[RE-wrenches] AC coupling and Outback inverters

[Kirk Herander]

I am leaning towards the SunnyIsland. I assume it backs off the SunnyBoy via
RS485 communications and the factory 240 xformer is a plus. The Outback
setup might be a little less expensive, but as you say a bit of a kludge. I
guess I still need the charge controller for the new PV, as the SunnyIsland
doesn't regulate that.

 

Kirk Herander

VT Solar, LLC

dba Vermont Solar Engineering

NABCEPTM Certified installer Charter Member

NYSERDA-eligible Installer

VT RE Incentive Program Partner

802.863.1202

 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of David Katz
Sent: Friday, October 05, 2012 2:11 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] AC coupling and Outback inverters

 

Hi Kirk,

All of the Outback inverters will work AC coupled (GT and FX) as will any
bi-directional H-bridge type inverter.  I have used old Trace SW's,
SunnyIsland, Apollo TSW, Magnum AE and now I am using an Outback Radian to
do exactly what you are talking about.  I have 6 kW of grid tie inverter and
an additional 4kw of modules running through a Xantrex 600 volt charge
controller to the batteries that the Radian runs on. It all works flawless
as long as you have a provision for protecting the batteries when the gid is
down and the grid-tie PV system is making more power than the loads are
using.  

If the customer has SMA inverters, I would recommend using a SunnyIsland
because the battery control when the grid goes down is so elegant.
Everything else is a bit of a kludge.

 

David Katz

CTO & Founder

AEE Solar Inc

P: 707 825-1200

F: 707 825-1202

dkatz at aeesolar.com

www.aeesolar.com

 

 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Kirk
Herander
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2012 2:11 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] AC coupling and Outback inverters

 

I have AC-coupled an Outback quad-stack with multiple SunnyBoy 6000US
inverters and it's been running fine for 4 years. I used the off-grid
version of Outbacks.

Now I have an application where a customer wants to add battery backup to an
existing SunnyBoy 5000US system. And expand his array by a couple KW. So I'm
thinking of using a GT Outback w/ batteries to handle the critical loads and
feed the extra 2kw of PV (charging the batteries through an MX60) to the
grid. And I'd like to AC-couple the SunnyBoy so the original 5 kw array can
also charge the batteries, BUT I remember, at least I think so, that the GT
inverter cannot be AC-coupled, only the off-grid version. Is this correct?
Thanks.

 

Kirk Herander

VT Solar, LLC

dba Vermont Solar Engineering

NABCEPTM Certified installer Charter Member

NYSERDA-eligible Installer

VT RE Incentive Program Partner

802.863.1202

 

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