Hi, we are about to install a solar system on a house with a natural gas whole house generator. I understand that the system will automatically shut down in the event of an outage and the generator will power up. My question si do I have to do something manually to power up the solar system again when the power is restored, or will everything be managed somehow without me having to do anything?
Hello All! I'm new here - Question about grid-tie solar sy w/ whole house generator
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Hi, we are about to install a solar system on a house with a natural gas whole house generator. I understand that the system will automatically shut down in the event of an outage and the generator will power up. My question si do I have to do something manually to power up the solar system again when the power is restored, or will everything be managed somehow without me having to do anything?CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozx -
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I am only guessing but it is crazy how there doesn't seem to be much information out there on a "simple" best practice protocol for a system like this. Perhaps there are different configuration..I mean do I need a particular inverter, an automatic transfer switch, a charge controller, and an isolated critical loads circuit in order to make this all work. Or different devices, different configuration, what? Any advice or links to where I can view best practices or example of a good setup, etc. would also suffice.. sincerely appreciated - Thank you.Comment
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The SolarEdge inverter will automatically begin delivering power from the panels when it detects the grid has been restored. You may want to verify that your transfer system will shut the generator down and return to powering your house from the grid automatically, as well.CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozxComment
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I am only guessing but it is crazy how there doesn't seem to be much information out there on a "simple" best practice protocol for a system like this. Perhaps there are different configuration..I mean do I need a particular inverter, an automatic transfer switch, a charge controller, and an isolated critical loads circuit in order to make this all work. Or different devices, different configuration, what? Any advice or links to where I can view best practices or example of a good setup, etc. would also suffice.. sincerely appreciated - Thank you.CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozxComment
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Thank you for clarifying the charge controller is only for battery back up. This is a whole house generator with the transfer switch supplying the main line in, not wired in detail to each circuit. So if the generator fires up and electricity is coming in again, then how will the panels know not to fire up again and try to feed their electricity back in, thus harming my generator? Or does the inverter handle this and manages the "Switch on / Switch off" aspect of generator and keep the systems isolated. When the power comes back on, will the panels restart automatically? Maybe I am complicating this issue and please forgive my ignorance - you have been really helpful though and I really appreciate it.Comment
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Thank you for clarifying the charge controller is only for battery back up. This is a whole house generator with the transfer switch supplying the main line in, not wired in detail to each circuit. So if the generator fires up and electricity is coming in again, then how will the panels know not to fire up again and try to feed their electricity back in, thus harming my generator? Or does the inverter handle this and manages the "Switch on / Switch off" aspect of generator and keep the systems isolated. When the power comes back on, will the panels restart automatically? Maybe I am complicating this issue and please forgive my ignorance - you have been really helpful though and I really appreciate it.
If this is not how your system is wired, your concerns might be founded. If the solar inverter is connected directly to the service panel through a breaker, for example, and the other end of the panel is supplied by the generator or the power company (depending on the state of the transfer switch), it would be important to shut the breaker to the solar inverter off whenever the generator is activated. There are automatic ways to do this... again, it is hard to know exactly how your system is configured.
The SolarEdge inverter will try to AC couple to anything that looks like grid power. If it is in fact connected through a breaker to the main panel and that breaker is not shut off, and the generator output is within the AC specs that the inverter recognizes as "grid power", it is possible that the inverter will try to deliver the power available from the solar panels. If it supplies more power than what is consumed by your loads, then yes, damage to the generator is likely to occur.CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozxComment
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FYI, I also just received an email from an installer who said: "If we go to the fuse box we have a relay in the circuit that comes from the solar panels. The relay is powered from the grid power before the main breaker. When the grid goes down the relay opens its circuit to the panels. Another way we have done it is bringing the power from the solar panels into the customer side of the meter. This being up stream from the main breaker and automatic transfer switch allow for a much easier install. Depending on what SolarEdge recommends will determine which one of these two, or possibly a third option we use.."Comment
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FYI, I also just received an email from an installer who said: "If we go to the fuse box we have a relay in the circuit that comes from the solar panels. The relay is powered from the grid power before the main breaker. When the grid goes down the relay opens its circuit to the panels. Another way we have done it is bringing the power from the solar panels into the customer side of the meter. This being up stream from the main breaker and automatic transfer switch allow for a much easier install. Depending on what SolarEdge recommends will determine which one of these two, or possibly a third option we use.."CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozxComment
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