Hybrid Solar Inverters

[Darren Wright]

So with the power outages we had the last couple of days, I decided to start looking into solar again. The previous controllers/inverters I had seen were "off-grid", separate systems from utility power. However, there are some Hybrid Inverters out now that let you connect utility power, solar, or even a generator to charge the batteries and you choose the priority of which power gets used. So if I have solar, it will use solar for charging and direct use, then go to battery, then to utility power.

Most of the solar setups I've seen are where you can feed back to the grid, which I'm not interested in doing, as when the utility power goes down, you're not allowed to use the solar power either.

I want to use solar and battery power when the utility power is down. I know some of the solar companies are starting to sell battery walls and such for such use, but they charge a whole lot more than I'm willing to pay for something I can setup myself. I think my FIL paid around $40,000 for his install, which didn't include the battery backup as it was another $15,000.

I still need to figure out just how big of system I want to do, but there are several kits for 8,000W - 13,000W in the $15,000 = $18,000 range, which still isn't cheap, but a whole lot cheaper than the solar companies are charging for their installs. One I'm considering...

Complete Hybrid Solar Kit - 8,000w 120/240V Output + 20.5kWh Lithium Powerwall + 10,920 Watts of Solar PV | [KIT-E0004]

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

I'll most likely start with a backup panel, to run lights, the well, heating, some kitchen appliances, and internet. I already purchased generac panel for our old house that didn't get installed. I'm thinking I'll go ahead and start with it using the generator, but maybe replace the generator plug with solar when we get to that project.

 

[Don Baer]

I have done some research in this area first when I was going to buy the 80 acres last year and most recently since I am planning on getting a place up north for a summer home. There are a number of good places to get help. Here is a link to one and they have a calculator that you can use to help you design/size your system. I'll be following this thread.

Solar Panels, Solar Power Systems, Off-Grid & DIY Solar | altE

Shop our wide selection of solar panels, solar power systems and solar accessories. Specializing in off-grid and DIY solar power since 1999.

www.altestore.com

 

[Darren Wright]

Thanks Don.

Yeah sizing probably is the more important aspect of this. I have some good data on our average daily usage through the Sense.com device we have on our panel.


I need to go into further analysis and list out the peak watts for each appliance and determine which circuits I want to initially use for backup power and which can simply run on utility. Eventually I'd like to run all of them on a solar system. Additional inverters can be added to expand the system down the road for that though.

 

[Don Baer]

another important factor is the average amount of usable sunlight. Here is a site with monthly maps. You can look up your are. For sizing number of panels to you can get your batteries fully charged. obviously you are most concerned with winter months since the sun is at it's lowest and the days are shortest.

Opps, I forgot to include the link and now I can't find the map but here is another useful site.

How to Size a Solar System: Step-by-Step

Learn how to size a solar system following this simple step-by-step sizing process.

unboundsolar.com

 

[Jay Caughron]

Have you looked at these guys Darren https://windandsolar.com/ Their in Seymour Mo

 

[John Bartley]

Most of the solar setups I've seen are where you can feed back to the grid, which I'm not interested in doing, as when the utility power goes down, you're not allowed to use the solar power either.

This (above - bold) seems odd? I understand not allowing feeding the grid during a failure, but if you completely switch away from the grid while the mains are down, who's to decide where you get your electricity as long as it's not causing peril for line workers?

Those few cents of revenue from solar while the mains and sun are both working tend to add up after a while. It would be a shame to turn them away?

 

[Darren Wright]

This (above - bold) seems odd? I understand not allowing feeding the grid during a failure, but if you completely switch away from the grid while the mains are down, who's to decide where you get your electricity as long as it's not causing peril for line workers?

Those few cents of revenue from solar while the mains and sun are both working tend to add up after a while. It would be a shame to turn them away?

I suspect that is the main reason, but it’s the way they setup the rules on it for the feed to the grid in my state. Maybe it will change with these hybrid inverters.

 

[Darren Wright]

Have you looked at these guys Darren https://windandsolar.com/ Their in Seymour Mo

You know, I hadn’t. I drive by there every couple of weeks and they are only about 30 minutes away.

 

[Darren Wright]

Still trying to work out other costs and options for this, such as a separate building/shed to house the inverters/batteries, cost of the panel racking, and wiring/panel costs, to get the best use of the system.

Everyone I've talked to says that panels setup on the ground is the cheapest way to go. I can't argue with that, but I have to consider having them high enough to avoid flooding in the areas we have room for them. I do need a machine/implement storage shed and saw this setup, which looks like a two-fer. I don't need one this tall, but 3 - 4' shorter would work just as well.


My other option is on the back of the garage roof, which faces south, but it's at a 4 pitch roof, so not optimal at that angle without additional racking to get the panels to 45 degrees.

The garage would be ideal for the inverter and battery storage though. I would need to maybe enclose a room for the equipment there to keep it in a conditioned space. I currently have a power feed coming from the house to feed it's panel, which could be used to feed critical power back to the house, then run a new utility feed from the pole to the garage for utility power there. The feed from the house is currently 50 amps and the setup I'm considering would be about that size.