leads (see Figure 1 above).
SimpliPhi and Sol-Ark recommend against using the 100 Ohm resistor included with the Sol-Ark equipment to charge the Sol-Ark’s capacitors when connecting the PHI Batteries for the first time (as described in the Sol-Ark Install Guide Owner’s Manual).
Do not install the Battery Temperature Sensor. The PHI Batteries require no temperature compensation.
3. Battery bank sizing
A properly sized PHI battery bank is sized to prevent over-discharge and over-charge from accompanying equipment. While the programming features of the Sol-Ark allow for battery discharging and charging according to specifically set parameters (refer ...
Therefore, the PHI battery bank should still be sized to protect against over-discharge. In the case of an AC Coupled system setup, the PHI battery bank should also be sized to protect against over-charge from the solar photovoltaic (PV) array. In a D...
Discharge Example: ,𝑩-#𝑰𝒏𝒗.≥,,𝑰𝒏𝒗-𝒌𝑾.÷,𝑰𝒏𝒗-𝒆𝒇𝒇.-,𝑩𝒂𝒕-𝒌𝑾..
Charge Example: ,𝑩-#𝑷𝑽.≥,,𝑷𝑽-𝒌𝑾.-𝟎.𝟖×,𝑩𝒂𝒕-𝒌𝑾..
 AC Coupled Solar PV Array is rated at 8 kW
 PHI 3.8 kWh-51.2Vnom battery has a maximum continuous charge rate of 1.92 kWDC
,𝑩-#𝑷𝑽.≥,,𝟖-𝒌𝑾.-𝟎.𝟖×,𝟏.𝟗𝟐-𝒌𝑾..=𝟓.𝟐
A properly sized PHI battery bank based on the maximum charge from the AC Coupled solar PV array has a minimum of 6 batteries. This ensures that the battery bank does not over-charge from the AC Coupled solar PV.
When comparing the same system using both the discharge and charge calculations for sizing the PHI battery bank, the minimum number of batteries in the bank should be the greater of the two results. For instance, when examining the discharge calculati...
While the PHI battery bank’s charge rate in a DC Coupled system can be limited via Sol-Ark programming (Max A Charge), consider the PHI battery bank’s maximum continuous charge rate in the system’s design.
Charge Example: ,𝑩-#𝑷𝑽.≥,,𝑷𝑽-𝒌𝑾.×,𝑰𝒏𝒗-𝒆𝒇𝒇.-,𝑩𝒂𝒕-𝒌𝑾..
 DC Coupled Solar PV Array is rated at 8 kW
 Sol-Ark PV-to-Battery efficiency is 97.5%
 PHI 3.8 kWh-51.2Vnom battery has a maximum continuous charge rate of 1.92 kWDC
,𝑩-#𝑷𝑽.≥,,𝟖-𝒌𝑾.×,𝟎.𝟗𝟕𝟓-𝒆𝒇𝒇.-,𝟏.𝟗𝟐-𝒌𝑾..=𝟒.𝟎𝟔
A PHI battery bank utilizing the entire DC Coupled solar PV output potential has 5 batteries. However, programming the Max A Charge in the Sol-Ark to 150 A (4 × 37.5 ADC) would prevent the over-charging of a battery bank that includes only 4 batteries...
Homeowners with little to no loads on during the day (while solar power production is at its peak) might consider sizing a larger PHI battery bank to take advantage of the entire solar PV output potential for battery charging. Homeowners that consiste...
4. program settings for phi batteries
5. USE CASES & Application notes
Sol-Ark equipment includes many advanced programming features and a variety of modes (more than one mode can be used simultaneously). This section of the Guide will outline the system programming and setup basics for common use cases. However, refer a...
6. SPECIFICATIONS & WARRANTY
For your reference:
 See PHI 3.8 kWh Specifications Sheet.
 See PHI 2.9 kWh Specifications Sheet.
 See PHI Battery 10 Year Limited Warranty.
Failure to adhere to installation protocol will void the Warranty.
7. SIMPLIPHI TECHNICAL SUPPORT
For technical support related to your PHI Battery (or other SimpliPhi Power products), please contact us directly at:
805.640.6700
techsupport@simpliphipower.com

REV

20201125

| 4 |

3. BATTERY BANK SIZING

A properly sized PHI battery bank is sized to prevent over-discharge and over-charge from accompanying

equipment. While the programming features of the Sol-Ark allow for battery discharging and charging

according to specifically set parameters (refer to Section 4 of this Guide), the Sol-Ark does not limit the

batteries’ maximum discharge current (

Max A Discharge) in an off-grid or grid-failure scenario.

Therefore, the PHI battery bank should still be sized to protect against over-discharge. In the case of an AC

Coupled system setup, the PHI battery bank should also be sized to protect against over-charge from the solar

photovoltaic (PV) array. In a DC Coupled system, the PHI battery bank’s charge rate can be limited via Sol-Ark

equipment programming (

Max A Charge). When sizing the PHI battery bank according to both the discharge

and charge criteria, use the greater of the two calculation results as the minimum quantity of PHI batteries in

the bank.

Discharge Calculation: Inverter Power Bank Sizing

To protect against over-discharge (voiding the battery Warranty), the PHI battery bank should be sized so that

the inverter’s load rate does not exceed the batteries’ maximum continuous discharge rate.

The discharge calculation uses the nomenclature below:

• Battery maximum continuous discharge rate (kW

) = Bat

(typically @ C/2)

= (maximum battery discharge current × battery voltage nominal)

• Inverter power full load (“load rate”) = Inv

• Inverter DC-to-AC efficiency = Inv

eff

Discharge Example: 

#

≥





÷







• Sol-Ark-8K inverter is rated at 8 kW

o Depending on the Sol-Ark’s mode of operation (refer to Section 5 of this Guide), the inverter

may power only loads on the critical loads sub-panel or it might power loads both on the

critical loads sub-panel and the main house breaker panel. Consider the inverter’s mode when

sizing the battery bank according to “load rate.”

• Sol-Ark-8K inverter DC-to-AC efficiency is 95.5%

• PHI 3.8 kWh-51.2V

nom

battery has a maximum continuous discharge rate of 1.92 kW



#

≥



÷ 0.955



1.92



= 4.4

A properly sized PHI battery bank based on the maximum discharge of the inverter, or load rate, has a minimum

of 5 batteries. This ensures that the battery bank does not over-discharge to power the loads. Refer to this

Section 5 of this Guide to verify battery bank sizing in specific use cases.