New member with a question about connecting a generator

[Matoqui]

Hello! Greetings to all! I'm just joined the forum a few days ago.

I have a grid-connected Xantrex system with battery backup. The inverter is model XW6048 and the solar charge controller is the XW-MPPT60. The inverter supplies 240V (two 120V phases) to the house and have an AC input for a generator.

I also have a small 120V generator that I use after storms (I live in Puerto Rico) when the batteries run out of charge.

According to the inverter's manual a 240V 2-phase generator is expected on the AC input. My question is: if I switch the inverter to "bypass", can I use my 1-phase generator, connected to the two AC phases of the inverter to supply power to the house, without damaging the inverter? I want is to supply power to the 120V loads with the generator and understand that any 240V load will not work when connected in this way.

[Mike90250]

When you switch the breakers to bypass (the inverter does not have a bypass switch, that's in the electrical panel) your 120V generator will only be powering HALF your breakers.

Here's the best pic I was able to find, of how a split phase breaker box works. Generally, the hot wires (2) are called Line 1 and Line 2 ( not hot 1 hot2 as the pic shows)

Getting a larger generator that produces 240V split phase, is a preferred solution,

ws0mU.jpg

[Matoqui]

Thanks very much for your answer! What I was thinking was to apply the generator output (120V) to both "Hot1" and "Hot2" so that all the house breakers receive power. The 240V breakers are non-critical loads and I assume will not receive power from the generator

[Mike90250]

If you rig something to join the 2 hot wires, you are really risking a failure when grid returns and somebody forgets about the jumper. Even if you build it into the transfer switch = out of sight-out of mind and someday a 240V generator is going to get hooked up. Just step up to a 8kw generator w/240 output and keep that simple. or get a step-up transformer

> According to the inverter's manual a 240V 2-phase generator is expected on the AC input.
> My question is: if I switch the inverter to "bypass", can I use my 1-phase generator, connected
> to the two AC phases of the inverter to supply power to the house, without damaging the inverter?
NO. The inverter has a big heavy transformer inside, connected across L1 & L2 if you short L1-2 somewhere, something will smoke.

[Matoqui]

Definitely not a good idea then! Thanks very much!