Little-Acorn
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2021
- Messages
- 5
5 years or so ago we got a Solar City system (Later Tesla bought Solar City, so now we're Tesla) for our house. Unfortunately when city power goes off, our solar system also shuts down. I understand the reasons why, don't want a line repairman to get shocked by a house somewhere in the system etc.
But I would like to have our house capable of operating off-grid when city power goes down, during daylight hours at least, obviously. Most straightforward way seems to be to buy a second inverter capable of running off-grid, and a big switch. Purpose of the switch is to (a) disconnect the house from the grid, and (b) then connect the house's solar cells to the new off-grid inverter, which then powers only this house. No power placed on the grid, no danger to technicians working on the city lines etc. Switch set up so that you CAN'T activate the new off-grid inverter unless the house is first disconnected from the grid.
I've heard it can be done with batteries (Tesla Powerwall etc.), but I want to explore the simplest partial-solution first. So that next time city power goes out, we can at least keep the refrigerator running in daylight, the computers and radio, etc.
Anybody else done this?
But I would like to have our house capable of operating off-grid when city power goes down, during daylight hours at least, obviously. Most straightforward way seems to be to buy a second inverter capable of running off-grid, and a big switch. Purpose of the switch is to (a) disconnect the house from the grid, and (b) then connect the house's solar cells to the new off-grid inverter, which then powers only this house. No power placed on the grid, no danger to technicians working on the city lines etc. Switch set up so that you CAN'T activate the new off-grid inverter unless the house is first disconnected from the grid.
I've heard it can be done with batteries (Tesla Powerwall etc.), but I want to explore the simplest partial-solution first. So that next time city power goes out, we can at least keep the refrigerator running in daylight, the computers and radio, etc.
Anybody else done this?
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