What is the benefit of a "hybrid" inverter/charger?

[createthis]

Then why did you talk about grid preference in the hybrid inverter?
What you are really talking about is having a hybrid inverter with generator support that can start your generator when needed and only run the generator when the inverter cannot keep up with the load. When you do that, you may or may not want to use battery preference versus generator preference while the generator is running, depending on the amount of load and the details of your generator. For a diesel generator you do not want to run it at too small a load for a long period of time.

Since Sunking is threatening to ban me for unsafe practices, I'll come back and address this.

I was thinking about using the Generator to help start induction motors with high inrush current, then shut the generator off and let it run on the inverter alone (assuming the inverter's continuous rating is adequate).

I'm just thinking about ways to get around the high inrush current issue on motor startup. I'm really not thinking about grid tie.

[Mike90250]

I was thinking about using the Generator to help start induction motors with high inrush current, then shut the generator off and let it run on the inverter alone (assuming the inverter's continuous rating is adequate).

I'm just thinking about ways to get around the high inrush current issue on motor startup. I'm really not thinking about grid tie.

You need to look at a VFD controller to solve this issue. That's EXACTLY what they are good for, soft starting large motors, where dumping Hover Dam onto the windings would rip them off the stator.
Industrial supply warehouses carry them, like Grainger.com

It is a bad kludge to start a generator for 5 minutes to get another motor spun up.

[inetdog]

Since Sunking is threatening to ban me for unsafe practices,

He can't ban you, he can just try to verbally make your life miserable.
On the other hand, persistent advocacy of flagrantly unsafe practices for others would get you banned for a variable length of time.

[createthis]

He can't ban you, he can just try to verbally make your life miserable.
On the other hand, persistent advocacy of flagrantly unsafe practices for others would get you banned for a variable length of time.

I really don't have any interest in pursuing unsafe practices, despite the accusations. I make no claims to being knowledgeable enough to avoid them, but once I understand an issue I'm pretty damn careful. That said, I'm not working under commercial constraints, utility policies for wiring longevity, building codes, etc, so not everything that everyone worries about applies to me.

Yes, I'm aware of VFDs. I'm also aware of stackable inverters and large 48v inverters. I was just exploring the idea of a way to raise the inherent surge capacity of a given inverter with less expense than traditional methods. I have at least 6 machines that would need VFDs, some of which I'm not sure I could retrofit (dewalt DW735X, Emglo compressor, Circular Saw): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Big generators are pretty cheap in comparison to large inverters or stackable inverters and a big generator would provide a very generic solution. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a way to make these gen support inverters the primary power source. They seem to favor the generator (I referred to this as the grid once and everyone got confused). I could buy a large generator and run these machines on it, but I was just looking for an easy/cheap way to mostly use solar to run the machines.

This issue of inrush current surge loads seems to be a very real problem in solar, not just in individual installations, but everywhere. This video talks about it at the utility scale:

Ultimately, I don't need to power my shop tools via solar today. I've got grid access. However, as solar becomes more common I think we'll need better ways to handle inrush current. I just think it's an interesting problem. Maybe the solution is that every tool manufacturer builds soft-start into their motors. But I think there is opportunity here for a middle ground, at least in the short term. I don't think buying an 6-8kw inverter to handle the inrush current of a 1500w motor is a good solution. Neither do I think retrofitting 7 or 8 machines with VFDs makes sense.

[J.P.M.]

I really don't have any interest in pursuing unsafe practices, despite the accusations. I make no claims to being knowledgeable enough to avoid them.

And apparently it would seem, also, no interest in helping others to avoid them, or claims or concerns about possible damage from spreading your lack of knowledge around. Think about the consequences of your actions.