What will happen if i go 220v with my current 120v grid tie inverters?

[tepochyaotl]

Hi All, let me give you some background info first.

I live in northern Mexico, have a 120v contract with the electricity company (CFE) and 2 grid tie inverters from China, hooked each to 4 230wat panels. All working well.

In Mexico, the meter tracks your production and consumption and use it to calculate charges and credits over a yearly period.

Lately, I am feeling I need to get 240v contract so that I can use some cool infrared heaters and electric shower.

What happens here is that you get 2x120v lines and you do with them as you please, you connect one to a part of your house, the other to another part and whenever you need 240v, you combine the 2 120v lines and run the wires to where you need them.

As far as I know, one single meeter tracks what you use.

I am thinking that given this, I will not need to replace my 2 inverters, just hook them to one or both (one of each) of the 120v lines. And the meter should not care where from the power is coming from.

Am I correct in this assumption? Or, what do you guys think will happen?

Thanks a lot!

[myfriendSUN]

Just hook up one inverter to each 120v line.

[Mike90250]

In Mexico, with lack of code enforcement, who knows if the 2 feed wires will be the same phase, or different

[myfriendSUN]

In Mexico, with lack of code enforcement, who knows if the 2 feed wires will be the same phase, or different

Just verify with an AC voltmeter across the two 120V line.
240V reading would confirm two different phases.

[tepochyaotl]

Just hook up one inverter to each 120v line.

From your response, I gather, that I should be able to use the same inverters without issues... I could hook both to one of the 120 lines or one to each...

I ignore how the meter works, if it tracks wattage separately or by line. If i rarely use the second one but have the inverter hooked up to it, i may incur in more credit than I would be able to collect, who knows, I think I'll have to find that out when I switch.

My main concern was if I would be able to use the inverters I already have and sounds like it should not be a problem.

Thanks a lot!

[SunEagle]

From your response, I gather, that I should be able to use the same inverters without issues... I could hook both to one of the 120 lines or one to each...

I ignore how the meter works, if it tracks wattage separately or by line. If i rarely use the second one but have the inverter hooked up to it, i may incur in more credit than I would be able to collect, who knows, I think I'll have to find that out when I switch.

My main concern was if I would be able to use the inverters I already have and sounds like it should not be a problem.

Thanks a lot!

I hope you aren't trying to generate 220volts for a specific load from two separate 120v inverters.

[tepochyaotl]

I hope you aren't trying to generate 220volts for a specific load from two separate 120v inverters.

Not the plan, no, just trying to use the 2 120v inverters in one or the two 120v lines provided by the electricity company, use it on 120v circuits in the house, and return the excess back to the grid.

That said, you make a very good point, what happens if i do have 240v, say a heat pump or so hooked to those tow 120v lines from the grid, on their own circuit?

If that doesn't work, could I hook both my inverters to one of those 120v lines and still use that one line as part of the 240 setup?

Forgive my ignorance. I hope this makes sense.

Thanks!

[SunEagle]

Not the plan, no, just trying to use the 2 120v inverters in one or the two 120v lines provided by the electricity company, use it on 120v circuits in the house, and return the excess back to the grid.

That said, you make a very good point, what happens if i do have 240v, say a heat pump or so hooked to those tow 120v lines from the grid, on their own circuit?

If that doesn't work, could I hook both my inverters to one of those 120v lines and still use that one line as part of the 240 setup?

Forgive my ignorance. I hope this makes sense.

Thanks!

There is no safe way to use 120volt inverters to run a 220volt load.

I am not even sure if those 120volt inverters are safe to use. Most of those Chinese made "plug in" 120volt inverter are not safely built and will either stop working or worse case start a fire.

[sensij]

There is no safe way to use 120volt inverters to run a 220volt load.

I am not even sure if those 120volt inverters are safe to use. Most of those Chinese made "plug in" 120volt inverter are not safely built and will either stop working or worse case start a fire.

It sounds like the inverters he is talking about will be AC coupled to the grid. If the two phases from the grid generate the 240 V safely, why would it be unsafe to have an inverter on each leg?

[SunEagle]

It sounds like the inverters he is talking about will be AC coupled to the grid. If the two phases from the grid generate the 240 V safely, why would it be unsafe to have an inverter on each leg?

If that 240volt comes from the same transformer and each leg is properly "phased" then it would be ok.

From what the OP has stated there will be 2 seperate 120volt services coming to the house. There is a big chance both will be the same "phase" or they won't be exactly "phased" for a standard 240volt service.

He is already playing with fire using those "plug-in" inverters. Why add the potential danger of having phasing issues with 2 services.

[tepochyaotl]

If that 240volt comes from the same transformer and each leg is properly "phased" then it would be ok.

From what the OP has stated there will be 2 seperate 120volt services coming to the house. There is a big chance both will be the same "phase" or they won't be exactly "phased" for a standard 240volt service.

He is already playing with fire using those "plug-in" inverters. Why add the potential danger of having phasing issues with 2 services.

Ok. I am talking about getting the 240 service in the srandard way the electricity company provides them, so the 2 lines do come from the same transformer and are propperly phased.

While I understand the chinese gt-inverters are not up to the US standards, they have been working here for years. I need to replace a mosfet on one every year or so, but other than thst they aore ok. Not as efficient as more expensive ones, i bet. They are in a place where they cant cause a fire. It's all concrete and bricks here.



I really appreciate all of your answers. I think i know now what i can do to make it work.

Thanks a lot to all!

[myfriendSUN]

In general if there are two live lines coming in to a house they are in two different phases.
The power company has to try to balance the three phase load.