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Do you allow the solar to generate when running on a backup generator?
Do you allow the solar to generate when running on a backup generator?
Solar PV and site backup generator
- Thread starter Lectrician
- Start date
Grid tie inverters are designed to shut down if they see anything out of the ordinary going on with the supply. So I doubt they would cause any problems in a generator fed system but you may well find they shut themselves down because the generator isn't keeping the supply within tight enough paramters.
We have discussed this as we often use generators to maintain supplies.
There is no easy answer as it is all load dependant (among other things) The general view is to shut the PV down
The first time it came up, the customer and I both talked to the installers who had absolutely no idea!!
There is no easy answer as it is all load dependant (among other things) The general view is to shut the PV down
The first time it came up, the customer and I both talked to the installers who had absolutely no idea!!
Its a safety issue thus the pv must shut down. If guys were working on the lines and the pv still generating then they would get fried.
Its the same as me using my two 13amp plugs on a flying lead to connect my genny and then forget to pull the trip.
Its the same as me using my two 13amp plugs on a flying lead to connect my genny and then forget to pull the trip.
It depends on how changeover switches and/or isolators are configured. It would be possible to keep the PV isolated from the grid.
Perhaps you misunderstand?
Changeover switch in mains tails, so generator would become "DNO". No connection to the grid when gen running.
I am quoting to install a transfer switch and 100kVA generator on a site we maintain. Site supply is 270ish kVA, intention is to contactor control aircon and refrigeration, ditching this when on generator. PV is capable of an output of 55 odd kVA. Could happily kill it, just couldn't decide if including a ditching contactor was really required...
The specific instance I had was a single isolated domestic customer, supplied by a 25kVA Ground Mounted transformer. The property had 4kW of PV.
We connected an 80kVA generator to maintain supplies until we could change the transformer which had failed(difficult access)
I was concerned that the actual load could drop below 4kW at times and was unsure how the combined generator/PV system would react.
We shut the PV system down for a couple of days to ensure it was stable!
We connected an 80kVA generator to maintain supplies until we could change the transformer which had failed(difficult access)
I was concerned that the actual load could drop below 4kW at times and was unsure how the combined generator/PV system would react.
We shut the PV system down for a couple of days to ensure it was stable!
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