generator injector for use with AC coupled battery system like powerwall or enphase

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  • Ampster
    Solar Fanatic
    • Jun 2017
    • 3650

    #16
    Originally posted by solardreamer

    However, even non-Powerwall hybrid systems have the "feature" that will disable solar when batteries are full.
    Ha. That reminds me of the software programmers who often respond to bug reports with the answer that it is a "feature" not a bug.

    For the benefit of other readers, I believe you are referring to the process that can occur when the grid is down and only with regard to AC coupled solar. Hybrid inverters do not necessarily "disable" solar when the grid is up and they are configured for export. If they are AC coupled to GT solar they can export that solar without limitation.

    However. when the grid is down the solar that is DC coupled to the hybrid inverter serves the loads and modulates with the loads as would any off grid inverter. As far as I know none of that solar is disabled and it serves the loads without any issues. The AC coupled solar would be modulated more severely based on an inverter's algorithm. Based on the relationship of load, battery capacity and AC coupled solar generation, it could be reduced to zero output if there was no battery capacity to act as buffer. I only charge my batteries to 90 percent so in a grid down situation, I have some mechanisms that would allow me to optimize the production of my AC coupled solar. I also have a 42 kWh battery so it would not have the same buffer issues that a smaller battery would have. If I was often faced with grid outages, my system design would favor having more of the solar panels DC coupled to avoid those issues.

    Clearly the ability of most hybrid inverters to support generator input would add to the resiliency of such a system. The use of a generator would definitely disable AC coupled solar. Some Tesla Powerwall installations have been configured with a transfer switch to allow generator backup, but as mentioned, the generator cannot charge the Powerwall or allow AC coupled solar to run. In that case the generator just serves the loads.
    I don't have any experience with generators to know if DC coupled solar would be disabled when a generator is running on a hybrid inverter.
    Last edited by Ampster; 03-14-2021, 11:56 AM.
    9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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