I've been working on creating an off-grid power system for my family's cabin in the Rockies, and I've made quite a bit of progress. Initially, I set up a basic system with a couple of 400W solar panels, a budget PWM controller, and a lead-acid battery bank, which worked well for powering lights and charging phones on summer weekends. Now, I want to upgrade my setup by integrating a lithium 48V battery bank and a more advanced inverter that can handle solar input, battery charging, generator integration, load balancing, and smart switching all in one. My generator is a standard 6kW unit, and I'm looking for a solution that can automatically start the generator when the battery level drops and stop it once the batteries are sufficiently charged. Has anyone here used a hybrid inverter that switches between solar power, battery storage, and a gas/diesel generator? Are there any delays or issues when the system switches from solar to generator power?
2 Answers
I've got a setup like this, and I haven’t experienced any hiccups with my hybrid inverter. When the generator kicks in, the inverter syncs up with it before connecting internally, so there's no noticeable switching delay at the output.
My off-grid arrangement works perfectly without any hiccups; it functions like a whole house UPS. There’s no manual switching needed—the generator starts and directly charges the batteries while syncing the AC output. That said, the inverter quality matters! Make sure you're using a low-frequency inverter that does generator assist, since not all models are generator-friendly. And don’t stress too much about an all-in-one solution; using an external MPPT can simplify scaling your system with just a couple of extra wires.
What do you mean by not stressing over an all-in-one? What are the alternatives? Also, which inverter do you have?