generlink, anyone used one?

[reb]

HI _This is an old string but hoping users with Generlink or electrical experience will respond to question. We Live on the Gulf coast - Hurricane land and it has been 10 yrs since Katrina odds are we will see another big blow sooner vs later. I am considering having solar panels/system installed vs. using a portable generator - . I know portable gen is cheaper but getting too old to pull the cord AND I waited in line for 8 hrs to get 4 gal of gas - Solar seems a viable alternative - no shortage of sunlight.
Question: With solar/battery storage - would it be feasable to keep the generlink power cord plugged in permanently to meter on my shop/not my home? I have back up fridge, water, well, etc. for emergencies . My thoughts when solar is producing power generlink would disconnect from grid - when solar loses power - grid would reconnect and assist in recharging batteries. Anyone know if this is possible and is it a good/bad idea?
BTW- This is last year for solar tax credit -

Jose

I'm not sure about what you are asking. If you expect the automatic transfer to automatically turn on your battery charger, I think that won't work. If the charger is connected to your power box, it would also be connected when your solar system is in operation. You would need some way to ensure the charger is not being operated by the batteries it is charging.

Maybe I misunderstood.

 

[buickanddeere]

HI _This is an old string but hoping users with Generlink or electrical experience will respond to question. We Live on the Gulf coast - Hurricane land and it has been 10 yrs since Katrina odds are we will see another big blow sooner vs later. I am considering having solar panels/system installed vs. using a portable generator - . I know portable gen is cheaper but getting too old to pull the cord AND I waited in line for 8 hrs to get 4 gal of gas - Solar seems a viable alternative - no shortage of sunlight.
Question: With solar/battery storage - would it be feasable to keep the generlink power cord plugged in permanently to meter on my shop/not my home? I have back up fridge, water, well, etc. for emergencies . My thoughts when solar is producing power generlink would disconnect from grid - when solar loses power - grid would reconnect and assist in recharging batteries. Anyone know if this is possible and is it a good/bad idea?
BTW- This is last year for solar tax credit -

Jose

It don't work that way.
The Generlink senses the loss of utility power and connects your house's electrical service to the Generlink's cord instead of to the utility .
A grid tie inverter and solar panels can reduce your utility bill in the daytime .

 

[Jose263]

It don't work that way.
The Generlink senses the loss of utility power and connects your house's electrical service to the Generlink's cord instead of to the utility .
A grid tie inverter and solar panels can reduce your utility bill in the daytime .

Buick - thanks - My limited knowledge - I'm looking for a way to utilize the solar as primary for the shop day or night but have utility power if solar source is unavailable (i.e. batteries are exhausted. I read somewhere that batteries are not allowed with grid tie inverter.
what is a correct set up if generlink isn't?
Thanks

 

[buickanddeere]

Buick - thanks - My limited knowledge - I'm looking for a way to utilize the solar as primary for the shop day or night but have utility power if solar source is unavailable (i.e. batteries are exhausted. I read somewhere that batteries are not allowed with grid tie inverter.
what is a correct set up if generlink isn't?
Thanks

If you have a grid connection it is not possible to make batteries pay for themselves.
Net metering can work but newer contracts tend to be full of fine print, variable pricing and some governments collect income tax on the power sent back into the utility grid.
Generally the best you can do is install a grid tie inverter and enough solar panels to supply all normal daytime loads from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. Operate from the grid from mid afternoon to mid morning and during cloudy days. Keep a generator for when the grid fails.

 

[Jose263]

Thanks for your expertise - your explanation is dissapointing but at least I know what the generlink will do -
So, a grid tie inverter and adequate panels (no batteries) would provide power during daylight - but not night or overcast days? Does the system know when to switch back to grid power or is that manual?
Is there a good site that explains this stuff for nerds? I suppose a trailer mounted (5- 6 kw) solar unit with batteries could replace a generator and work with generlink but it wouldn't be practical to invest in solar power and use it only during emergencies.
I understand that Mississippi net metering isn't user friendly - utilities are proud of the power they generate but not so much with power generated by alternate means. I'm not that interested in making batteries pay for themselves - I was hoping to use solar power and reduce the need for grid power..but still have grid power if the solar isn't working. My pimary interest is having a noncombustable -generator power source (read solar) available for essentials like the water well, lights a fan or two or small window A/C next time we lose grid power for weeks during summer heat.

 

[aczlan]

The way the grid tie solar systems work is they sense the power from the grid and they they start producing power. No grid power, no grid tie power.
I suspect that you could use a inverter generator (with a generlink), a "offgrid" system (with a interlock) or something similar to give your grid tie system "reference power" to make it think that the utility power is on.

Aaron Z

 

[Travelover]

The way the grid tie solar systems work is they sense the power from the grid and they they start producing power. No grid power, no grid tie power.
I suspect that you could use a inverter generator (with a generlink), a "offgrid" system (with a interlock) or something similar to give your grid tie system "reference power" to make it think that the utility power is on.

Aaron Z

There is at least one grid tie inverter that will provide limited power in a blackout.

SECURE POWER SUPPLY SMA Sunny Boy 3TL US 4TL US 5TL US | renvu.com - YouTube

 

[SPYDERLK]

The info I can find on the Generlink makes no sense. Does anybody have access to complete coherent info on how it functions?
Thanks?

 

[aczlan]

My guess would be a constant duty DPDT (Dual Pole Dual Throw) relay that is held open by utility power and when that goes away, the contacts to the utility side open as the contacts to the generator close.

Aaron Z

 

[Travelover]

My guess would be a constant duty DPDT (Dual Pole Dual Throw) relay that is held open by utility power and when that goes away, the contacts to the utility side open as the contacts to the generator close.

Aaron Z

This sounds exactly right to me, which makes the price seem like a rip off.