Solar and grid used at the same time?

[litleboy]

I have a basic questions, can SOLAR and GRID be used at the same time? can both be working simultaneously, say, I have just a few panels and planning to keep adding until one day it's all solar, but in the mean time, can the extra power needed be pulled from the grid?

Thanks

 

[Mike 134]

Yep

 

[meetyg]

Yes, it's called a grid-tied system.

 

[wattmatters]

Yep

With the right inverter. Not all can blend both solar PV and grid supply.

All grid tied inverters will do this. Off-grid inverters (with option for a grid input) is where it gets more variable.

 

[Mike 134]

With the right inverter. Not all can blend both solar PV and grid supply.

All grid tied inverters will do this. Off-grid inverters (with option for a grid input) is where it gets more variable.

Yep, but that's for him to drill down for all the details.

 

[OpenNRG]

I have a basic questions, can SOLAR and GRID be used at the same time? can both be working simultaneously, say, I have just a few panels and planning to keep adding until one day it's all solar, but in the mean time, can the extra power needed be pulled from the grid?

Thanks

Growatt 3kW Stackable Off-Grid Inverter | SPF 3000TL LVM-ES

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

Growatt 5kW Stackable Off-Grid Inverter | SPF 5000 ES

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

It's really pathetic that none of the retailers or manufacturers can find the time to properly demonstrate this. Have to go to individuals to even see it work.

 

[GLC]

I do that now with manual transfer switch boxes where i can have up to 20 circuits either on grid or solar.

 

[peakbagger]

Do note that in order for a grid tie inverter to play well with the grid, the home utility meter usually needs to be reconfigured to allow two way power metering. The old style spinning wheel meters would frequently run backwards so that power sent back to the grid effectively did the math for the power company to figure out the net power usage. Modern digital meters are usually installed by default with a "ratchet" feature that treat all power going through the meter as being supplied by the power company. When a grid tied system is installed the meter needs to be reconfigured usually setting up two channels, one channel reads power supplied by the power company and the second channel records the power sent from the grid tied panels. In this case the power company does the math. With a net metered rate, the 2nd channel is subtracted from the first channel. Some utilities are now convincing regulators to set up rate plans to pay less for grid tied solar sent back to the grid then what they sell or charge for power coming from the grid, in some cases there could be a big difference. If the meter is not reconfigured, the grid tie system will effectively be paying to send power to the grid. This happens frequently to folks who illegally connect systems without permission to interconnect.

 

[Dynoman]

I have a basic questions, can SOLAR and GRID be used at the same time? can both be working simultaneously, say, I have just a few panels and planning to keep adding until one day it's all solar, but in the mean time, can the extra power needed be pulled from the grid?

Thanks

Currently have several 120 VAC circuits running as described below and adding more as more solar panels are added. The current system uses the Samlex EVO-2224-Inverter-Charger 24 VDC to 120 VAC.

This setup works for me.

When the 13 Kwh Lifepo4 solar battery bank voltage gets low (to my programmed voltage) the Samlex EVO transfers to power the loads from the grid. Once the solar battery bank is charged up (to my programmed voltage) by the solar panels the Samlex EVO transfers to power the loads from the Inverter using the solar battery bank.

While using grid power to supply the loads (and the solar panels are charging the battery) the Samlex EVO-2224-Inverter-Charger is programmed to just supply 2 amps to charge the solar battery. That way the solar panels are used to charge the solar battery and the Samlex EVO-2224-Inverter-Charger just supplies a small trickle charge to the solar battery. I find the trickle charge useful because the solar system uses a small amount of power (inverter in idle, solar controllers etc.) and this keeps the battery voltage from going lower during prolonged periods of cloudy days especially during the winter at my location.

This time of year, in the summer, the circuits are normally supplied by solar power and rarely by the grid power, but during the winter months of December & January it is common for the grid to supply the circuits.

One nice feature of the Samlex EVO line of Inverter/chargers is the grid power is always synchronized to the inverter. That way when the Samlex EVO's built in automatic transfer switch changes from grid to inverter power or vice versa there is minimal spike and interruption of power. It is my understanding that the Schneider Electric SW 4024 inverter/charger has similar features and more.

Probably moving to 120/240 split phase sometime in the future. Looking at the Samlex EVO 4248 120/240 split phase inverter/charger or a Schneider Electric SW 4024 120/240 split phase inverter/charger depending on future system voltage of 48 or 24 VDC.

That's my 2 cents...

 

[400bird]

I do that now with manual transfer switch boxes where i can have up to 20 circuits either on grid or solar.

That sounds arduous. A grid tie inverter does it seamlessly.

I have a basic questions, can SOLAR and GRID be used at the same time? can both be working simultaneously, say, I have just a few panels and planning to keep adding until one day it's all solar, but in the mean time, can the extra power needed be pulled from the grid?

Thanks

What are your goals? Just standard grid tie solar?
Are you going to get permits and utility agreement to backfeed the grid?
Does your power company do net metering?
Are you looking to have a battery back up in case the grid goes down?

 

[GLC]

That sounds arduous. A grid tie inverter does it seamlessly.



Not really, no permits, no inspections, less cost. Do everything myself. And besides, those circuits stay on solar 99 percent of the time. Grid is just a backup.

 

[400bird]

Not really, no permits, no inspections, less cost. Do everything myself. And besides, those circuits stay on solar 99 percent of the time. Grid is just a backup.

I forget that not everyone pulls permits to do it the legal way.

Either way, the OP might be gone, they haven't replied.

 

[GLC]

I forget that not everyone pulls permits to do it the legal way.

Either way, the OP might be gone, they haven't replied.

Before you get all judgemental, no permits needed if it is not grid tied. 100 percent legal. And yes, i am not one of the sheep that needs to ask for permission first when there is no need to.

 

[litleboy]

Thanks for the help, I did a little bit of YT research, I'm under the impression that only "hybrid" inverters combine different sources of power, the rest only switch between sources.

 

[litleboy]

Growatt 3kW Stackable Off-Grid Inverter | SPF 3000TL LVM-ES

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

Growatt 5kW Stackable Off-Grid Inverter | SPF 5000 ES

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

It's really pathetic that none of the retailers or manufacturers can find the time to properly demonstrate this. Have to go to individuals to even see it work.

I see it has the function of combining two sources, I wonder why is not designated as a hybrid.

 

[Hedges]

"UPS"
"AC Charger"

This one may have a transfer switch (UPS) and also an AC to DC charger allowing utility to supply some power and PV supplies additional.
Many different system architectures; you'll have to read the details and try to figure it out.

Some inverters synchronize their output with grid and provide part of power from PV/battery, while avoiding backfeed. More sophisticated, more expensive, full U.L. testing and listing is appropriate for those (safety reasons.)