Soladin 600 Grid Tie

[Psi]

Hi All,

Im looking at different options to start with solar power, i was looking at a battery bank but im begining to think its not the option due to the power i need to run a few items will make me need a large battery bank.

I found out the "Soladin 600" which is a grid tie which to be honest i would prefer instead of batteies. I live in the UK and some of the pictures shows the Soladin 600 connected to the mains by it what looks like plugged in a normal plug socket.

Is that correct and is it safe / legal ?

i thought with any grid tie it has to be connected via the mains and not just plugged in to a socket

Regards

William

[MattieG]

Hi

Yeah that is fine, I used to have 3 all together and they worked well.

[Psi]

Hi

Yeah that is fine, I used to have 3 all together and they worked well.

would that not cause a risk or electric shock or fire, why is it done that way i mean if you have 600watts of power going in to a plug socket. Also does it pump the electric that you get back in to the grid so i assume you have to tell the power company as im not sure my meter will register it

Just seems abit dangerous to me, for example what happens if you unplug it or there is a power cut for the electric company to do some work onthe line but im pumping electric in to it ?

[russ]

Mike can answer this correctly but to my understanding it is totally a bad thing.

Some companies are hinting that you can do it with their systems but they are the shyster companies.

[dave]

Hi All,

I live in the UK and some of the pictures shows the Soladin 600 connected to the mains by it what looks like plugged in a normal plug socket.

Is that correct and is it safe / legal ?

i thought with any grid tie it has to be connected via the mains and not just plugged in to a socket

Regards

William

Most of these newer boxes work off a microprocessor that monitors the phase/frequency of the power in the system. It is the equivalent in DC of monitoring the voltage. In a DC system to inject power you raise the voltage. In an AC system the frequency is increased by a very small fraction of the current cycles - 50.00 or 60.00 cycles. Some times the power company has a similar system - just to a larger scale - At our company we do this at half a million DC volts - when the AC side fails that side can only be restarted with an initial AC signal - once the signal is present then additional AC is added. The additional AC can be added from multiple sources - just do not tie any of the DC sides together because there is the DC tracking software that monitors/maximizes the output to the AC side.

So - to your question - is it safe / legal = maybe - you would have to check your laws (if any) on power generation and plug in devices - safe - how many have been sold - used in your country vs how many have caused fires or shocks - a hard statistic to get - perhaps the company can provide you with the statistics?

Note - since they are plug in there are no installation requirements - just do not trust mounting on or near anything that is flamable.

[russ]

İt is feeding back into the grid without proper protection - if so that is very unsafe.

Bad idea that should be stepped on all the way around.

To me, it is a shyster scheme to try to get into peoples pockets that don't have the funds for a proper system.

Be good to hear Sunking's take on this.

[BuzzBuds]

İt is feeding back into the grid without proper protection - if so that is very unsafe.

Bad idea that should be stepped on all the way around.

To me, it is a shyster scheme to try to get into peoples pockets that don't have the funds for a proper system.

Be good to hear Sunking's take on this.

Hi Russ its me the nonspelling fool of your life speaking about another post there, if he is in fact in the UK it is truely Protected this may not make alot of sence to you RUSS!!!!! But all plug in the wall items in the UK!!! actualy have a fuse system built into all!!! Aplications of engery used. Fused defonition of Fused!!!! There is alot of use from a FUSE!!!! thus meaning PROTECTION!!!! Unfortunately the USA wiring system is not all its cracked up to be In the UK he can infact hook it up safely but whether or not he can Hook it up legaly still to be discovered if he has the electric production of what he needs he can infact regulate "SAFELY" what he USES!!!

So to answer your Question there PSI you can either do it UK Style I lived in Porstmouth for 5 years and watch my MUM DO SOME VERY! Ilegal THINGS WITH THE POWER MAINS!!! USING NOTHING BUT A PAIR OF JUMPER GABLES!!! We had a meter 10p in all of our houses over their in Scottland which we jimmied to work for us. BTW Russ Jimmed means TAMPERED WITH!!!
Not that he cant do it safely at all but is it Legal and does he mind if it is or not? that is ythe quesation.

RUSS dont worry about my spelling Please

[BuzzBuds]

Most of these newer boxes work off a microprocessor that monitors the phase/frequency of the power in the system. It is the equivalent in DC of monitoring the voltage. In a DC system to inject power you raise the voltage. In an AC system the frequency is increased by a very small fraction of the current cycles - 50.00 or 60.00 cycles. Some times the power company has a similar system - just to a larger scale - At our company we do this at half a million DC volts - when the AC side fails that side can only be restarted with an initial AC signal - once the signal is present then additional AC is added. The additional AC can be added from multiple sources - just do not tie any of the DC sides together because there is the DC tracking software that monitors/maximizes the output to the AC side.

So - to your question - is it safe / legal = maybe - you would have to check your laws (if any) on power generation and plug in devices - safe - how many have been sold - used in your country vs how many have caused fires or shocks - a hard statistic to get - perhaps the company can provide you with the statistics?

Note - since they are plug in there are no installation requirements - just do not trust mounting on or near anything that is flamable.

Very good comment by you here Dave If he wishes to do this legaly yes check with the authorities other wise be very carfull to not go over you what you need to suply to what ever you are suplying In other words dont produce more than you can use!

On the side of electrical shock it would be a good idea to disconnect the inverterand solar system completey from the grid so have the outlet of your solar setup tied to grid on its own seporate line when the items that are running strickly off of the grid Go out make sure you Disconnect the solar setup you have.
(Example: A power outage which I have not seen at all happen in the UK other than my MUM not having enough 10p's to turn it back on.)
I would say so long as you are not running your meter backwards and the grid does not shut down even for a moment you will not be of any consern to them.

[russ]

Hi Buzz - İ can handle the spelling but one time İ think you used a spell checker which has a tendency to change everything including the meaning sometimes. The quality of language used anymore seems to indicate mankind is regressing to the caves.

İ don't know about the UK and certainly would like to hear Sunking or Mike comment. The fuse in the wall socket has never been replaced by something solid by someone in time past? İ suppose the fuse in the socket was to prevent overload on the wiring due to someone using too many multiplugs on a single outlet.

İf you have an illegal connection and it causes a fire you can forget your homeowners insurance.

Still say it is a shyster thing - İ have seen the same advertised on the net in the US.

[BuzzBuds]

I have not used a spell checker in here at all I must have been having a good day thats all

The fuse is not in the wall but in the apliance itself if his inverter has a power plug on it that plugs into the wall the inverter if for the UK will most likely have a fuse in it

[Psi]

I have not used a spell checker in here at all I must have been having a good day thats all

The fuse is not in the wall but in the apliance itself if his inverter has a power plug on it that plugs into the wall the inverter if for the UK will most likely have a fuse in it

Hi guys,

yes i can confirm this, its only the plugs that have a typical 5-13amp fuse in it, there is not one in the actual wall socket.

Just really not sure the best way to go as no matter which way i try here in the UK its so so expensive to do solar, a typical 1.2KW system is in the region of

[Sunking]

İt is feeding back into the grid without proper protection - if so that is very unsafe.

Have not read all the replies, but it looks like you guys are talking about a grid-tied inverter that plugs into a wall receptacle.

If that is the case then yes your receptacles a protected in a round about way, but certainly not to code. In your home, your service enter from the meter. From the meter there is a feeder cable ran to your main breaker panel. Inside that panel are several distribution circuit breakers ranging in amperage from 15 up to 100 and everything in between. You wall receptacle is connected to one of the breakers like everything else.

But here is the problem, the circuit protection device (breaker, fuse) by code has to be at the source in order to protect the circuit conductors. If it were downstream, the portion of the conductor between the source and protection device is not protected. So if a fault were to occur between the source and breaker, the breaker would not operate because non of the fault current would not be flowing through the breaker.

So that is why non of these plug in inverters can obtain a UL certification in the USA. Lastly using one here in the USA would be illegal without the full consent and knowledge installed with Net Metering.

Here is the last problem and it is a big one. Power companies are smart, they have seen every trick in the book to steal electricity. If you have had your electric meter changed out in the last 10 years, it will register what ever power you generate that goes out on the grid as coming from the grid. So that means you are paying your electric company for the power you generate and give to them to sell again to your neighbor. Gotcha . Thank you very much.