Grid Tying

 

Jim Baber said,

The biggest problem I have with my solar PV (grid
tied) is when the grid is down, so is my solar.
<<

I can't say I know much about the setup of these systems, but is this normal??
Do all Grid-Tied systems go AWOL without the grid?  If so, when I use PV it
certainly won't be tied.
--
Brian

 

If you have no battery bank, then yes, without grid, your grid-tie
system is useless.

Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

Contributing Editor
http://www.off-grid.net
http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html

Brian Graham wrote:

Do all Grid-Tied systems go AWOL without the grid?  If so, when I use PV it
certainly won't be tied.

 

If you have no battery bank, then yes, without grid, your grid-tie
system is useless.
<<<<

I didn't note the lack of batteries in the original post, but that would
certainly explain it.

Now the only thing I don't understand is the lack of batteries..  ;-)
--
Brian

 

Typically, a grid tie system dumps power onto the grid, there is no
local battery storage. Grid down, lights out. Put in a battery bank, now
you have an off-grid system with grid sell back ......

Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

Contributing Editor
http://www.off-grid.net
http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html

Brian Graham wrote:

certainly explain it.

 

Typically, a grid tie system dumps power onto the grid, there is no
local battery storage. Grid down, lights out. Put in a battery bank, now
you have an off-grid system with grid sell back ......

Seems like an expensive way to lower the Hydro bill. I'd rather work towards
eliminating it.

Even if you can't go off-grid completely, you could certainly keep certain
circuits up & running when Hydro's out. And isn't that usually the whole point
of the matter??