Jim Burrow
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2020
- Messages
- 516
I think it was TicTac that told me not to be in a hurry in building my solar system. I’m glad I took his advice as my original design would have gone up in smoke or worse yet burned down the house.
The goals/objectives for this project are as follows:
1 – System set up (for the moment anyway) for Utility to be the Primary source of power with Solar as the secondary source of power.
2 – Isolate the appliance 120-vac (washer, drier, heater) power from the rest of the house.
3 – Isolate 240-vac to run the Air conditioner from the 110-vac source to the house and Controller.
4 – Have two independent paths for 120-vac. One path goes directly to the house circuit breaker panel for appliance and the other 120-vac either from the Utility or 2424lv controller to run the rest of the house via switch #3. The purpose of switch #3 is to provide power to the house in case the controller craps out by bypassing the controller.
Note that the controller delivers its own 120vac 60-Hz, independent of the Utility 120-vac 60-Hz, and never shell the two meet or things can go up in smoke. – This is accomplished through switches 2 and 3.
5 – be safe and use overkill wiring. – If I can get away with 10 AWG wire, use 8 AWG. (my house is on a 50-amp service breaker)
Note that the Utility 120-vac cannot make contact with the controller 120-vac in the breaker box via switch #3. – if they did, you would be running 120 Utility voltage directly into the controller 120 volts output terminals. – Lots of smoke!
Second Note – In my circuit breaker box, I removed the neutral (white wire) connection bar that ties both sides of the box together. When doing this, the left side of the box is isolated from the right side. I also removed the 240-vac breaker that went to the Air Conditioner from the panel so there will be no 220/240 volts ac in the box.
And note that switch #1 is not shown. This switch #1 provides power to the system via the Utility company or from a Gas Generator. So, I should never be out of power again to the house.
In theory, the schematic shown is just a brain thought
and should meet all my objectives.
If you see a flaw in my brain thought, let me know so I do not burn down the house.
The goals/objectives for this project are as follows:
1 – System set up (for the moment anyway) for Utility to be the Primary source of power with Solar as the secondary source of power.
2 – Isolate the appliance 120-vac (washer, drier, heater) power from the rest of the house.
3 – Isolate 240-vac to run the Air conditioner from the 110-vac source to the house and Controller.
4 – Have two independent paths for 120-vac. One path goes directly to the house circuit breaker panel for appliance and the other 120-vac either from the Utility or 2424lv controller to run the rest of the house via switch #3. The purpose of switch #3 is to provide power to the house in case the controller craps out by bypassing the controller.
Note that the controller delivers its own 120vac 60-Hz, independent of the Utility 120-vac 60-Hz, and never shell the two meet or things can go up in smoke. – This is accomplished through switches 2 and 3.
5 – be safe and use overkill wiring. – If I can get away with 10 AWG wire, use 8 AWG. (my house is on a 50-amp service breaker)
Note that the Utility 120-vac cannot make contact with the controller 120-vac in the breaker box via switch #3. – if they did, you would be running 120 Utility voltage directly into the controller 120 volts output terminals. – Lots of smoke!
Second Note – In my circuit breaker box, I removed the neutral (white wire) connection bar that ties both sides of the box together. When doing this, the left side of the box is isolated from the right side. I also removed the 240-vac breaker that went to the Air Conditioner from the panel so there will be no 220/240 volts ac in the box.
And note that switch #1 is not shown. This switch #1 provides power to the system via the Utility company or from a Gas Generator. So, I should never be out of power again to the house.
In theory, the schematic shown is just a brain thought
and should meet all my objectives.If you see a flaw in my brain thought, let me know so I do not burn down the house.
