Referring to Will's automatic transfer switch video... Alright, I haven't done what I'm about to say, so no one accuse me of guerilla solar tactics...but. I have a solar trailer I park next to my home in the car port. If you take the "appliance" output of this device (the ATS) and plug it into a wall outlet in your home (garage for example), can I use my small-ish mobile solar system to power whatever loads in my home may need power? The garage outlet wires feed back to the CB main panel in the home and I would essentially be feeding power into the main panel, for distribution as needed to loads in the home. Does this make sense? My only concern would be if the grid went down would this transfer switch device sever the connection to my solar trailer, so it would not feed back to the utility power lines? I'm sure my utility company would love me for even thinking of doing this. I'm just trying to find a way to use my solar trailer asset to help power my home.
Can I use my solar trailer to help power my home?
- Thread starter barracj
- Start date
No. The only time you can backfeed is with a grid dependent inverter like a microinverter from Enphase, Chilicon, etc, that as soon as the grid drops, they shut down (and technically, they should be on their own circuit, and typically output 240v split phase to match the grid, so you can't just push through a 120V circuit anyway). You must never backfeed your house through an outlet whether that be a generator, solar trailer, or whatever. That spells danger to potentially both your equipment and a line worker.
The ATS goes between the grid, the loads, and the alternative (solar, generator, etc). In the event of grid failure, it transfers the loads to the alternative input.
If you want to support your house loads with solar, you'll need an inverter designed to do so, such as the GDIs mentioned above, or some type of "hybrid" inverter that goes between the grid and the loads, with solar feeding into it, something like the Outback Radian, or Schneider XW+, etc. Typically not cheap equipment.
How many watts of panels do you have on your trailer?
The ATS goes between the grid, the loads, and the alternative (solar, generator, etc). In the event of grid failure, it transfers the loads to the alternative input.
If you want to support your house loads with solar, you'll need an inverter designed to do so, such as the GDIs mentioned above, or some type of "hybrid" inverter that goes between the grid and the loads, with solar feeding into it, something like the Outback Radian, or Schneider XW+, etc. Typically not cheap equipment.
How many watts of panels do you have on your trailer?
Darn. That's what I figured. It sounded too easy. I already have a Schneider XW+ 4024 with 2.7kW of solar of my house roof, but since I have to build the trailer for another purpose I thought it would be worth it to try and find a way to supplement the house solar system. 2.7kW isn't very much so it needs all the help it can get. The trailer is very small so it will only support 800W of panels, but it needs battery storage for my project (7.2 kWh worth; my house only has 5kWh). Seems a shame to not use that resource that would otherwise just be sitting there most of the time.
Similar threads
