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so i have been looking to purchase and install myselft a solar system, i was looking at hybrid so that if the grid went down i could keep my chest freezer cold, my question is this, does the sunny boy inverter (SMA sunny boy 5.0-41) allow me the best of both worlds?, i dont have to maintain/purchase batteries, i can net meter everything and if the power goes out for an extended period i can run my chest freezer enough to keep it cold., all i need are panels, optimizer and inverter?
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You will still need to work with your POCO and AHJ to get approvals for a grid tie system.
Next you will need an inverter that has the ability to generate any power when the grid is down. Those are usually Hybrid which require a battery or has a Secure Power feature that can allow you to generate a small amount of power if the sun is shining and the grid is down. -
the sunny boy system says it does have an emergency 2kw outlet. has anybody had to use the emergency plug?Comment
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Ok so at least your inverter can generate up to 2kw if the grid is down and the sun is shining. From what I have heard it is a manual operation to energize that outlet and then again to de-energize it and reconnect back to the grid.
What I have always asked is how often does your grid go down when the sun is shining? For me in Florida our grid goes down during bad weather so being able to generate even that little 2kw is almost worthless to me. That is why I have invested in a couple of propane powered generators that will provide all the power I need during a weather related power outage.Comment
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Yes, the SunnyBoy "secure power outlet" works as advertised. 2kW max (no surge capacity above this) when the sun is shining. Has to be manually switched on when needed. Does automatically go back to the grid when the outage is over. Will power all modern fridges (will have to pull it out enough to plug in an extension cord) plus any small stuff - TV, PC, modem etc. Just keep the fridge door closed overnight and it will coast through to the next day just fine. I think its a great feature exclusive to SunnyBoy - beyond this capability, you're going to spend a lot to have independent electricity....BSEE, R11, NABCEP, Chevy BoltEV, >3000kW installedComment
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i have emailed back and forth with someone selling these, they state you must use an optimizer with this? if that is true, why?Comment
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The SunnyBoy system uses the Tigo optimizers in order to comply with the 2017 Rapid Shutdown rule. (I think they even bought out Tigo or part of them at least) The optimizers are not needed if your building dept does not require Rapid Shutdown. Be sure you get the new -41 version of the SunnyBoy inverter if doing Rapid Shutdown. If you have shading probems with some of your PV panels, the optimizers can be used however - with the advantage of only doing those panels.
I find that even with the optimizers, the SMA system is still the best value option for dealing with the Rapid Shutdown rule. Because of their distributed architecture, the SolarEdge and Enphase systems are inherently more expensive and less reliably (in my experience).BSEE, R11, NABCEP, Chevy BoltEV, >3000kW installedComment
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the only other inverter that might be economical is the delta 6000w hybrid, it says it can be run without batteries, but if calamity hits, i could add batteries to it. does anybody have experience with the Delta product?Comment
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ohh, nevermind, batteries would have to be 400-500voltComment
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is there a physical difference in the actual panel, between marketed "grid tie" vs "off grid" , from what i can tell the output is all the same.Comment
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Usually a "grid tie" panel has a higher wattage and Vmp rating then an "off grid" panel. Although you can use a grid tie for off grid. The limiting is your inverter input ratings.
Both I and Ampster have asked if you have contacted your local AHJ or POCO on this installation. If you haven't you may be in for a rude awakening because the install is not approved or legal.
Do you have permission for this installation?Comment
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the permission is based on our local emc, they have a guideline book for interconnecting, our local municipality has only codes for solar farms.Comment
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also thanks for the info on the panels!!, is there an optimum input voltage to the inverter, i think i read somewhere 20% above the output voltage? obviously will have to be in the range of the inverter, and i am guessing not near the edges of its capability also.Comment
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these are the local emc requirements...just in case you are really bored
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