[RE-wrenches] Generator and AC coupling on a Sol-Ark

Ray ray at solarray.com
Thu May 6 11:20:58 EDT 2021


I second that.

Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760

On 5/6/21 10:33 AM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar wrote:
>
> I would not do any of this for an offgrid client. It is against the 
> rule of less is more. The whole design is flawed in my opinion.
>
>   
> *Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" 
> http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ 
> <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/> e-mail offgridsolar at sti.net 
> <mailto:offgridsolar at sti.net> text 209 813 0060*
>
> On Tue, 4 May 2021 19:24:13 -0400, Dave Tedeyan 
> <dave at sungineersolar.com> wrote:
>
>> I suppose the question here is - which is the worse failure mode?
>> A. Solar turning off until an electrician can fix it.
>> OR
>> B. Not knowing the contactor failed until it does not open when the 
>> generator turns on and running the risk that the solar backfeeds the 
>> generator and breaks it.
>> For off-grid maybe A would be more of a concern. But for grid tied, I 
>> would think option B would be worse.
>> Does anyone have a fail safe method of doing this?
>> Cheers,
>> Dave
>>
>> On Tue, May 4, 2021, 4:41 PM Chris Schaefer <chris at solarandwindfx.com 
>> <mailto:chris at solarandwindfx.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Jason,
>>     A valid concern which is why I always wire them as powered open
>>     so if there is a failure it would transition closed or not open.
>>     Christopher
>>
>>     On Tue, May 4, 2021 at 4:15 PM Jason Szumlanski
>>     <jason at floridasolardesigngroup.com
>>     <mailto:jason at floridasolardesigngroup.com>> wrote:
>>
>>         What happens when the contactor fails? I don't trust a NC
>>         contactor that is supposed to open on 240Vac coil voltage
>>         from the generator. It's not a failsafe solution.
>>         Jason
>>
>>
>>         On Tue, May 4, 2021, 3:15 PM Drake
>>         <drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
>>         <mailto:drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org>> wrote:
>>
>>             P.S. The contactor method is even mentioned somewhere in
>>             the Outback literature. I've been using it for years. It
>>             is very simple and requires no complex equipment. It will
>>             not interfere with rapid shutdown. 40 A, 240 V contactors
>>             with 240 V coils are readily available and not terribly
>>             expensive. The 240 V output of the generator circuit
>>             provides the signal.
>>
>>             At 10:02 AM 5/4/2021, you wrote:
>>>             Get a contactor with a 240 VAC coil. Connect the coil
>>>             wire wires to the 240 V output circuit of the generator,
>>>             so when the generator comes on, the contactor opens. Run
>>>             the current from the AC coupled Enphase inverters
>>>             through the contacts from common to N/C.
>>>
>>>             ---
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>             On 2021-05-03 10:26, Dave Tedeyan wrote:
>>>>             Hi All,
>>>>
>>>>             I am planning on using a Sol-Ark for the first time for
>>>>             adding battery backup to an existing system. It is
>>>>             Enphase, so clearly it will be AC coupled, and there is
>>>>             a whole house generator. When I talked to Sol-Ark about
>>>>             it, they recommended putting the generator on a time of
>>>>             use schedule to not allow it to come on during the day
>>>>             so that we don't run into the issue of the solar
>>>>             backfeeding the generator.
>>>>
>>>>             I was wondering though if anyone has just used a
>>>>             contactor to cut out the solar when the generator turns
>>>>             on? Something like Outback's GS-AC-Gen-Kit, although in
>>>>             this case I will need something rated for just over
>>>>             30A. This seems like a better way to allow the
>>>>             generator to run at any time it is needed, especially
>>>>             if it is a gloomy, snowy, winter day.
>>>>
>>>>             Cheers,
>>>>             Dave
>>>>
>>>>             -- 
>>>>             *Dave Tedeyan, PE
>>>>             * Sungineer Solar
>>>>             1653 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
>>>>             Cell: 607-288-2898
>>>>             www.sungineersolar.com <http://www.sungineersolar.com/>
>>>>
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>>     -- 
>>
>>     Chris Schaefer's
>>     <http:www.solarandwindfx.com>
>>     /Tel/Fax 585-229-2083 or Cell 585-748-1870
>>     //5115 South Hill Road ~ Canandaigua New York 14424
>>     //www.solarandwindfx.com <http://www.solarandwindfx.com> ~
>>     E-mail: chris at solarandwindfx.com <mailto:chris at solarandwindfx.com>/
>>
>>     /
>>     /
>>
>>     Thomas Jefferson, the author of our great Constitution, once
>>     said, "democracy" will cease to exist when you take away from
>>     those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
>>
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