Residential Meter/Main, with Generator & PV system

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texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Since the PV system is connected to the breaker panel, it will see power from the generator when the generator comes on. How does the PV system know the difference between POCO and genny power from it's connection at the bottom of the panel?

I think an anti-islanding device is the best, safest and easiest way to go.

SMA used to make a cool anti-islanding device called the Sunny Island where you could connect multiple power sources to it along with the grid and it would provide safe and proper connections. I just went to their site and now Sunny Island is the name for their inverters, which seem to incorporate the features of the previous Sunny Island devices.

The way I understand it, the OP has changed the design so the invertor is on the normal (POCO) side of the ATS so it won't "see" the generator output.
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Is that code compliant? A 3000 watt inverter on the mains side of the panel?

I'm picturing a combo meter main w/branch circuits (like a Square D SC816F200s) to connect the invertor, then the ATS, then a load center. I guess he'll have to change the main breaker in the meter/main to a 175 amp to to be compliant with the 20% rule.
 

jaggedben

Senior Member
Location
Northern California
Occupation
Solar and Energy Storage Installer
I'm picturing a combo meter main w/branch circuits (like a Square D SC816F200s) to connect the invertor, then the ATS, then a load center. I guess he'll have to change the main breaker in the meter/main to a 175 amp to to be compliant with the 20% rule.

With a 3kW system he will only need a 20amp breaker (possibly even a 15) so he will be well within the 120% rule without having to downsize the main.

He could also use an MLO type meter main and then the 120% rule wouldn't even apply (depending on your interpretation, I guess). In one subdivision I did some installs in, the houses had four space MLO meter mains, with one dp breaker for the house and another for the air conditioner. The air conditioner slots took a quad, so we put the AC and the PV on a quad. Technically it was a supply side connection with 3 handles for the service disconnecting means.
 
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