Should we have a Hybrid Solar section?

[BMAD]

Ok, what exactly do you consider a Hybrid system. I think my setup may be one with the XW6048 with
sell and off grid capable. Can you define what you mean by hybrid?

Thanks,

Bill in TN

[Mike90250]

If you steal some panels off the GT array, it may fail to meet the minimum start-up voltage of 400VDC. Depends on model of inverter you have, the manual will tell you. Mid-day in summer, panel voltage of hot panels will sag, and may also drop the inverter.

[SunEagle]

Thanks Sun Eagle,
It appears I have no clue to what I need for a small off grid system to operate when the grid goes down. I have a 32 panel 8.5 kw system with grid tied inverters. I have one 270 watt panel feeding dc to my garage with no inverter attached. I have 6- 6volt golf cart batteries available in an emergency, The are CG-2 batteries rated at 75 amps for 107 minutes. I also have 2 - 12 volt 55 amp batteries also available. I am looking to build a system that would power a couple of dvr's, a led television a few led lights and a laptop computer and router. I also have a 800 watt generator. What would be the most efficient and least expensive way to obtain my objective. Most of our outages last no more than 12 hours. My batteries are always fully charged.
TIA

First off with dvr's, television and laptop make sure you get a Pure Sine Wave inverter. Next it comes down to how many watt hours your loads use in those 12 or 24 hours. Based on that number we can help determine the size of your battery system, panel wattage and charge controller.

I built a small off grid system (~400 panel watts and 200Ah @ 12volt battery system) that can safely deliver about 600 watt hours a day. I spent about $2500 but I purchased the wrong type of panels (12volt), charge controller (PMW) and batteries (12v 50 AH AGM) and could have gotten a better system for about $1500. That is still a lot of money for something that only delivers 0.6kWh a day and have only been used a couple of times for a few hours. I will also still need to replace those batteries in a couple more years. My money would have been better spent on a quite 2000watt inverter style generator.

If you have grid power and may have power outages then a battery system is not the way to go. So I try to steer people away from the batteries unless they have money to burn.

[Sunking]

Thanks Sun Eagle,
It appears I have no clue to what I need for a small off grid system to operate when the grid goes down.

Yes you do, a generator. A hybrid system requires a generator, very expensive hybrid inverter, rewiring your house, and very expensive batteries that need replaced in about 5 years whether you use them or not. You can eliminate all that with a generator.

[ronquick]

An off grid system requires a generator to maintain those batteries when the sun doesn't come out for a few days. Batteries are your weakest link for an emergency power backup. You need a guaranteed power source and battery charger or they will not live long.

Also forget using 12volt batteries and any type of parallel wiring. Build your system using lower voltage (2, 4 or 6v) high Ah rated batteries wired in series.

Also you need to match the inverter wattage to the battery Ah rating. A 2000 watt inverter requires a battery system greater than 1500 Ah. Better to go with a 400 watt inverter and a 400 Ah battery.

Thanks Sun Eagle,
It appears I have no clue to what I need for a small off grid system to operate when the grid goes down. I have a 32 panel 8.5 kw system with grid tied inverters. I have one 270 watt panel feeding dc to my garage with no inverter attached. I have 6- 6volt golf cart batteries available in an emergency, The are CG-2 batteries rated at 75 amps for 107 minutes. I also have 2 - 12 volt 55 amp batteries also available. I am looking to build a system that would power a couple of dvr's, a led television a few led lights and a laptop computer and router. I also have a 800 watt generator. What would be the most efficient and least expensive way to obtain my objective. Most of our outages last no more than 12 hours. My batteries are always fully charged.
TIA

[SunEagle]

I have a small 800 watt generator but would like to support my off grid with existing panels and batteries

An off grid system requires a generator to maintain those batteries when the sun doesn't come out for a few days. Batteries are your weakest link for an emergency power backup. You need a guaranteed power source and battery charger or they will not live long.

Also forget using 12volt batteries and any type of parallel wiring. Build your system using lower voltage (2, 4 or 6v) high Ah rated batteries wired in series.

Also you need to match the inverter wattage to the battery Ah rating. A 2000 watt inverter requires a battery system greater than 1500 Ah. Better to go with a 400 watt inverter and a 400 Ah battery.

[ronquick]

Ron what size generator do you have? You do know you have to have a generator right?

I have a small 800 watt generator but would like to support my off grid with existing panels and batteries

[Sunking]

Ron what size generator do you have? You do know you have to have a generator right?

[ronquick]

Hybrid System

I am a little surprised there has not been a greater response to your post.
I currently have a 8.5 kw grid tied system but intend to take 4 of my 270 watt panels and spit the output so if the grid goes down I can support a hybrid 2 kw battery back up off grid system. I would like to use 4- 12 volt batteries and a 2000 watt inverter and battery charging system to support my off grid system .
Does this make since?
Any advise would be helpful.

[inetdog]

It would concentrate the discussion well, but I am not sure that new visitors would necessarily know what that topic meant. Others may not know in advance that a hybrid system is what they need.
As long as the Moderators are willing to move a thread from time to time it could work out.
Another suggestion would be to add an RV/mobile subsection in off grid.

[solar pete]

Hi All,

I was thinking we should open a new topic on hybrid-solar, thoughts?