Grid connection

[Ulf Hansén]

I have a question about grid connection

Our grid owner does not allow net meetering they charge allmost 1000$ /year plus you must complain to "big" wind power generators (expensive more than 6000$)

We want to connect the power one inverter to the breaker panel, but when the generator produce more than the house uses
I want to have some "power direction relay" that can switch to a load (warm water) so no current go to the grid meeter.
Our grid meeters does not sense the direction so every kw that goes in the wrong direction it just add to the electrical bill.


I hope this is understandeble
Very Best regards
Ulf

[Steven Fahey]

Hello,

I understand your question, but more information is needed before I can give you a meaningful reply. What kind of generator do you have? What kind of inverter do you have? If it is solar, hydro or wind power, then you probably have a controller that can manage this for you, instead of the inverter. If you mean that you have a gasoline/diesel/bio-diesel generator, then I expect that it will only run when the grid power is off, but that does not fit your question. It would be a waste of money and add wear-and-tear on the generator to run it just for the sake of selling to the grid.

I will try to help when you have given us more details.

[Ulf Hansén]

Hi
Its a 2kw wind generator with a power-one interface and power one inverter

Ulf

[Steven Fahey]

What do you use as diversion load on the Interface panel?
Can it be a water heating element?
The Power One interface looks ideal for heating water, as it regulates a high voltage system. Presumably the diversion load will also be high voltage, and resistance heaters would work efficiently.

I would do the same with my system, but operating at only 24 Volts, it is not worth the effort.

I wish I could help with the net-metering with your grid. It is difficult in many places.

[Dan Lenox]

Ulf,

You should check your utility company better, more than likely it would be illegal (if you get caught) with the connection you suggest.

A simpler solution might be just to install a 2nd panel that the inverter is connected to. You can switch over circuits from your house to it.

In addition you can have a panel interconnect with breakers on both ends so that the days where there is little or no wind you can flip the switches and have the 2nd panel draw power from your main panel.

simple - effective - and should not get you into trouble with the utility company.

Dan Lenox

[Ulf Hansén]

Thanks Dan

That seem to bee a nice set up. Im sorry but my english is not so good that I understand
what you meen wit panel interconnecth with breakers , any chanse you can e-mail me a simple drawing

Ulf

[Dan Lenox]

Ulf,

Here is a picture for you. Both the main panel and aux panel each have say a 60amp dual breaker with sufficient sized cable connecting the panels together.

The main panel is connected to the grid, while the aux panel is connected to the output of your turbine/solar/etc. All devices connected to aux panel are powered by the output of the inverter, while the main panel devices are normally powered by grid.

Normal operation is that the breakers for the interconnect are turned off, this way you are not putting power out to the grid.

When turbine is not putting out power (no wind), then you can shut the turbine/inverter off, turn the breakers to on position and power will flow from grid -->main panel-->aux panel to power devices.

hope this helps,
Dan

[Ulf Hansén]

Tank you Dan
A picture explain more than ....

We are going to start with this set up
Proberly next year the regulation is going to change in favor for small wind generators.
so we can use net meetering.

Thanks again

Ulf

[Dan Lenox]

Ulf,

It is *very* important that with this situation that you do *not* have inverter output going to the aux panel when the panel interconnect is active.

It would be *highly* likely that the phase of the grid voltage is not in sync with the inverter output and could be *VERY HAZARDOUS*.

If it is possible to put a lock on the interconnect breakers, then I would highly advise it so that some unwarey person does not inadvertently flip these breakers!

Absolute saftey here!

Dan