Grid Tie System with Standby Generator

[Sunking]

Has anyone developed a method or "black box" which would reconfigure a system during a power outage, to essentially change a grid tie system into an off grid system?

Will not work, a GTI is a current source and will only operate with a very low impedance of the grid. Every bit of current has to be used, otherwise it will go into over voltage and shut itself down as designed.

[Vandergraaff]

Has anyone developed a method or "black box" which would reconfigure a system during a power outage, to essentially change a grid tie system into an off grid system?

[Sunking]

Thanks, I guess this is putting the grid tie inverter feed in between the utility meter and the ATS. Is there any way to put it on the other side of the ATS?

No Sir electrical codes prevent it. Grid tie inverters can only run when you have commercial power available in your configuration.

[russ]

@ Technoyogi - Welcome to Solar Panel Talk!

You found the right guy - Sunking knows this stuff very well!

Again, Welcome!
Russ

[Technoyogi]

Thanks, I guess this is putting the grid tie inverter feed in between the utility meter and the ATS. Is there any way to put it on the other side of the ATS?

Are there codes saying where the PV should be placed in the system?

Regards, Stephen

[Sunking]

Real simple, if you loose commercial power, the solar PV turns off, the automatic transfer switch (ATS) operates to isolate you from the grid as designed and to electrical codes, and the generator picks up the load in the house.

The PV system will not reconnect until commercial power has been restored for about 5 minute without interruption. Once commercial power is restored, the generator turns off, the ATS re-connects you back to commercial power, and then the PV system will turn on when all is clear

[Technoyogi]

My house has a standby generator with an automatic transfer switch (it's fairly rural so we get frequent power outages). When the utility power fails, the switch automatically powers up the generator and then switches power over (the utility service is isolated). I am interested in a 7kW grid tie system. As long as we are on the grid, things are fine. But in the case of an outage, I am worried about feeding power back into the generator. If the panels are producing 7kW and the house is only consuming 2kW, then it trying to feed 5kW back into the generator. I don't think the generator can handle this. How is this situation normally handled? I could just automatically shut off the solar during an outage, but that sees like a waste.

Regards, Technoyogi