Newbie here -- I would like to add solar panels to existing system at my house / also add a separate battery backup system.

[memills]

Newbie here seeking advice for low cost ways to:

1. upgrade my solar system by adding up to 9 solar panels to an existing system with 19 solar panels (250w each).

2. add a battery backup system for power during grid blackouts.

Sure, a hybrid solar/battery system with peak shaving would be nice, but I am trying to keep costs down to a minimum.

For anyone willing to offer advice to a newbie, I have a detailed overview (with pics of the existing system) here:

Solar Upgrade - Battery Backup

PROJECT OVERVIEW Michael Mills / memills@gmail.com I have a grid tied solar system on my house that I would like to update with additional solar panels and with a battery backup system. Sure, a hybrid solar/battery system with peak shaving would be nice, but I am trying to keep costs down to a...

docs.google.com

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Thanks, in advance!

 

[Kuma]

If PGE this will put you on NEM 3 and permits will be required. I just use a generator for blackouts. The outages have been few and in short enough durations that the gen has not been used is a few years. You could look into the 1kw or 10% increase rule, again PGE. Dont know about the other utilities.

 

[teal95]

The other choice is to make it a completely separate system.

I have an 8.4kW system using a solaredge inverter that's on net metering. I've added another 20kW system that's programmed for no export with a SolArk 15k and 60 kWh of batteries.