The sun is shining and your solar cells are supplying all the power you need, and then your grid connection suffers a power cut. You are laughing right? Wrong! In most cases your solar will switch off automatically when the power cut happens.
But there is a way…
Why does my Solar switch off?
Some of the primary applications for energy storage were explained in an earlier blog. When a generator is cut off from the grid, but still supplying a local network, it is called an Island. Most domestic Solar PV systems are installed with anti-Islanding equipment designed to detect when grid power is lost and then immediately disconnect the local generator.
This is for a few reasons:
- Safety. If there was a power cut and someone is looking to fix the problem, it is dangerous if a local network is still supplying mains power (although in reality, this is not considered much of an issue as electrical workers are used to coping with unexpectedly energised lines).
- Reconnect problems. There are concerns that automated grid systems for reconnecting lines after an outage may be confused or cycle on and off due to anomalous power readings.
- Frequency/voltage problems. If a generator is Islanded and then wants to reconnect to the grid, it must be able to synchronise frequency and voltage with the grid.
Is there a way to keep my Solar on?
Yes there is, but perhaps not surprisingly it is a little more complex and costs a bit more. The key problem is the frequency/voltage one.
The Inverter in island mode must maintain the 240v/50Hz of the grid so that household goods can run efficiently. However, it is inevitable that it will diverge from the grid system, so it needs a way to sense the grid frequency and align itself on reconnection.
Practical Home Systems
At Fuel Included we use Victron Inverters when someone has a need for full Islanding. For example the Victron Quattro. A useful overview of Victron Energy Storage Systems (Solar + Battery) can be found here.
Victron Quattro Inverter
As mentioned in this blog, we recently added the BYD B-Box battery to our supported supplier list, and this is a great fit for the Quattro for a high performance Island-capable system.
BYD B-Box Pro 10 kWh Battery
Can Generators Help?
If off-grid power is an important consideration, then your energy storage system can be augmented with a generator. This can be configured to auto start in certain conditions so giving you a balanced off-grid alternative with automatic fail-over.
If you are interested in Islanding or our new battery range, please follow the links below.
