Grid tied, zero export panels and battery noob question

[installer69]

Very new so please don't flame! I had a search but due to my not yet understanding the correct terminology and abbreviations I just find lots of answers that don't relate to my question.

So here it is: I live in Spain. I have fairly idle usage, perhaps sub 0.4 kWh day and night. Without going through the electric company, feeding back to the grid id a no no.

The solution my amateur mind has arrived at is a grid tied 1kW inverter with export limiter via a CT clamp on the post meter supply live and approx 500w of panels.

There doesn't seem to be a huge choice of this type of inverter which I suppose should concern me.

My question is this: is there a way by using a charge controller perhaps to include batteries in the system? The inverter says it has mppt. Will this scupper the plan?

I understand that I could go the hybrid inverter route and turn export to grid off but this would entail rewiring the fuse box. It's an option but I thought I'd ask for advice/experiences here first if that's OK?

I don't expect spoon feeding, links to info for me to research is fine and help with the correct terminology and search terms would be a bonus too.

Many thanks

 

[svetz]

Welcome to the forums!

You can run the panels to the separate MPPT, which connects to the battery, and then the battery connects to the inverter (i.e., leave the inverter's MPPT input disconnected). In that configuration, the solar panels should only charge the battery.

If you want to export power to the grid, then you'll need to run the panels into inverter's MPPT and some sort of net-metering agreement with your utilily provider.

You might also check if your inverter supports a zero-grid-export feature. Some locations allow them to be grid-connected without a net metering agreement and then you wouldn't need any other devices.

Hope that helps!

 

[StuartV]

How much electricity do you use in a day? What wold you be powering with solar?

I rent, so cant interfer with the electrics in this house, so I've installed a seperate fuse box by the all in one inverter, then run cable discretley through the house with double switched sockets in the rooms I'll be using devices off solar.

An all in one is a solar charge controller and inverter all in one ? With these, you just need solar panels and a battery/batteries.

I started off with a 1kw Iconia all in one (AIO from now on), and 1 x 12.8V lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePo4). I thought that would've been enough, BUT I didnt calculate my usage correctly. Who knew a washing machine would use 1.7kw to heat up water on a 30oC wash ey! ?

So, I upgraded to a 3kw Iconica AIO, bought a few more batteries, and here we are, doing the washing on the weekend with solar!

I built my system back in May this year, so still learning too.

My system is "off grid" as I dont feed any excess electricity generated back in to the grid. I can however use the grid to charge my batteries with the AIO I have tho.

Hope this helps ?