HOW DO I BEGIN TO THWART THE UTILITY COMPANY

[obidai_the_obtuse]

I live in rural Arizona. I work as a Diagnostic Maintenance Electrician having served a state certified, ibew endorsed, industrial mining company sponsored maintenance electrian's apprenticeship. I have worked in industrial construction for about a year. I believe I can manage a small solar array but I could be wrong as I've never built one.
I cant stand my Federal utility organization. My home has an ancient 3 phase, 240vac, 40 amp, commercial air conditioner. I have spoken to a contractor for a bid to take my entire house off grid. That would cost in the realm of $70k. Out of my reach for the foreseeable future. However, I think I can manage just taking the air conditioner off grid.
I've searched 3 phase 240 40amp off grid solar kits on Google and it leads to some $3k-$6k options but I haven't found anything that actually says 3 phase. Where should I begin?

 

[green mountain boys]

Why do you want to keep the ancient 3 phase air conditioner? Is it efficient?

 

[Philip53]

Maybe start with a new split phase, more efficient heat pump? That would ditch your 3 phase service & would probably make installing a residential solar system a bit easier. That 3 phase service may cause more problems than it's worth.

Disclaimer: I am not an electrician

 

[Ampster]

Three phase is more efficient for motor loads but I do not know how that compares to modern minisplit systems that use internal inverters to drive their compressors at variable speeds? Shifting to single phase will open a lot more options in terms of equipment choices in off grid inverters or AIO hybrid grid tie inverters.

 

[OzSolar]

A home with three phase would be out of the norm but not impossible. What is the L to L voltage of the phases? L to N voltage of the phases? I'm curious if you have a high leg delta system.

 

[green mountain boys]

Do you have anything else that requires 3 phase power? Do you think you will need 3 phase power in the future? What is your plan to run single phase loads if you wire 3 phase power?

 

[400bird]

To take that load completely off grid, you'd need inverters that can handle the starting inrush of the compressor motor and can be stacked in 3 phase. Plus solar and batteries.
You'd need to provide or calculate how much of each.
It might be easier to do grid tied with a hybrid inverter to start. If your utility does net metering, it's an easier decision.

More importantly, how did you get a house with 3-phase!? That's cool

 

[45North]

I live in rural Arizona. I work as a Diagnostic Maintenance Electrician having served a state certified, ibew endorsed, industrial mining company sponsored maintenance electrian's apprenticeship. I have worked in industrial construction for about a year. I believe I can manage a small solar array but I could be wrong as I've never built one.
I cant stand my Federal utility organization. My home has an ancient 3 phase, 240vac, 40 amp, commercial air conditioner. I have spoken to a contractor for a bid to take my entire house off grid. That would cost in the realm of $70k. Out of my reach for the foreseeable future. However, I think I can manage just taking the air conditioner off grid.
I've searched 3 phase 240 40amp off grid solar kits on Google and it leads to some $3k-$6k options but I haven't found anything that actually says 3 phase. Where should I begin?

Replace the old air with something newer and more efficient. Should cost a lot less than $70K.
And forget about the 3 phase unless you need it for something else. Problem solved!

 

[TommySr]

there are people that run Bridgeport mills(needs 3 phase AC) in their home garage,
they use a Single Phase to 3 Phase Converter.


Tommy
SE Wisconsin

 

[green mountain boys]

there are people that run Bridgeport mills(needs 3 phase AC) in their home garage,
they use a Single Phase to 3 Phase Converter.


Tommy
SE Wisconsin

There are quite a few homes around here that have 3 phase. Usually for a garage or shop. Hell, I know 1 guy who put 7,200v into his house!

 

[teal95]

Some of the commonly available inverters can be wired for 3 phase, 208v. For my use I have a common high end split phase AiO to run the house and a set of 3 inverters that will pull off the common batteries to run some machinery in my shop. I just got the split phase up and running so I haven't worked on the 3 phase yet.