MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
I think we are agreeing that if someone tell you they have a hybrid you still no nothing of use about what they have
Confusion on meaning of Off Grid vs Grid-tie vs Zero Export
- Thread starter jdufford
- Start date
Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
I disagree. The size of the inverter main breaker determines whether the entire house load can be serviced by the grid. I do not know all the variations of main breaker sizes versus inverter capacity but you have to dive into the specs to see what they are. I know for a fact that some hybrids can pass more power than the inverter can produce. We are splitting hairs here. Loads do not pass through an inverter. Power passes through and inverter to service loads.
What is your use case? What inverter are you using and does it fit your needs?
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Not at all.
If someone has a hybrid. They can export to the grid and/or run on battery without the grid.
MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
Yes, but it still must be able to pass the load thru it.
MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
Was grid tied without permission from mid December, 2021 to 21-July-2023. First with one inverter in parallel with grid and zero export, then two, then when enough battery, cut the cord.
Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
That is where things are getting lost in translation. I see power passing through the inverter to service the loads. Essentially the loads pull the current and in that situation it only goes one way. That capacity may be higher than the capacity of the inverter to export or service loads. If the inverter cannot service the loads the grid covers the difference and some hybrids allow you to set parameters of grid versus inverter support for loads.
MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
I’m assuming if your inverter fails, your loads lose power?
With mine, when grid tied it didn’t matter if inverter was alive or not, house stayed up. And I didn’t have to worry about limiting the connected loads to whatever the inverter could power or pass thru.
MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
And, one reason to carry on the back and forth is to illustrate how many different ways it can be done if anyone else is learning from this
Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
No, the grid passes through to the loads unless the grid input breaker opens because the loads were greater than the breaker size. My Outback Skybox functioned differently and I had to wire a manual bypass just to take the inverter portion offline. To be clear, the hybrid box is more than just an inverter, it is a transfer switch, a charge controller, a battery charger and an inverter.
MajicDiver
Solar Enthusiast
And everyone that sells the inverters I’m using calls them gridtied, but of course they are hybrid by that definition. Edit: Well, not everybody- it appears there are exceptions.
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Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
I believe there was some limit unless you were using an external transfer switch. Even a transfer switch has a current limit.
Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
Marketing talk is just that. As mentioned a hybrid is both grid tied and off grid capable. All hybrids by definition are capable of being grid tied, but not all grid tied inverters are hybrids. If this conversation continues any longer I will be having dreams about splitting hairs. Good night.
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timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Marketing can be confusing.
You could complain to them. But I don't think they care. They will say whatever they think will produce the most sales.
dougbert
Solar Addict
I have the XW Pro hybrid inverter, but I run my system in off grid operation, with the grid breaker in OFF position. I have the grid but want to live without it and am growing my system to be able to do that in the winter.
April to Oct I am 100% running on solar photons, including the electric range
Winter months I need backup power, automatically from the grid when the battery gets low with a chargeverter or manually if needed by generator
I do not want nor need or desire Netmetering
I do not like to do grid pass through, rather I live on the battery
To charge the battery I use Chargeverters powered by the grid or by a generator
I use my inverter strictly as an inverter and not as a charger. I have it wired to do so, but my policy is not to do that
My build in linked in my signature as MY BUILD THREAD as well
In post #1 is my 1 line schematic of the system plus fairly current photos
April to Oct I am 100% running on solar photons, including the electric range
Winter months I need backup power, automatically from the grid when the battery gets low with a chargeverter or manually if needed by generator
I do not want nor need or desire Netmetering
I do not like to do grid pass through, rather I live on the battery
To charge the battery I use Chargeverters powered by the grid or by a generator
I use my inverter strictly as an inverter and not as a charger. I have it wired to do so, but my policy is not to do that
My build in linked in my signature as MY BUILD THREAD as well
In post #1 is my 1 line schematic of the system plus fairly current photos
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I was able to click on it from a desktop computer
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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They were referring to clicking on the picture of the bold print, I believe.
CaliSunHarvester
Solar Enthusiast
I learnt last weekend from an electrician friend in San Jose, CA that a typical solar installation costs now 60k... WITHOUT BATTERY BACKUP.
Crazy!!!
CaliSunHarvester
Solar Enthusiast
hwy17
Anti-Solar Enthusiast
Is the EG4 3K not a hybrid then? I don't think it can export, even though I think it can sync and invert with the grid. It just doesn't have the feature to allow positive power flow out the input. Or maybe I'm wrong about it.
This is the whole us solar industry. It's the biggest scam I know of right now. Every day there are stories of people who paid 50-95k on a solar system and their bill didn't even drop. I advise people around me not to get solar unless they plan to diy it and most people can't so they should just stay away.
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