zanydroid
Solar Wizard
I'm doing some research into Rule 21 compliant hybrid inverters for a permitted on-grid installation in California (PG&E). Initial desire is to support solar panels, but as batteries for UL9540 systems get approved I'll be interested in slotting in storage.
Must have
I'm also not sure what to look for to see if the hybrid inverter is able to trigger an ATS during a power outage and form a grid for the AC coupled panels.
So far, my research has yielded the following.
Things that seemed interesting at first but have some red flags:
Must have
- utility-interactive output with local consumption (demand shifting)
- 48V battery input
- ~5000kW inverter output
- reasonably easy to use MPPTs (voltage range, required safety features)
- Likely to be certified in a UL9540 system in the future
- can achieve demand shift without moving circuits to critical loads panel
- 240V grid connection
- 120/240V critical loads output
- ideally capable of AC coupling with microinverters
- grid support on critical loads panel
I'm also not sure what to look for to see if the hybrid inverter is able to trigger an ATS during a power outage and form a grid for the AC coupled panels.
So far, my research has yielded the following.
- SolArk 8K and greater - all requirements satisfied
- Solark 5K-1P - 120V only. I don't really want to put all my critical loads on 1 phase or be stuck with pushing imbalanced load to grid. That said, the distribution transformer would convert the imbalanced backfeed to 240V and satisfy demand shift. Not 100% clear whether this is CEC approved for grid connection. It's in the database but some seller websites say it's not approved.
- Schneider SW/XW + Charge controller - I looked through the XW documentation extensively. Not an all-in-one, needs a charge controller. Charge controller documentation was unclear on RSD and AFCI capability (RSD I can retrofit but AFCI I cannot). What is the difference between the SW and XW?
- Outback Radian + Charge controller. Similar architecture to Schneider, better documentation.
Things that seemed interesting at first but have some red flags:
- Outback SBX5048-120/240. The main objection I have with this is that it is designed for a larger solar installation than I want -- 250V-600V MPPT range, which requires over 8 panels in series (before bypass diodes kick in). I am not sure I have single roof planes that are big enough to support this
- EG4 8K hybrid (Magarevo). However, I don't see it on the CEC list and the manual looks pretty bad. Is it OK to file permits / interconnection for even though it's not on the CEC list but has the UL certifications?