Powmr 3k24v-h Auxiliary Panel Hookup

Hello! I have a PowMr 3000 watt hybrid inverter with seven 400 watt panels. All is working well buttttttt:

I have this setup in a 200 square foot workshop separate from my main house. My goals: 1) supply the workshop's power needs fully to the extent possible (I need more batteries for that - I have four 100Ah 12 volt batteries right now) and 2) have backup power in case of outages. I'm in Austin, Texas. Principal power drain right now is just AC.

Here's my question: the workshop is already wired from the house panel through an auxiliary panel. I hired an electrician to wire the workshop and run the power here from the house. Since the panel is already there, rather than running all these cables from the inverter to power stuff, I'd obviously like to hook it up to this panel. I'd then like to take the power going to the panel from the house and just direct it to a single plug that can I can plug the inverter's ac into.

I tried to do this today and got weird results. I turned off the breaker in my house that leads to the workshop and then tried to hook up the inverter to the panel. I won't go into detail but I tried three different strategies and none fully worked. Any ideas? THANK YOU! Photos attached.


(photo above is main house panel showing breaker going to workshop labeled "storage")


This shows inside of auxiliary breaker box in workshop. Wiring coming from the house is 10/3 I think.

That weird red cable second from the left side of the photo is nothing in regards to the current setup. It's a floating 10/2 Romex from my attempts to hook up the inverter to the panel that I just left in place. Specifying this bc in the photo above it sure looks like it's going somewhere but it's not

If I understand your intended setup is to insert your AIO between the grid coming from your house to the workshop you will need to remove the AC input wires to the Workshops sub panel and run them to the "AC in" of the AIO. From the AIO's "AC out" you would then run to workshop's sub panel. Be aware that the PowMr is a 120vAC output so if you intend to power 240vAC loads it will not be able to do that. Also be aware that your workshop's sub panel may need to bridge L1 and L2 legs and be labeled for 120vAC only. This sub panel will not contain a NG bond since the PowMr creates one during inverter operation or passes the homes NG bond thru in Bypass mode.

Note: In your image of the AIO's wiring the "AC out ground" is the case ground screw on bottom to AIO and not simply cut off as shown. You must also be sure that this ground is connected to house ground. I like to run a jumper from the "AC in" ground to it for my usage.

ETA: I should mention the AC in to your PowMr is also 120vAC so if the power from the house is 240VC you would have to only wire L1, N and ground.

Ohhhhhhh ok, it wasn't working properly when I tried yesterday because I didn't have a bridge going between L1 and L2.

Regarding ground, I've read many different posts on grounding this inverter - heard on where to put the AC out ground and the breaker - it would be grounded through the ground coming into the inverter from the AC, correct? That goes to the house ground.

On the bottom casing of the AIO you will find a screw with a ground symbol. This is the point you hook the "AC out" ground to. It however is not a great ground bonded connection from the "AC in" ground terminal. So as I mentioned a jumper from the "AC in" ground to it is a solution. Since your "AC in" ground is from your house ground this handles the ground path. There is no breaker you wire a ground to.

Jumper not breaker, mistyped. Got it. One last question if I may! The AC in going to the auxiliary panel from the house is three wires (I am not using 240 volt). How do I wire that when moving the house AC wires from the sub panel and plugging it into the inverter instead? Do I pair the black and red?

Typically black and red wires indicate 240vAC (L1 and L2 hot) so they would not be wired together. If for some reason you lack a white neutral wire or a ground wire, but are indeed only 120vAC, you have a non standard setup. If that is the case I would go back to your houses Main panels workshop breaker and check what color wire feeding the work shop is.

Cool, I'll check at house. Yeah, everything in workshop is 100% 120volt. Image below shows wires coming from house to breaker box marked with green.

Looks like 240vAC to me. Is this your house's Main panel image or Workshop? It is the House's panel where you will need to determine if you have 240vAC connected. Hopefully there is a breaker to isolate workshop.

This is workshop panel. When I hired the electrician to wire the workshop, I told him I wanted the AC on a dedicated breaker and everything else on two other breakers. Maybe that's why he did it that way? Image below is breaker at house going to workshop.

Yeah you have a 2 pole breaker which indicates 240vAC. Pretty typical for a sub panel feed setup. If you wish to convert to a 120vAC you will need a 1 pole breaker.