load balancer?

I'm still pretty new to solar energy so bear with me. I have been wondering if there is some kind of balancer that you can use in a grid tie situation that just lets you offset your regular electric bill.

Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: load balancer?
    I'm still pretty new to solar energy so bear with me. I have been wondering if there is some kind of balancer that you can use in a grid tie situation that just lets you offset your regular electric bill.

    It sort of just happens, in the sunny part of the day, your meter runs backwards, as you feed power into the grid. At night, the grid powers your house. With a small PV system, you shave the top of your bill off. With a larger system, averaged over a year, you can end up with nearly Zero bill.
    Of course the utility companies are not always cooperative, and fiddle with common sense, like extending the peak cooling hours from 11AM to 9PM, letting you GIVE to them , but they never pay, etc.....
    Is this what you were asking ?
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: load balancer?

    By the wording of the OP, its sounds as he wants a GT that would be stealth to the power company.

    For many reasons, you need to be above board and legal in doing GridTie
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: load balancer?

    Another simple alternative s to power some of the loads with just the PV (solar) and others from the grid. This will have the effect of "shaving" your electric bill without the headache of doing a full grid tie. There are of course some wiring and safety issues to consider but there is no technical reason why you couldn't do it. NEC might be another question however.

    As a simple for example, if you heat water with electricity, you could have a water heat preheat tank that was wired strictly to the solar, serving to preheat the water before it enters the grid tied water heater. This could be done with 12vdc heating element very simply. (Wouldn't be my first choice however,,,I'd use a gas/lp demand water heater instead and put my solar mone to better use).

    Icarus
  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    Re: load balancer?
    By the wording of the OP, its sounds as he wants a GT that would be stealth to the power company.

    For many reasons, you need to be above board and legal in doing GridTie

    Its not about being stealth or anything... I just don't know what goes into doing the actual "grid tie". Do I just get an inverter and kinda piggy back the wires onto the main fuse into the house or is there a specific way of doing it. :roll:
    Don't worry I'm not going to burn my house down.... I don't even have any panels yet.
    It would also be nice to see how much power the panels generate in order to compare against the power bill.
  • n3qik
    n3qik Solar Expert Posts: 741 ✭✭
    Re: load balancer?

    That is how I have setup my system, I am running all of the small 24/7 loads on solar. The big loads, AC, water heater, well, etc are still grid tided.


    Edit: Too slow, ignore the above.

    Look at this: http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/172/p/docs/pt/23/product.asp
    Download the user manual and look at the wiring section.
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: load balancer?
    Its not about being stealth or anything... I just don't know what goes into doing the actual "grid tie". Do I just get an inverter and kinda piggy back the wires onto the main fuse into the house or is there a specific way of doing it. :roll:
    Don't worry I'm not going to burn my house down.... I don't even have any panels yet.
    It would also be nice to see how much power the panels generate in order to compare against the power bill.


    In short, after you get your panels up and runnng, you will run the power from them (DC current) to a grid tie inverter. This turns your DC into grid acceptable AC power and ties into you main breaker panel. You can't do it without getting the grid providers approval. Do a bunch of reading about grid tie/net metering. Depending on where you live, you can get the utility or the state to help with some of the cost. You will need a competent electrician, preferably one with solar experiane to help you.

    Icarus
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: load balancer?

    Do I just get an inverter and kinda piggy back the wires onto the main fuse ??


    NOOOO !!! You need a SPECIFIC type of inverter, that can sync with the utility grid. You need an electrical permit, and permission from your electric company to connect up.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,