Grid tied solar system.

[North Texas]

Zero out your bill with a grid tie system

Plan to as close as I can without going to far over. My POCO net meters but doesn't pay anything for extra electricity.

Spend your battery money on a generator

I already have a small generator that can do what i need. Would just plug them directly into that generator.

If winds take out your local wires, the debris will take out your solar panels (glass, outside, in the wind) and your batteries are flat and you will need to run the generator anyway. Work up a safe fuel storage scheme, there are many ways.

I agree this is a concern. I live on a little bit of land so there would be a little less flying debris but is very likely I loose panels. And if I go with one inverter rather than micro inverters, If I loose one panel in the series, I loose all power from that series? My thinking with having a generator and another source of power is, 3 is 2, 2 is 1, 1 is none.

[North Texas]

You could go with a hybrid type inverter (SMA Island, Schneider XW, Outback Radian) which only needs a relatively small battery as it operates in grid-tie mode until an outage occurs.

So i could do this without getting a full battery system ( just one or two batteries?) and add batteries later? Would lack of a full battery bank kill that battery quick?

Since you are looking at a sizable array, how about 2 (or more) SMA TL inverters that during an outage can change modes with the flick of a switch and generate a limited (1500w each when the sun is shining) amount of power without any batteries at all! A couple of these would run your basic critical needs during the day, keep the fridges cold, charge cell phones, etc.

This may be the way to go! I dont care for much power, mainly just for food. I'm not good with math in electricity, does my numbers add up? I thought all grid tied solar systems became usless in a power outage? Is this capable only cause of the inverters?

Plus, could add on the SMA island system later (warning - they are not cheap) to give you real off-grid strength and works with the TL inverter to keep it running as an "island" in a sea of your neighbors that are SOL in an outage.

That is pricey as an add on. May as well do a full battery backup instead of this.

[Mike90250]

Zero out your bill with a grid tie system

Spend your battery money on a generator

If winds take out your local wires, the debris will take out your solar panels (glass, outside, in the wind) and your batteries are flat and you will need to run the generator anyway. Work up a safe fuel storage scheme, there are many ways.

[ButchDeal]

So is there a way to run a hybrid inverter without battery's until needed. The idea being I can go get battery's after disaster. I don't think this is possible but making sure.
Or can I trick a regular inverter with solar DC signal to think the POCO has power (with a cut off from POCO of course) Or is there something I can add after the fact to a another inverter that can make if capable of battery back up? Or should I go with smaller system and do battery back up now. Have about 20k to spend for now (me doing most of install). Would just want a system that can be upgraded easy. Such as just adding more panels and battery's. Don't want to change out major components later. I'm here to learn please teach me!

No to the first. Hybrid systems need batteries to operate though they just keep them topped off till the grid is down.
On the second sort of, you can get a full hybrid system and us that AC couple a grid tie system but it would need batteries and costs would be even higher.

Solar is not generally easy to upgrade and particularly hybrid / off grid systems are not easy to upgrade.

An OutBack Flexpower 2 would make a perfect fit for you with an 8kw system.

[solarix]

There are no inverters that you can just add batteries to when the time comes. If they need batteries then, they need batteries now.
You could go with a hybrid type inverter (SMA Island, Schneider XW, Outback Radian) which only needs a relatively small battery as it operates in grid-tie mode until an outage occurs.
Since you are looking at a sizable array, how about 2 (or more) SMA TL inverters that during an outage can change modes with the flick of a switch and generate a limited (1500w each when the sun is shining) amount of power without any batteries at all! A couple of these would run your basic critical needs during the day, keep the fridges cold, charge cell phones, etc.
Plus, could add on the SMA island system later (warning - they are not cheap) to give you real off-grid strength and works with the TL inverter to keep it running as an "island" in a sea of your neighbors that are SOL in an outage.

[North Texas]

I have read most peoples opinions on battery back up systems. I understand the cost factor of not getting your money back. I want solar for the independence not money savings. With that being said. I'm looking at installing a 7kw to 8kw system on my house. The location I'm mounting is straight south with zero shade all day. That will provide 80 to 100% of power year around. I want a battery backup that would provide power for critical loads only. 1 freezer, 1 fridge, living room lights and maybe a couple fans. Trying to figure out usage for that stuff now. I live in tornado alley and as a kid seen power go out for over a month. When it hits a town the grid is down for a while. So is there a way to run a hybrid inverter without battery's until needed. The idea being I can go get battery's after disaster. I don't think this is possible but making sure. Or can I trick a regular inverter with solar DC signal to think the POCO has power (with a cut off from POCO of course) Or is there something I can add after the fact to a another inverter that can make if capable of battery back up? Or should I go with smaller system and do battery back up now. Have about 20k to spend for now (me doing most of install). Would just want a system that can be upgraded easy. Such as just adding more panels and battery's. Don't want to change out major components later. I'm here to learn please teach me!