Grid Tied with Battery Back-Up in Washington State

[mtdoc]

Port Angeles , Washington.  1900 feet elevation at base of Olympic Mountains.

Installed first array in 2011.   Local electrician did initial system wiring.  Recently built a shed on which I've added a second array doing  installation myself.

First Array: 8 Sanyo HIT 225 watt panels on Wattsun Tracker
Second Array: 12 Evergreen ES-E-225 watt panels on almost finished shed.

[mtdoc]

Initial installation was with Outback GVFX 3648 prewired Midnite epanel.  I just added the second Classic 150 and Quad box for the shed array.   Room on right for one more Classic when I (hopefully) add small microhydro next year. 

[chesuncook1]

Hi mtdoc,

how do you use your solar array for grid tie and battery backup? The 2 classics charge the batteries. The Outback inverter is for grid tie, right? Looks like another inverter in the bottom right to be used during an outage maybe. I am confused, thanks in advance for clearing this up and educating me.

Scott

[mtdoc]

Hi Scott,

The Outback GVFX3648 is "grid interactive" aka a hybrid inverter..  Grid power is passed through it to a critical load sub-panel. When the Grid is active and my batteries are full, the inverter uses PV power  (via Classic CCs and batteries) to supply loads. Any excess power is sold back to the grid. If the grid goes down the Outback inverter supplies my critical loads with PV power or from battery just as with any off grid system.

In the bottom right is a second battery charger which allows me to charge my batteries with a generator - independent of the Outback inverter, if I choose.