diy solar

diy solar

Can inverter/charger switch to shore power for surge power?

Danjo

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Joined
Jun 16, 2020
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Hello. I am using my small, separate garage building as a way to learn solar. I have that garage running on solar with 2000w inverter running off solar-charged Lifepo4 batteries. A MOES transfer switch switches to shore power when batteries get too low. When the sun comes up and recharges the batteries then the MOES switches back to the batteries & inverter. Normal power demand is below 1000w, but certain tools, when they start up, cause brief power surges to about 2500w. I know I should have a 3000w inverter (or inverter/charger) to handle the 2500w surge but am curious if I correctly understand what a 2000w inverter/charger would be capable of, so I wonder:
1) If I were to install a 2000w inverter/charger, would it be able to primarily run off solar but, in the event of, say, a 2500w surge, would it be able to switch to shore power to feed that surge and then switch back to battery power once the power demand drops below 2000w? (I assume my MOES switch would be retired in this scenario due to the inverter/charger's built-in transfer switch.)
2) Is item #1 above a practical idea? I ask because, of course, more powerful inverter/chargers add up to more money.

These answers are a bit hard to find on the web so thanks for any education you can provide me.
Dan J.
 
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