18kpv with 6k inverter

[Jeff1018]

Ok so I’m planning my new system and have a few questions. My interconnection agreement is allowing a 17kw grid tied system. I would like to use the 18kpv with at least One 14kwh battery for emergencies. My question is.. I see that the 18kpv can only output 12kw of AC power. So I assume that also means that 12kw is the most it could ever sell back to the grid. So I’m assuming the best route to be able to sell back and use as much of the potential 17kw of solar input as possible is to split approximately 1/3 of the array off into a 5-6kw inverter and hook that into the ac input of the 18kpv??? Does this sound right or am I an idiot?

 

[chrisski]

So I’m assuming the best route to be able to sell back and use as much of the potential 17kw of solar input as possible is to split approximately 1/3 of the array off into a 5-6kw inverter and hook that into the ac input of the 18kpv??? Does this sound right or am I an idiot?

I'm not sure what you're trying to do here.

Based off what I'm seeing here, 17 kW of panels won't produce 12 kW of power to drive an inverter very much; it'll come close, sometimes it will clip at 12 kW. I think if you moved 5 kW of panels elsewhere, those 12 kW of panel left on the inverter might only produce 7 kW - 9 kW max. I don't see any real gain by adding another inverter.

There's also trouble of the different size inverters working together and synch the phase. If I got two of the same sized inverters I have, they will work together, but I think my manual says the inverters must be the same model and size, not to mix my 6 kW inverter with a 3 kW inverter.

I've only had my system up for two months, but during the time, my 9.6 kW of panels has only pushed 6.4 kW tops, and only for a couple of hours a day. Using ratios, of panel wattage to actual power produced, I don't see that much of benefit to adding an extra inverter compared to the real cost.

I started out at 25 kWh per day on the shortest days of the year in December, and at the end of February, I'm up to 40 kWh per day.

 

[BKY2003]

Ac couple, it’s in the manual

 

[BKY2003]

UL1741SA compliant grid-interactive inverters work.

 

[DIYrich]

Ok so I’m planning my new system and have a few questions. My interconnection agreement is allowing a 17kw grid tied system. I would like to use the 18kpv with at least One 14kwh battery for emergencies. My question is.. I see that the 18kpv can only output 12kw of AC power. So I assume that also means that 12kw is the most it could ever sell back to the grid. So I’m assuming the best route to be able to sell back and use as much of the potential 17kw of solar input as possible is to split approximately 1/3 of the array off into a 5-6kw inverter and hook that into the ac input of the 18kpv??? Does this sound right or am I an idiot?

12kw continuous, 15kw peak.
Yes, ac pv into the smart load (or whatever they call it on the 18kpv) works.