NOVA 6K - 6500 Watt (6.5kW) 48 Volt Off-Grid Hybrid Solar Inverter

The NOVA 6K is the V5 revision of the same 6500 W, 48 volt hybrid platform as the NOVA 6548, and the two are close enough that the choice comes down to details rather than capability. Rich Solar markets the 6K on a higher PV input ceiling - the product title advertises 550 V - which in principle lets you run longer, higher-voltage strings and thinner wire over a long run from the array to the building.

Why this inverter

• 6500 W continuous at 120 VAC, pure sine wave, regulated to ±5%, with 2x rated power available for five seconds to start motors and compressors.
• Six units can be paralleled for larger banks or split-phase output. On its own the unit produces 120 V only.
• Detachable LCD module with RS485, CAN-BUS and RS232 for battery BMS communication, plus built-in Wi-Fi. App monitoring requires the manufacturer's application.
• Cold start at 46.0 VDC, so the system can be brought up from the battery alone after a deep discharge without shore power.
• Charge priority, appliance-versus-computer input voltage windows, output timers and battery charge current are all configurable from the front panel.
• Two caveats worth knowing before you buy. First, the 550 V PV figure appears in the product title but Rich Solar's published specification table for this model contains no solar section at all - no maximum array wattage, no MPPT tracking window, no open-circuit ceiling. Confirm those numbers against the RS-H6548V5 specification sheet before you design a string. Second, the same table gives efficiency two different ways, "greater than 95%" under input and 91% peak under output; the 91% figure is the conservative one to plan around.

Installation

• 48 VDC nominal battery input, 54 VDC float, 66 VDC overcharge cutoff. Suits LiFePO4 and lead-acid banks once the panel is set for the chemistry.
• 41 lb, and 5.8 x 17.0 x 22.66 in - 24.43 in tall with the wiring extension box fitted. Allow for the extension box when planning wall clearance; it is taller than the 6548.
• Rated for 14°F to 104°F operating. That is a narrower range than the NOVA 6548, which is rated to -14°F. In an unheated shed in a genuinely cold climate, the 6548 is the safer pick.
• Compatible with utility mains or generator input, with auto-restart when AC returns.
• Overload, over-temperature and short-circuit protection, plus an anti-dust kit.

Warranty

• Covered by the Rich Solar limited warranty; current terms are published on the manufacturer's warranty page.
• Listed by Rich Solar as UL certified. The listing does not name the specific standard, unlike the NOVA 6548 which cites UL 1741 by TUV - ask for the certificate if an inspector needs the standard named.
• Carries a California Proposition 65 warning for cancer and reproductive harm.