Hoping someone could help...

[peakbagger]

If you want a science experiment than proceed with your experiments but if you need reliable backup power buy a new generator or fix the one you have. The cost and complexity to do what you want will exceed the cost for a generator.

[NewBostonConst]

I would think (note... saying think...I am not a expert) you could get a inverter for the batteries and hook it into the gen input to the transfer switch. Then also get an AC battery charger that would connect to the grid side of the house power to charge the batteries and have the solar array also hooked up to grid.

This way the batteries would charge when the grid is up and when grid goes down the inverter would switch over to your critical needs circuit. The solar would function as a normal net metering grid tie system.

[Ampster]

You would have to have a StoreEdge inverter to use the batteries. Perhaps that is the model of SolarEdge inverter your friend had,although that looks like the model number for a Grid Tie inverter. The best arrangement to get the most out of yuor batteries is the set up the inverter as a Grid tie inverter and if indeed you have a StoreEdge theb find some batteries that work. As far as I know only the LG Chem batteries use DC coupling to work with the StoreEdge. I don't know what your friend used the AGM for. You mentioned that you also have a chargd controller. Do you know the voltage? You probably need more details in terms of model numbers before you can get much more advice.

[gwm1471]

First of all this is my first post, so if my questions seems dumb, then I apologize upfront.
I currently have a Generac generator that is connected to a Generac auto transfer switch with 16 circuits. I bought a friends solar panel setup (his house sold and the new owners did not want the system) which is 20 - 250 watt solar panels that were ground mounted, a SolarEdge SE5000A inverter, charge controller and AGM batteries.
Now, my generator is dying and I don't want to spend $3500 to fix/replace it (from Generac). I was told it may not last through this coming winter or at the very least, not reliable enough to trust. So...I was thinking of setting up the solar panel system and connecting it to the auto transfer switch in place of the generator. My questions are: one, if this can/should be done and two, will the auto transfer switch use the solar power until the batteries are down and automatically switch over to grid power. My thoughts are that maybe I can run my house off of solar and to use the grid for backup. Thanks for any information in advance...