pmeloy
New Member
I'm researching adding solar to my home. I had some solar in my travel trailer years ago (simple 12V system) and I'm a former Marine Engineer/Civilian Operating Engineer (not the college boy but the ones operating machinery). So I have a good understanding of electrical (though nowhere near that of an actual electrician).
Putting in a single String inverter/charger system is pretty simple but I don't like having lots of large guage wiring and only 10 years warranty so I'm looking at microinverters but I'm just not understanding the grid tie/power outage functionality.
If I am grid tied it looks like the microinverters will isolate so no power is pushed onto the grid to electrocute any unwary electricians working on a powered down line. That is good BUT that would mean that on a sunny day when the grid is down (happens pretty much weekly here in the Philippines) Do I get no solar power at all?
Putting in a single String inverter/charger system is pretty simple but I don't like having lots of large guage wiring and only 10 years warranty so I'm looking at microinverters but I'm just not understanding the grid tie/power outage functionality.
If I am grid tied it looks like the microinverters will isolate so no power is pushed onto the grid to electrocute any unwary electricians working on a powered down line. That is good BUT that would mean that on a sunny day when the grid is down (happens pretty much weekly here in the Philippines) Do I get no solar power at all?