Dangerous installation? Solar with Generator.

[Fourdoor]

Hey everyone,

When I contracted to have my solar installed, I also had them install a port to allow me to hook in a portable generator. The Generator and Main breakers have an interlock that prevents them from both being closed at the same time, but there is nothing to prevent my solar panels from being powered up when I am on the generator other than me remembering to open the breakers. From what I understand it would be a very bad thing to have the solar panels trying to push excess production into the generator

I am confident in my ability to remember to turn off the solar breakers if we have an outage, but I was surprised they didn't install an interlock of some kind. The installation guy seemed confused when I asked him about opening the breakers for the solar panels before firing up a generator.

Later,

Keith

[Mike 134]

What I have heard from the internet (so take it with a grain of salt) is that a generator won't have a "pure" enough sinewave for the inverter to think you're connected to the grid and allow it to feed into the panel.

[solardreamer]

It could be dangerous depending on the type of generator. An inverter generator can certainly activate grid-tied solar and potentially get damaged.

[J.P.M.]

I'd call your local AHJ and ask their opinion after an inspection and get it in writing.