Who knows solar panel wiring????

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I have a 1.5k system up and running fully permitted and running for a few months now. They are 6X265w panels with microinverters. My question is, can I add on some 5X75w panels with one inverter for these and not affect the 265w panels? The 265's are facing south and i want to install the 70's on the West side of the house,where I can catch the latter day's sunlight.Thanks
 
I guess it depends on where the output gets added?

It's all DC up to the inverter right?
 
Then the inverter output just feeds back into the house wiring at the outlet?

If so I see no problem.
 
Originally Posted By: daves66nova
Yes .for these panels, I want to get an inverter that plugs into the wall receptacle.
My NFPA National Electric Code is a little dated, but this idea makes me tingle. A single line diagram would illuminate your proposal and draw better input. I would be shocked if the permitting authority allowed this. However, I am years removed from current regulations. Resist the temptation to do this on advice from those of us on the internet.
 
Originally Posted By: DoiInthanon
Originally Posted By: daves66nova
Yes .for these panels, I want to get an inverter that plugs into the wall receptacle.
My NFPA National Electric Code is a little dated, but this idea makes me tingle. A single line diagram would illuminate your proposal and draw better input. I would be shocked if the permitting authority allowed this. However, I am years removed from current regulations. Resist the temptation to do this on advice from those of us on the internet.

This. There's no way that would be up to code. Do they even make inverters that plug into a wall outlet? I doubt it. Even if you properly permanently wire in more panels or inverters inverters, you have to get another permit and get the system re-approved by the power company.
 
Originally Posted By: daves66nova
Yes .for these panels, I want to get an inverter that plugs into the wall receptacle.
I wouldn't do that as it's a shock hazard, not to mention a code violation. You'd be feeding Vac into your house wiring downstream of the PV array disconnect, not to mention your main panel disconnect. Furthermore, this additonal panel(s) needs to be bonded (grounded) to the same place as the other panels + the main breaker box.

If you don't understand this, then don't mess with it.
 
If the outlet is grounded then the ground bond is there. But the panels are DC.

There is the concern about feeding power back into the grid when eh main grid is down.
 
Grid tie micro inverter systems are safe, reliable and effective.

There are people using various different brand micro inverters in a single location.

I fail to see why a well engineered grid tie inverter would be affected by other (different brand/output etc) grid tie inverters on the same circuit.

Also, if you are doing 120V grid tie stuff, you can use a different "leg" of the 240 circuit, thereby reducing the risk of interference between brands.

Remember that your 240V circuit really is 2 phases of 120, with a common neutral.

120-n-120
---240---

Edited to add, if you are using cheap Chinese stuff, it's anybody's guess what they will do. Some of them have difficulty syncing as it is. I was thinking about Enphase grade stuff.
 
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A grid tie anything needs have a physical disconnect. You can't just unplug it.

Most won't operate without seeing incoming power first which again is smart considering your linemen would appreciate not being electrocuted when they shut the power down. Backfeeding can kill people.
 
Lineman should always consider the wires hot. And I'm sure the 1000w of total full power the OP is feeding the grid is quickly dissipated by the load in the immediate area or just within the house.

How much amperage is transferred back into the high voltage side of the transformer for 1000w at 120v considering a 7200V line?
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
If the outlet is grounded then the ground bond is there. But the panels are DC.

There is the concern about feeding power back into the grid when eh main grid is down.
The panels are DC, but like I have been saying all this time, I will be using an inverter.An inverter changes DC to AC.where's there a problem feeding back into grid if main grid is down????
 
Other than what I said in the post above this not really nothing at the power level you are talking about. But the voltage will go back into the grid. The 'potential' for serious harm is there for lineman working on the lines. But this is really only a concern with high amperage solar arrays of other means of generation in the home.

By code you should have a disconnect that is automatically triggered to keep the home generated power off the main lines when the main lines are dead.
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Lineman should always consider the wires hot. And I'm sure the 1000w of total full power the OP is feeding the grid is quickly dissipated by the load in the immediate area or just within the house.

How much amperage is transferred back into the high voltage side of the transformer for 1000w at 120v considering a 7200V line?


.138 Amps is more than enough to kill someone especially at such a high voltage where the potential is high.

Imagine getting a shock from the doorknob then dropping dead.
 
A Taser puts out roughly .00052 amps painful but not enough to kill.

Cattle prod look like the same I got .00100 at the highest which could kill someone if you got it to their chest and got their heart beating irregularly.

So not much like a cattle prod or taser.
 
Originally Posted By: Thermo1223
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Lineman should always consider the wires hot. And I'm sure the 1000w of total full power the OP is feeding the grid is quickly dissipated by the load in the immediate area or just within the house.

How much amperage is transferred back into the high voltage side of the transformer for 1000w at 120v considering a 7200V line?


.138 Amps is more than enough to kill someone especially at such a high voltage where the potential is high.

Imagine getting a shock from the doorknob then dropping dead.
Why would a doorknob have energy?
 
So it was the bad phrasing of words but I figured we'd all know what I meant.

IE You dissipate your stored static electricity to ground through your hand/finger.
 
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