Panels and inverter only?

Options
melicha8
melicha8 Registered Users Posts: 1
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hi newb here.

Say I have a load and enough solar panels to power it, could I potentially use a small inverter with a 120v receptacle on it to power the load without the additional batteries and charge controller? I'd pretty much want a mobile power unit to drag around to run power tools and such far away from a power source and just move a mini array without a lot of additional investment. I already have the panels and enough of them to power my device but does the inverter have the capacity to utilize only the power needed to run the device.

Thanks
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Options
    Re: Panels and inverter only?

    Welcome to the forum.

    This is a very popular question. Unfortunately the answer is not so popular, because the answer is "no".

    Without the batteries there is no way to mediate the difference between when the panels are able to produce power and when the loads need to consume it.
    · Share on Twitter
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Options
    Re: Panels and inverter only?

    And to hold the voltage within the narrow limits in which the inverter will operate.
    · Share on Twitter
  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Options
    Re: Panels and inverter only?
    melicha8 wrote: »
    Hi newb here.

    Say I have a load and enough solar panels to power it, could I potentially use a small inverter with a 120v receptacle on it to power the load without the additional batteries and charge controller? I'd pretty much want a mobile power unit to drag around to run power tools and such far away from a power source and just move a mini array without a lot of additional investment. I already have the panels and enough of them to power my device but does the inverter have the capacity to utilize only the power needed to run the device.

    Thanks
    As others have said, the unfortunate answer is no. A PV powered inverter without a charge controller and batteries cannot hold voltage constant and supply current on demand.
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,443 admin
    #5
    Options
    Re: Panels and inverter only?

    If you have specialized needs, there are ways to go from solar panels to electric motors without batteries...

    For example, water pumping and grain grinding are two processes where you can have variable speed/energy and still have a useful result.

    You can connect DC (brushed/universal/some electronically commutated) motors directly to solar panels (watch voltage ratings).

    There are also Linear Current Boosters (LCB). One small unit here, and there are others. These, basically, take the high voltage / lower current (especially mornings and evenings) and down convert into lower voltage and higher current at the motor (helps motor start/have higher torque at lower RPMs).

    And, there are Variable frequency Drives (VFD) that can take a wide range of input power (AC/DC, Higher voltage, lower voltage, current limited, batteries, genset, solar panels) and run very nicely. You usually find these units packaged with water pumps (Grundfos, Sun Pumps, and some others).

    Ideally, VFDs should be the perfect solution (any power in, 2 or 3 phase variable frequency power out--frequently listed as "Brush-less DC motors") for driving motors that can be used on variable speed loads.

    Hard to find any of these types of stand-a-lone VFD "universal" controllers at this time--But, I hope we see more of these over the coming years).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter

Categories