Portable Generator with solar

[Eddie702]

Probably a dumb question but not my area of expertise. Maybe I don't have any area of expertise LOL.

Friend of mine was given a portable 9500 watt generator. They have a 100 amp panel with solar. Mostly gas appliances. What's the best way to y the generator in? Panel interlock?

Does anything need to be done with the solar when running the Gen?

 

[tortuga]

What's the best way

Best way in my opinion is always install a sub panel for the critical loads to be powered of the generator.
If its a Interlock then interlock in that panel.
No changes to grid tied solar in that case.

 

[jaggedben]

A thread we just had on this.

Grid tie PV with Generator back up/

What is the proper way to add a portable generator to a home with PV grid tie Don't want the PV back-feeding the genny. Someone said add a Normally closed relay on the PV tie to the main panel that opens when the Generator is run?

forums.mikeholt.com

 

[electrofelon]

I would just interlock it like normal. You could get one of those PV interlocks from interlockkit.com. if its not an inverter type generator, i wouldnt be too concerned, as i doubt a GTI would sync to it.

 

[Eddie702]

Best way in my opinion is always install a sub panel for the critical loads to be powered of the generator.
If its a Interlock then interlock in that panel.
No changes to grid tied solar in that case.

So simple I don't know why I didn't think of that. I also wouldn't have to try and get an interlock kit for the old main panel. TY

 

[Deltaforce]

It may also check if it hybrid inverter with generator input direct connection and generator size ok for it

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

If you have a meter main with distribution, and a backfed solar breaker in that panel as well, a simple interlock won’t work.

A sub panel or critical circuit panel is probably going to be the easiest.

 

[tortuga]

So simple I don't know why I didn't think of that. I also wouldn't have to try and get an interlock kit for the old main panel. TY

The main advantage is it makes it so a non technical person can easily understand what to do.

 

[jaggedben]

The main advantage is it makes it so a non technical person can easily understand what to do.

Yeah I think that's an important consideration with manual transfer equipment and especially interlocks. I designed a system like this for a relatively savvy client, not a professionally technical guy but still no dummy. I still had to explain the concept to him three times. And then he's supposed to remember it for however many years he's going to need to perform his manual transfer, probably once every 2-5 years in his case, so the muscle memory isn't going to be strong.

 

[ramsy]

So simple I don't know why I didn't think of that. I also wouldn't have to try and get an interlock kit for the old main panel. TY

If the goal is to just run a few loads off a portable generator when the power is out, then just run some extension cords from those loads to your portable generator.

 

[pipe_bender]

If I had solar I'd want to be able to use it during an outage.
There was a trick my dad could do to link two honda generators with a special sync cable for his RV, why is or something like that impossible for a solar inverter?

 

[ramsy]

why (not) for a solar inverter?

See 110.3(B), before that section gets moved somewhere else.