PV Gridtied systems for homes vs commercial installations

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quique
quique Solar Expert Posts: 259 ✭✭
in Advanced Solar Electric Technical Forum #1
Normally in a home installation, the inverter output is plugged into a breaker at the main breaker panel, correct?

What about in commercial installations where they might have their own step-down and step-up transformers? Im guessing so long as its 220V it can go in the main breaker panel, right?

Pros & Cons?
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: PV Gridtied systems for homes vs commercial installations

    Commercial installs can be considerably more 'interesting' because the power service can be anything from the same 240 VAC split phase as a house (albeit usually a larger panel) up to 3-phase service or multiple services of different types. So you'd really have to define the service first, and then get in touch with the utility providing it to see what rules and regs they have regarding a GTI system on it.
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: PV Gridtied systems for homes vs commercial installations

    I know here they allow line side taps pretty much on all commercial connections, and residential are all panel breaker feed in.
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: PV Gridtied systems for homes vs commercial installations
    solar_dave wrote: »
    I know here they allow line side taps pretty much on all commercial connections, and residential are all panel breaker feed in.

    In CA, the local jurisdictions are formally limited in what they are allowed to do beyond what is in the NEC. Any local rules that are more stringent than the NEC (like prohibiting residential supply side taps) have to be justified by special local conditions.
    So for the most part supply side taps are allowed, but residential electricians are not very familiar with them.
    To some extent the POCO may have some say on that too, since the tap must occur on the POCO side of the service disconnect to do you any good with respect to the 120% rule.
    And it Los Angeles the Department of Water and Power (LAPWD) just makes their own rules any time they want.
    Like requiring that a panel with 225A bus have a 225 or more amp service, even though the main breaker is only 200A. :(
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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