120/240V inverter in a 120V-only home?

[ron_jeremy]

From looking inside the breaker panel I'm pretty sure my home is 120V only (not 120/240V). This makes sense because our inverter is a 120V-only Trace Engineering SW4024 (24V) and also because there are no 240V appliances or power outlets in the house.

I have plans to switch over to 48V but many inverters I'm interested in are 120V/240V. Are there any inherent disadvantages or issues when using a 120/240V inverter in a home wired as 120V-only or is this not even possible/advisable?

 

[John Frum]

From looking inside the breaker panel I'm pretty sure my home is 120V only (not 120/240V). This makes sense because our inverter is a 120V-only Trace Engineering SW4024 (24V) and also because there are no 240V appliances or power outlets in the house.

I have plans to switch over to 48V but many inverters I'm interested in are 120V/240V. Are there any inherent disadvantages or issues when using a 120/240V inverter in a home wired as 120V-only or is this not even possible/advisable?

In order to use both power legs you would need a new panel.
Please post a picture of your existing panel so that we can determine if its 120VAC only or 120/240VAC.
Dedicated 120VAC panels are particularly rare except in RV's.
This is an RV panel, notably it combines ac and dc distribution.

Arterra WF-8930/50NPB Black RV Generators and Components(Distribution Center 30 Or 50 Amp Ac Service-15 Dc Circuits-), Electronics - Amazon Canada

Arterra WF-8930/50NPB Black RV Generators and Components(Distribution Center 30 Or 50 Amp Ac Service-15 Dc Circuits-) in Electronics.

www.amazon.ca

 

[Ampster]

From looking inside the breaker panel I'm pretty sure my home is 120V only (not 120/240V). This makes sense because our inverter is a 120V-only Trace Engineering SW4024 (24V) and also because there are no 240V appliances or power outlets in the house.

Looking inside, with the cover off? As @smoothJoey mentioned it would be rare that you have a 120volt panel so post a picture with the cover off. The standard in the US is 120/240 volt.

 

[ron_jeremy]

Thanks @smoothJoey & @Ampster for offering to help. I will post a pic when I'm home later this afternoon.

 

[Supervstech]

Easy test is look at the wires feeding your house from the pole...
Are there two, or three?

 

[Supervstech]

I find it hard to believe you don't have any 240v appliances in the home.
Unless everything is gas.

 

[Rednecktek]

Are there any inherent disadvantages or issues when using a 120/240V inverter in a home wired as 120V-only or is this not even possible/advisable?

Most of the split-phase 120/240 inverters & AIO's are really just two smaller units in parallel in the same box, I.E. a 6048 is just two 3048's in the same case. The downside is that if you get a 120/240 split phase unit you'll only be able to use 1/2 of it's output so you'll be throwing money down the drain.

Fortunately there are options that are single output 120v systems in the 6Kw range. Some of the popular AIO's are the EG4 6.5 and the MPP 6548 which both give you 6Kw of power but at 120v single output only.

I'm sure people here can point out individual inverters that do the same thing that are well regarded.

 

[time2roll]

From looking inside the breaker panel I'm pretty sure my home is 120V only (not 120/240V). This makes sense because our inverter is a 120V-only Trace Engineering SW4024 (24V) and also because there are no 240V appliances or power outlets in the house.

I have plans to switch over to 48V but many inverters I'm interested in are 120V/240V. Are there any inherent disadvantages or issues when using a 120/240V inverter in a home wired as 120V-only or is this not even possible/advisable?

Post a picture of the stack of breakers. Very possible to run on 120 or 240 split if there are no ganged breakers for 240 similar to a 50 amp RV.

 

[ron_jeremy]

See attached pics. The markup on the first photo is mine where I was asking questions on another forum about where to install the clamps of my energy monitor.

Yes, it would not surprise me if the panel is not to code considering the history of the house but that's a story for another time.

 

[Supervstech]

Ahh...
Yeah, you don't have 240.

 

[Supervstech]

From looking inside the breaker panel I'm pretty sure my home is 120V only (not 120/240V). This makes sense because our inverter is a 120V-only Trace Engineering SW4024 (24V) and also because there are no 240V appliances or power outlets in the house.

I have plans to switch over to 48V but many inverters I'm interested in are 120V/240V. Are there any inherent disadvantages or issues when using a 120/240V inverter in a home wired as 120V-only or is this not even possible/advisable?

Ok, with the way your panel is configured, all you need is add a new feeder conductor to the main breaker next to the A position.
Then all existing breakers are 120, and any new ones in the empty spaces will also be 120, or can be tied together to be 240

 

[Supervstech]

Nothing against code on your panel either.
No reason for the small ground bars, since neutral and ground are bonded in the panel.

 

[Ampster]

I presume A, B, C & D are from the existing 120 volt inverter?

 

[Hedges]

From looking inside the breaker panel I'm pretty sure my home is 120V only (not 120/240V). This makes sense because our inverter is a 120V-only Trace Engineering SW4024 (24V) and also because there are no 240V appliances or power outlets in the house.

I have plans to switch over to 48V but many inverters I'm interested in are 120V/240V. Are there any inherent disadvantages or issues when using a 120/240V inverter in a home wired as 120V-only or is this not even possible/advisable?

Looks like your panel is ready for 120/240V as people observed. Presently, all the second leg breaker slots are empty.

There's at least one 48VDC 120VAC inverter - Sunny Island. I use them stacked for 120/240V.

If you set up split-phase you can redistribute existing 120V loads across the two legs. Split phase will be better for larger motors, like pumps and central A/C.

 

[ron_jeremy]

I presume A, B, C & D are from the existing 120 volt inverter?

I couldn't say for sure.

 

[Bud Martin]

I am curious as to why the 30A and 60A are ganged together on the top left of the picture.

 

[Hedges]

60A & 60A, ganged and secured against coming out, as main breaker?

 

[Bud Martin]

The ganged breaker has one breaker labeled with '30', and another one is labeled with '60'. I would expect them to gang same rating breakers.

 

[Hedges]

Need glasses? Or just a zoom scroll wheel like on my mouse?

That could be a "50", or a "60"
I see a "30" single in the larger photo.

 

[Bud Martin]

I try to zoom in but still not clear enough for my 67 years old eyes.
It does look like '50' in your zoomed in picture.