Connecting off grid inverter to house wiring

[WindWizard]

I agree with being safe. I have a Generator setup with an interlock system. I was going to do the same for the Inverter. What I need to know is if I use the 2 breakers and jump from one to the other will it work? Is neutral going to be a problem?

So you would be using your main panel and then connecting the two AC phases together with breakers after turning off the grid and then connecting your inverter neutral to the main panel neutral and your inverter hot to the breakers?

Yes it will work but it is certainly not recommended. I do not think you would get any electrician to buy off on it.

 

[gnoeld]

Why no sign off? Is it unsafe for emergency use only?

 

[WindWizard]

In my opinion yes. I am not an electrician, but murphy's law suggests that sometime down the road something will go wrong such as forgetting to flip a breaker while engaging the main breaker. If you could make it so that it is impossible to turn the main breaker while one of the two breakers was connecting to the inverter then I would consider that to be a safe and reasonable way to do it but as long as there is the possibility of someone who should not be doing it accidently seeing two breaker off and deciding that off breakers should be switched on while troubleshooting a power issue with another circuit, then yes it is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[gnoeld]

I agree
That's why I will be incorporating my interlock system into this making it impossible to have the main breaker on.

 

[gnoeld]

Now I am wondering if I could wire my inverter into the same 50amp breaker I am using for the generator. I would only be using one or the other and the 50 amp breaker would cover both buss bars. Then I can use the same interlock system. Your thoughts?
I am thinking all I need to do is to make a pigtail from the Inverter to the box that both the gen and the inverter would use to power the panel. Then I would be using only one connection to the panel 50 amp breaker

 

[WindWizard]

Again yes it would work but then it would be nice to have an interlock system in case somone was to turn on the generator while the inverter was hooked up. I like the thought of connecting both the inverter and the generator to a dpdt relay and then switching them. That way it would be impossible to connect both at the same time.

 

[gnoeld]

Again yes it would work but then it would be nice to have an interlock system in case somone was to turn on the generator while the inverter was hooked up. I like the thought of connecting both the inverter and the generator to a dpdt relay and then switching them. That way it would be impossible to connect both at the same time.

I like your idea but if I only use one point of connection you could never plug in the gen and inv at the same time. Saves some costs

 

[WindWizard]

I like your idea but if I only use one point of connection you could never plug in the gen and inv at the same time. Saves some costs

My generator is only used as a backup in case the grid is down and the batteries do not have enough charge. What I do is flip off the main breaker, plug the generator cord into an outlet and backfeed the main power box. If someone was to flip on the main breaker after the grid was back up and then the generator was running then best case it would trip the breaker and worse case it would fry something.

 

[gnoeld]

My generator is only used as a backup in case the grid is down and the batteries do not have enough charge. What I do is flip off the main breaker, plug the generator cord into an outlet and backfeed the main power box. If someone was to flip on the main breaker after the grid was back up and then the generator was running then best case it would trip the breaker and worse case it would fry something.

With an inexpensive interlock system you would never have that issue
MANUFACTURER

GenInterlock​

MODEL #SD-100A-1A

• Met Lab Listed
• Top Right
• Instructions
• MET Certification

$64.95

 

[WindWizard]

With an inexpensive interlock system you would never have that issue
MANUFACTURER

GenInterlock​

MODEL #SD-100A-1A

• Met Lab Listed
• Top Right
• Instructions
• MET Certification

$64.95

A great idea but would not work for me. My main switches in the vertical and my generator, which is not adjacent, switches in the horizontal.

 

[gnoeld]

They make all different kinds for all different panels. Only used in the panel not on the gen