I'm looking to add some solar panels and batteries to my small house to handle power outages and power my home during the daytime. I'm aiming for a setup of about 2-3kW of solar panels on the roof, which should exceed my daytime energy needs. I also have an EV but I'm fine with charging it using grid power at night. My understanding is solid when it comes to lithium batteries and solar panels, but I'm a bit unsure about inverters. Since I don't want to back feed to the grid, I think I should go for an "off-grid" inverter that can handle AC input. I found this inverter, which seems to fit my needs: [EG4 Off-Grid Inverter](https://signaturesolar.com/eg4-12000xp-off-grid-inverter-48v-split-phase-24kw-pv-input-12kw-power-output/). If anyone has better hardware suggestions for my situation, I'd really appreciate it! My home has 100A service, and my EV charger is set to 32A. I can work with the electrical setup since I don't expect to upgrade to 200A service anytime soon.
4 Answers
Definitely do your homework on off-grid vs. hybrid inverters. Even if you're not planning to export energy, a hybrid might give you more flexibility since you can stay grid-tied. Just something to think about!
Using an off-grid inverter like the one you're considering can pose risks if it's just outputting to the grid during outages. It could create safety issues. You might want to consider a zero-export hybrid inverter that stops feeding into the grid when it's not safe, which would work well with your EV as well.
You’ve got a couple of choices when it comes to your inverter setup. You can place the inverter between your meter and the main panel or after the main panel with a separate critical loads panel. I went with the latter, but honestly, the first option is easier to set up. If you’re only worried about a couple of big loads, putting it between the meter and panel might be the way to go!
Have you checked out "balcony solar" options? They can be great for small setups like yours, especially if you're tight on space.
That makes sense. I’m leaning towards keeping it simple and direct too!