I paid Amazon $440 for this 60A. What model did you get? This Siemens 100A? https://www.zoro.com/siemens-nonfusible-double-throw-safety-switch-general-duty-240v-ac-3pst-dtgnf323nr/i/G8653321/
I checked the manual regarding the heat pump and it shows a more math-based than available breaker-based requirement. Minimum 28.XX and maximum 35. The unit was installed about 18 months ago (before I knew about mini-splits) replacing the old unit, and I think they used the existing wiring that went to the 100 amp breaker. Don't know the gauge but it may not fit a 30 amp breaker. I might opt for a 60a.
I think I replied to this further down the string, sorry. Has an attachment pic of the 100a breaker.
Looks like 4 ga wire. Damn, that sucker will take some power to run.
Could you expand on this? What would happen if L1 coming from main was used as L2 in CL and vice versa? I'm going to be running 200 feet of wire from 60a in main to a 3 pole and 60a in my solar shed and want to make sure I do it right.
You wrote, "When installing my system, I ran grid power thru the transfer switch to the subpanel." I want to be sure I get this....So the 3 pole transfer switch is on the line out from the double pole 60 amp on the main ? that goes to the AC in on the inverters ? except when you throw the transfer switch it switches from powering the inverters (grid assist) to powering the CL/sub panel? So this is like the bypass in the inverter software except it provides protection from current in the neutral, unlike the software bypass?
It's wired like this, back then I purchased 2 LV6548's and was leaving the bond screws in place. You won't have to deal with the bonding screw if your EG4 6500EX inverter was shipped without and have the updated software. The 3 pole wired this way allows switching sources of power and total bypass of the inverters. You can still run inverters in bypass mode or manually switch to grid power and bypass all the inverter circuits.
You read my mind. This will help me to wire the system with the 3 pole double throw switch. I can see the switch as pictured is bypassing the inverters and the main/grid is powering the CL. Looks like I will need one more DP 60a for the main. I have the earlier Eg4 6500s so I will need to remove both bonding screws....and I see in your diagram that N and G are bonded in the main. Thanks, Zwy, for the explanation and the diagram.It's wired like this, back then I purchased 2 LV6548's and was leaving the bond screws in place. You won't have to deal with the bonding screw if your EG4 6500EX inverter was shipped without and have the updated software. The 3 pole wired this way allows switching sources of power and total bypass of the inverters. You can still run inverters in bypass mode or manually switch to grid power and bypass all the inverter circuits.
With a common neutral that is pass thru on the inverters, a neutral has to be provided if you need to isolate the inverter circuits and power the subpanel.
I'm not an electrician or electrical engineer so take this strictly as my opinion. L1 and L2 are each 120v but 180 degrees out of phase. If you cross the two directly you're going to get a short circuit. But where I think you're going to see issues in this scenario is if you switch with the transfer switch (or the inverter auto-switches to bypass) and the phases are reversed you could have damage to any electrical motors and maybe some other equipment or components. I'm sure the gurus can explain the tech behind this. All I can tell you is it's not good to cross phases. Plus it just makes sense to keep everything consistent throughout your installation, if for no other reason than for troubleshooting down the road.
I raise grass fed Dexter cattle for breeding stock but also for beef so keeping our freezers up and running is a big deal for us too.
Do you have a clamp meter? I'd want to know how many amps each thing is drawing. Good clamp meters aren't cheap but neither is all the equipment you're installing. You may want to consider it if you don't have one. I recommend Fluke but Klein is pretty good too.
I will check these out, thank you ETC. I do want to get a clamp meter. I saw that some fill up a panel with every circuit clamped, but others just clamp to the main entrance wires and somehow extrapolate over time by usage which circuits are used and how much they use. First I need to shop a 3 pole double throw switch....
Make sure when you get a clamp meter it can measure DC Amps. I've been burned a few times by not paying close enough attention and buying another meter only to find out it only can measure AC amps...
I should snap a photo of my panel setup, the 2 electrical panels and transfer switch are about 15 feet away from the inverters. I did add a 60A double pole breaker in a cheap Homeline 70A breaker panel to the inverter output. I'll post up a photo over the weekend.
