tying to the grid

[patrick T]

I am going to install a Solar power system in my home.  What would happen if i did not tell the electric company and just tied it in?  Would the smart meter have a melt-down? Believe it or not this is a serious question.  There is no solar power in my area (at least none known) of Brasil.  They mainly deal with hydro-electric and solar water systems.

[Watt]

You are kidding right!  Sounds as if you know something is illegal or you wouldn't be asking.  Ask your electrical provider.

[Volvo Farmer]

Well, there's whats legal, and then there's what's right. 

To the OP. I would do a little research on the Guerrilla Solar movement.   I'm pretty sure that if your generation is always less than your consumption, the problems would be minimal. I have no idea if you can backfeed the grid through a smart meter or not though. Here in the US, if you backfeed the grid and kill a lineman or something, you're probably going to get all your assets confiscated by lawyers and get locked up for a long time. 

Most of the folks you see on this forum are going to be certified installer type people and they ain't going to have a positive reaction  to your proposal though.

[Halfcrazy]

In the US the smart meters see reverse power flow as stealing or tampering and will shut off. If you can not legally grid tie than don't it is not worth the risk. Use an inverter like Outbacks to run in LBX mode this mode gives the loads the solar power by priority using the grid as a last resort.

Half

[patrick T]

Thanks for the information.  I am not trying to do anything illegal it is just that I am an American living in Brazil and I have asked 4 electricians here who just scratch their heads and rub their butts in confusion.  When I ask the electric company the help desk reply's either I do not understand or we do not have solar power. I am planning on building my home off grid but want the ability to hook up grid power in case of problems.

[niel]

patrick,
i would still go to the electric company to push the issue even if you need to ask for an engineer there on the matter. it sounds like they are aware of theft and employed the smart meters, but are totally illiterate when it comes to renewable applications being applied to the grid by their customers.

[mike90045]

And some "smart" meters, just measure current flow.   You consume 2Kwh, you get billed.  You produce 2Kwh,  you get billed too. No unwinding the meter, you have to pay for a 2nd meter install to measure PV production, to remove it from the bill.  So don't just hook it up.

[longtimber]

Where did you source your NiFe Bank? BeUtilityfree? Any comments on Life or Performance?

[mike90045]

Where did you source your NiFe Bank? BeUtilityfree? Any comments on Life or Performance?

Yes, BeUtilityfree was the vendor.  For the price, they could be anybody, I guess since I thought I was putting several kids through college (or supporting a couple family's for a year or 3) for the price, the service and communications have been "lackluster".
I've gotten them charged up (at least to the Vin limit of my inverter) and have not had a chance to do any of the conditioning cycles on them yet. Don't even have my genset running power yet, but it's slowly coming together.  I'm building the ranch, one weekend a month.

more pics of them:
battery lugs http://tinyurl.com/LMR-BigLug
Setting up batteries http://tinyurl.com/LMR-NiFe

[Westbranch]

Mike whose name is on those jugs? ...they sure look a lot like my NiCd batteries made by SAFT of France..  also read that SAFT bought out NiFe from England a few years back..

Eric

[mike90045]

Mike whose name is om those jugs? ....

changhongbatteries.com is the Mfg, and IronEdison and BeUtilityFree are both importers of them.  Zappworks rebuilds older US made cells.