Feeding whole house 200 amp panel off-grid

[GA_Solar]

Hi,
I've been combing the threads here looking for an answer. 1st off let me state:

No grid feed/sell back
No grid tie
No back up
No sub panels

~ Solar inverter(s) to main panel is the goal.

I'm going to purchase an; OFF GRID SOLAR KIT 16KW 48VDC 120V/240V LIFEPO4 25.6KWH LITHIUM BATTERY 32 X 415 WATTS SOLAR PANELS, or there about. Possibly an 18kw system.

My project in the works is a small mobile home with a 200 amp main panel with a 200A main breaker. At the meter (outdoors on a pole) there is a 200 amp breaker where grid power enters the property.

I want to feed the main panel, keeping the 200 amps. (4/0 A 2/0 C i know) These 16Kw - 18Kw inverters only support 50amp or so, LINE OUT, it seems. How can i feed a 200amp main, whole house panel with this setup?

I have installed smaller solar systems over the last 10 years but not into a main house panel. Thank you.

 

[BentleyJ]

Deleted: The title does say Off-Grid but the body says No Back Up. Off-Grid is basically the same a 100% BU so kind of confusing. My comment was incorrect. Refer to @chrisski

 

[chrisski]

For my Outback Radian, each 8 kW inverter gets fed into a 50 amp breaker to provide the 200 amp panel with power.

This can provide 32 kW of power, but please keep in mind 200 amp service is a 48 kW inverter. Getting the amount you want out of the 200 amp box may require more or less inverters depending on your loads and actual output. For the Radians, up to 10 can be hooked together.

This is the off grid diagram from Outbacks website for the 200 amp box with 4 inverters.


I have a grid tied system with 2 radians that I have hooked to a 100 amp box and I am confident that my setup for that is solid. These radians can reliably output continuous 16 kW of power, and my max continuous loads on them will be 10 kW. The only limiting factor for me will be my 20 kWh battery bank. This can't get me through a night with Air Conditioner running and other big loads in the summer. In the winter, THeis will get me through the day and let me charge an EV at night.

 

[TM48]

I'm trying to understand why a small mobile home would ever use 200 amps. My house has a 200 amp panel too but I doubt I could pull more than 100 if I tried. Also 25kw of battery is not near enough to be completely off grid.

 

[RussNM]

I

I'm trying to understand why a small mobile home would ever use 200 amps. My house has a 200 amp panel too but I doubt I could pull more than 100 if I tried. Also 25kw of battery is not near enough to be completely off grid.

I would guess that its just an off the shelf 200A panel with PLENTY of space for breakers. Unless they have 4 electric stoves and dryers running at the same time it seems that a 200a service panel is overkill. Heck I have a 60A main breaker on my home. We just dont have any electricity hogs.
And right now I have 25kwh of battery that works fine...for me that is.

 

[GA_Solar]

Thank you all for responses, @chrisski - So, four 50a breakers (four inverters) into a box, thus 200a coming out (The main lugs being power out? ) to then feed the 200a main house panel? Do i have the right?

 

[GA_Solar]

Could i replace the 200a breaker in the main house panel with a 100a main shut off breaker?

 

[Johneb]

We too have a 200 amp breaker box. Ours is an all electric manufactured home. I have slowly decreased our electric usage to about half of what it used to be. I have been told by an electrician that we most of the time probably don't use even 50 amp. Since looking at our bill I have to believe him. Most solar companies want to sell me a 6500-7500w solar system single phase. I have purchased an Outback GS8048A inverter which is capable of 2 phase. It will have 3 strings of about 3600 watts of solar each feeding the 3 fm80 scc. If what I have been told is correct I shouldn't need another inverter.

 

[NC_hydro]

I just fed the main 200amp lugs on the 200amp panel with the output from my 16kw of inverters with 2/0 Copper that's rated for 195amps on each phase. *If you're off grid. Sure I'm never going to put out 48,000watts at 240v but that's okay. I can surge to 40kw still 8kw from the full 48,000watts.

Or if you're wanting to keep the grid 200amp and be able to select your system then do an interlock on the top right or left of your panel with a 60 or 70 amp breaker. https://www.geninterlock.com/ Just figure out what brand panel etc and pick the right kit and breaker that matches.

 

[GA_Solar]

HVAC 60amp
Stove 40amp
Dryer 30amp

It adds up quick.
@Johneb are you feeding the 200a panel?

 

[GA_Solar]

@NC_hydro the grid will be turned off and disconnected. ~ Solar inverter(s) to main panel is the goal. No grid.

 

[BentleyJ]

We too have a 200 amp breaker box. Ours is an all electric manufactured home. I have slowly decreased our electric usage to about half of what it used to be. I have been told by an electrician that we most of the time probably don't use even 50 amp. Since looking at our bill I have to believe him. Most solar companies want to sell me a 6500-7500w solar system single phase. I have purchased an Outback GS8048A inverter which is capable of 2 phase. It will have 3 strings of about 3600 watts of solar each feeding the 3 fm80 scc. If what I have been told is correct I shouldn't need another inverter.

What are you trying to accomplish? Complete off-grid or perhaps Peak Load Shaving during higher rate times of the day or overall utility bill savings.

 

[GA_Solar]

According to Signature solar: a single 18kpv can only power 50a worth of loads.

 

[TM48]

HVAC 60amp
Stove 40amp
Dryer 30amp

It adds up quick.
@Johneb are you feeding the 200a panel?

None of those appliances will ever pull that amount.

 

[Johneb]

My HVAC 15 amp
Still I get your point. I will be feeding that 200amp breaker with a double throw 50 amp breaker. Very seldom are multiple appliances in use at the same time. If I find I need to upgrade to two inverters I can do that.

 

[patrickparrott]

The only reason why I have a 200amp panel is for the large number of breakers. I average 9kwh/day when I'm there and 3kwh/day when I'm gone. I doubt that I ever use more than 30 amps at a time.

 

[Supervstech]

Thank you all for responses, @chrisski - So, four 50a breakers (four inverters) into a box, thus 200a coming out (The main lugs being power out? ) to then feed the 200a main house panel? Do i have the right?

In this scenario, your 200A main panel will be a sub panel, so all neutrals and grounds must be on separate busbars, and the Neutral must be bonded to ground at the 4 50A panel.

 

[Mattb4]

You can supply a Main 200A panel with less than a 200A power supply. People do this all the time with a transfer switch or breaker interlock setup. If your power supply can not develop 200A at 240vAC it simply means that you can not have more loads than the new supply.

Loads are what you are powering, amperage is what they use. Breakers are rated to protect wires and circuits. In the case of the Mains 200A circuit breaker only being fed say 30A supply it is in effect just a disconnect to the panel and never will trip.

 

[EPicTony]

I have a 200A main breaker. I'm going thru a whole house 200A transfer switch. I have 3 EG4-6000Xp inverters.
1 inverter will run my entire house 90% of the time. Biggest hog is 3 ton AC. 2 inverters will handle anything for my house. Inverter#3 is for adding extra PV panels for battery charging (I don't even have the EPS output turned on). Granted I don't have an all electric house. I think you just need to schedule the big energy hogs. ie don't run the dryer and stove at the same time. I think you will need 2 Eg4-6000Xp inverters with all electric.

 

[GA_Solar]

In this scenario, your 200A main panel will be a sub panel, so all neutrals and grounds must be on separate busbars, and the Neutral must be bonded to ground at the 4 50A panel.

Right, good point, thx

 

[time2roll]

Hi,
I've been combing the threads here looking for an answer. 1st off let me state:

No grid feed/sell back
No grid tie
No back up
No sub panels

~ Solar inverter(s) to main panel is the goal.

I'm going to purchase an; OFF GRID SOLAR KIT 16KW 48VDC 120V/240V LIFEPO4 25.6KWH LITHIUM BATTERY 32 X 415 WATTS SOLAR PANELS, or there about. Possibly an 18kw system.

My project in the works is a small mobile home with a 200 amp main panel with a 200A main breaker. At the meter (outdoors on a pole) there is a 200 amp breaker where grid power enters the property.

I want to feed the main panel, keeping the 200 amps. (4/0 A 2/0 C i know) These 16Kw - 18Kw inverters only support 50amp or so, LINE OUT, it seems. How can i feed a 200amp main, whole house panel with this setup?

I have installed smaller solar systems over the last 10 years but not into a main house panel. Thank you.

First have the utility remove the meter. The combined power from the inverter(s) will feed in where you remove the utility feed in.
If you want to reduce the main breaker that is fine. Either way the inverters will automatically shut down from overload.

Depends on location but I think 25kWh battery is small for 16kW solar. OK to expand as needed.

 

[EPicTony]

Don't remove the meter, the grid is your backup. Unless you have a ton of battery storage and a really big PV array you will need the grid to make your life easy. Look at my signature, after having solar for over a year there is no way i would ever remove my meter. The convenience factor is way too big to 100% disconnect from the grid. I'm sure a lot of others will agree with me on this.

 

[GA_Solar]

Don't remove the meter, the grid is your backup. Unless you have a ton of battery storage and a really big PV array you will need the grid to make your life easy. Look at my signature, after having solar for over a year there is no way i would ever remove my meter. The convenience factor is way too big to 100% disconnect from the grid. I'm sure a lot of others will agree with me on this.

I'm definitely turning off grid power. Off-grid 100%, as noted at start of this post.

 

[time2roll]

EG4-6000XP (3 in parallel)
Battery: 71kwh EG4-LL (2 EG4 battery racks) + 2
44- Solarever 455W Panels
1 - EG4 Chargeverter 5kw Battery charger
20kw Max Total PV power

Nice system.

How big is the house? All electric?
Ohio may present more challenges than Georgia.

I am just 6 weeks off grid in SoCal. 16kW solar, 52kWh battery. No issues. So far grid available if needed.

 

[Zwy]

I would install a 200A panel with 3 back fed breakers at the location of the inverters. This allows isolation of any inverter and combines all output. This allows running a large feeder line to the current main panel. This is also where N-G bond should occur and a grounding rod.

Wiring is simple, the new 200A panel cable lugs will be wired to the current main panel lugs. The current main panel is now a subpanel.

If you decide to add a generator and I'm certain you will need one without grid backup, the new panel can contain another back fed breaker but there will need to be an interlock so inverter power can not be on at the same time. I would just use a Chargeverter instead as this would allow full generator output with excess charging the batteries.