How to tie a solar generator to the inverter

[jflorey2]

My investigation would seem to indicate that the battery system ADDITIONAL inverter, added to the grid-tied system, solves the problem of excess power to the batteries by shutting off (controller) the power to the batteries once they are fully charged...is this correct?

No. It solves the problem of "too much power" by disconnecting the grid tie inverter via a separate relay once the batteries are close to fully charged. Then the bidirectional inverter supports the entire load. Which is another reason it has to be big; larger than both your solar power system and your loads.

[ButchDeal]

My system was on the roof, absorbing the sunlight and, by default, producing electricity, even though the electricity had no place to go (inverter was OFF waiting for power company to install their meter).

NOPE!!! it was not producing electricity at all if it was off. It had the Potential to produce electricity but was not doing so. Kind of like a battery has the potential to produce electricity but only when connected to something to use it.

.once the meter was installed the inverter was turned ON and the power was now allowed to flow to my panel and to the grid.

NOPE! Once the inverter is turned on THEN the power is generated, otherwise nothing.

The panels do not have an on/off switch...they produce when struck by sunlight, no matter what.

again no they don't, they have the potential to sort of like a battery has the potential to but doesn't if not connected to a working inverter.

So, I am less inclined to listen to someone who has not grasped this fundamental principle....when I look for correct knowledge in the more advanced principles of solar use. No offense, I hope. NWDiver's and inetdog's explanations seem logical and knowledgeable...Thank you

Good luck with that. only listening to people to have the same misconceptions as you already have, means you will never learn.

My investigation would seem to indicate that the battery system ADDITIONAL inverter, added to the grid-tied system, solves the problem of excess power to the batteries by shutting off (controller) the power to the batteries once they are fully charged...is this correct?

ONLY a 240V bimodal inverter that is programmed and capable of being programmed to handle AC coupling can control a grid tie system and ALL of them that we have talked about have the requirement that both the inverter and battery be capable of taking the full charge of the grid tie inverter.

[fungi2b]

If you are unable to explain a concept in an understandable manner, you are not communicating...you are wasting your time and mine...go get laid and chill out. Thank you to jflorey2 for clear concise communication. Sorry if my quest for understanding is annoying everyone....but I will persist So I am assuming that the Tesla powerwall accomplishes all of the criteria laid out in previous posts...is there a cheaper system that does that?

[fungi2b]

BTW...thank you do everyone who took the time to try and educate me....I AM paying attention.

[ButchDeal]

If you are unable to explain a concept in an understandable manner, you are not communicating...you are wasting your time and mine...go get laid and chill out. Thank you to jflorey2 for clear concise communication. Sorry if my quest for understanding is annoying everyone....but I will persist So I am assuming that the Tesla powerwall accomplishes all of the criteria laid out in previous posts...is there a cheaper system that does that?

First you claim to not listen to people who do not hold the same incorrect preassumptions you hold and then blame those same people for not educating you ...
numerouse people have attemoted in many different ways to explain things... it is not your quest for information but rather your stubborn assumption that everyone giving you facts you don't agree with, is less knowledgeable than you.

There have been several examples given, to include products from midnight solar, outback, snyder, magnum, and yes tesla powerwall has a built in bimodal inverter.
another solution is to replace the grid tie inverter with a DC coupled solution which would include a bimodal inverter and charge controller.

However feel free to connect your "solar generator", be sure to record it as a good visual example might help the next poster hoping to "fool" their grid tie inverter.

[nwdiver]

My system was on the roof, absorbing the sunlight and, by default, producing electricity, even though the electricity had no place to go (inverter was OFF waiting for power company to install their meter)..once the meter was installed the inverter was turned ON and the power was now allowed to flow to my panel and to the grid. The panels do not have an on/off switch...they produce when struck by sunlight, no matter what. So, I am less inclined to listen to someone who has not grasped this fundamental principle....when I look for correct knowledge in the more advanced principles of solar use. No offense, I hope. NWDiver's and inetdog's explanations seem logical and knowledgeable...Thank you My investigation would seem to indicate that the battery system ADDITIONAL inverter, added to the grid-tied system, solves the problem of excess power to the batteries by shutting off (controller) the power to the batteries once they are fully charged...is this correct?

Not sure I would phrase it like that.... if the inverter is off then the PV circuit is open. An open PV circuit does not generate any electricity. Just because a solar panel is sitting in the sun doesn't mean it's 'producing electricity'. There's voltage... but no current flow => no electricity 'production'.

An AC coupled system 'solves' the problem of not having a place to put surplus electricity when the batteries are full by increasing frequency slightly which causes to grid-tie inverter to trip => it stops producing electricity. But as was mentioned you need a 'Bimodal' also called a hybrid inverter specifically designed to be AC coupled...

[fungi2b]

It is very frustrating to go on to a forum like this and have people ignore what you have said...and then ad stuff to their posts which are irrelevant, since you already explained the situation...an example is me saying that everything I am trying to do would be done with the breaker switches from the grid in the OFF position....yet how many of you had to lecture on electrocuting lineman....it pisses me off. Instead of exploring possibilities to make something work, you act like repeating the same thing will somehow be useful...a simple "Can't be done" would tell me all i need to know, and I could move on to another forum with more "out-of-the-box" thinkers. Since powerwalls are hooked up to grid-tied systems, I know it CAN be done...maybe not with my equipment or my knowledge base, but you folks who ARE knowledgeable need to learn how to communicate, and read the whole question before providing an answer....or go fix your shorts

[ButchDeal]

It is very frustrating to go on to a forum like this and have people ignore what you have said...and then ad stuff to their posts which are irrelevant, since you already explained the situation...an example is me saying that everything I am trying to do would be done with the breaker switches from the grid in the OFF position....yet how many of you had to lecture on electrocuting lineman....it pisses me off. Instead of exploring possibilities to make something work, you act like repeating the same thing will somehow be useful...a simple "Can't be done" would tell me all i need to know, and I could move on to another forum with more "out-of-the-box" thinkers. Since powerwalls are hooked up to grid-tied systems, I know it CAN be done...maybe not with my equipment or my knowledge base, but you folks who ARE knowledgeable need to learn how to communicate, and read the whole question before providing an answer....or go fix your shorts

go back and re-read post #2..

there is no safe way to get a grid tie pv system without batteries to function without the grid except for an expensive AC coupled configuration which is complex and costly to get set up right.

and as stated numerous times a Powerwall is AC coupled with a built in bimodal inverter, and other solutions by other manufactures have been posted. But you repeatedly posted miss information and incorrect analogies as to why you though the people giving you advice, who are a mix of experts, designers, and owners, were wrong...

BTW, looks like only one person even mentioned electrocuting linemen