4 ms·

Also he didn't mention an auto disconnect if the power goes out, and as I understand it this is required in most places. You could be responsible for killing so

Also he didn't mention an auto disconnect if the power goes out, and as I understand it this is required in most places. You could be responsible for killing someone with out it. The power is out and the lines are being worked on. The line is supposed to be dead. Your solar system is making power and sends it out of the house, back on the grid.

avianlyric 5y ago
He did. He’s using a grid tie inverter which requires the grid to provide a synchronisation signal for the output AC waveform. No power, no grid signal, no output AC waveform.
- jandrese 5y ago
  This is a standard feature of every grid tie inverter. Unfortunately it also means you can't power your house when the grid is out unless you also have a battery attached. Not that you would want to run appliances with the power dipping out randomly anyway. Maybe to charge a laptop/phone or run basic incandescent bulb/electric space heater/toaster type loads.
  - llampx 5y ago
    As the author mentioned, that can be done with a DC-DC converter.
- marvin 5y ago
  Is this system guaranteed to not run into some sort of deadlock situation if your neighbor also has one of these installed?
  - avianlyric 5y ago
    Pretty much. Unless your neighbour has enough generating capacity to power the entire section of the grid your connected too (which would blow every fuse in the supply unit, and melt every cable between them and nearest transformer). Any power either you or your neighbour tired to put into the grid would be immediately consumed by all of your other neighbours (and of course your own appliances) that it would drag your AC waveform completely out of spec (I.e. it should be 230V AC, but your equipment can only supply enough juice to support 0.01V AC). So you’re inverter would shutdown due to lack of recognisable grid compliant waveform. Either that or catch fire from trying to drive thousands of amps (from 100 acre solar farm on your balcony) into your power socket, which would also catch fire, along with all the cable in the wall, well, you get the idea. In short physics and simple supply and demand ensure that no home scale inverter would ever be able to maintain an even vaguely compliant AC waveform during a blackout.

avianlyric 5y ago

He did. He’s using a grid tie inverter which requires the grid to provide a synchronisation signal for the output AC waveform. No power, no grid signal, no output AC waveform.

jandrese 5y ago
This is a standard feature of every grid tie inverter. Unfortunately it also means you can't power your house when the grid is out unless you also have a battery attached. Not that you would want to run appliances with the power dipping out randomly anyway. Maybe to charge a laptop/phone or run basic incandescent bulb/electric space heater/toaster type loads.
- llampx 5y ago
  As the author mentioned, that can be done with a DC-DC converter.
marvin 5y ago
Is this system guaranteed to not run into some sort of deadlock situation if your neighbor also has one of these installed?
- avianlyric 5y ago
  Pretty much. Unless your neighbour has enough generating capacity to power the entire section of the grid your connected too (which would blow every fuse in the supply unit, and melt every cable between them and nearest transformer). Any power either you or your neighbour tired to put into the grid would be immediately consumed by all of your other neighbours (and of course your own appliances) that it would drag your AC waveform completely out of spec (I.e. it should be 230V AC, but your equipment can only supply enough juice to support 0.01V AC). So you’re inverter would shutdown due to lack of recognisable grid compliant waveform. Either that or catch fire from trying to drive thousands of amps (from 100 acre solar farm on your balcony) into your power socket, which would also catch fire, along with all the cable in the wall, well, you get the idea. In short physics and simple supply and demand ensure that no home scale inverter would ever be able to maintain an even vaguely compliant AC waveform during a blackout.