Newb. Weighing options on best path forward.

[cardboardboxprocessor]

Hi I'm sure I'm just another newb repeating the same path others have countless times before me but it would be really appreciated if I got need help as if I'm the first So I'm trying to get panels from FBM.

My poco is BGE and the process and money required for a true interconnection is ROI preventative. I would never make it back capped at 10kwh of panels. contractor required etc etc. FIL is an electrician on industrial stuff and he can't assist with that part. That leaves guerrilla or off grid solar.

One requirement. I can't backfeed into ge 210+c smart meter. Not currently interested in batteries to building out to it
My Options are as follow (questions in sections)

1.) guerilla using sun GTIL 1000w. Start with two for L1 and L2. Would use the 240v version but it seems to be prone to backfeeding due to single CT limited sensor. I can't see how it can possibly detect when only one leg is using the wattage. It seems that man users when with CT mods struggle with it where as the 1000w (one on each pole) don't have this issue. Open to ideas because

2.) hybrid inverter feeding separate panel. grid AC feeds inverter for backup. I see a few of these. What's good bang for buck. Eg4 6000xp seems good but a little more expensive but they have a great system with the 5kwh bats. Do any of them have a chance to back feed into the grid AC?

2.b) same separate panel but off grid inverter withAC power as backup entering via powered by DC power supplies. This would probably need capacitor bank or something. AC from the off grid can't possibly.
2.c) can this be done with something like a 240vac fed 48v 100ah battery charger on the battery terminals? Diodes to stop the inverter from charging the charger or something. Obviously settings first diodes back up.

Basically these are ordered in most likely to back feed to least but more insane. Im just not sure what to do. I'm paranoid about bge fining me. But my monthly bill is $400 a month. This is the cheapest way to reduce it vs new windows or new HVAC system

 

[OffGridForGood]

Why not consider an AIO feeding the separate panel, if you need a battery to make the inverter "happy" just get one.
Utility feed in will auto-pass through when you battery gets low, or you can set it to charge battery and pass through.
Zero chance of back-feeding.
Depending on where you are located, the solar may be poor for Nov-Jan - in this case you may want to be able to power that separate panels with a Manual Transfer Switch, disconnecting the solar side alltogether.
In a utility outage situation batteries are very handy. Just saying, Warnning: I am not impartial on this topic.

 

[PotusGobbleBottom]

batteries are very handy

I still cant believe with LIfePo4 you can buy a battery today and the cells will outlast the BMS and your refrigerator.
Good day to be alive

 

[cardboardboxprocessor]

Sorry, not sure what is AIO?
So the separate panel is the best safest option?
Yeah I have a section of yard that gets sun about 8 to 10 hours a day. I'm fairly crafty and in think I can make a basic mono acid tracking mount fairly easily vs static design.

 

[PotusGobbleBottom]

Sorry, not sure what is AIO?
So the separate panel is the best safest option?
Yeah I have a section of yard that gets sun about 8 to 10 hours a day. I'm fairly crafty and in think I can make a basic mono acid tracking mount fairly easily vs static design.

AIO is All IN One a inverter and charge controller

 

[OffGridForGood]

So the separate panel is the best safest option?

Just another option, but since your concerned about back feeding, this is a solid way to prevent 'any' back feed.
The separate panel approach may force you to make choices on what you power from your solar, while other loads remain on utility.
It would allow an easy generator feed in (through the inverter) if utility outages are a concern.

 

[cardboardboxprocessor]

AIO is All IN One a inverter and charge controller

Ah, any recommendations on the all in one?
These won't backfeed?

Just another option, but since your concerned about back feeding, this is a solid way to prevent 'any' back feed.
The separate panel approach may force you to make choices on what you power from your solar, while other loads remain on utility.
It would allow an easy generator feed in (through the inverter) if utility outages are a concern.

Yes that's the only hold up at this time. The gridtie is more attractive for power more likely to supplement.
Is the sun GTIL with the limited sensor the only option or are there others that won't do this?
I guess what I am saying is what are my other grid tie zero export options?

 

[OffGridForGood]

This you can search on the forum. I don't do grid tie-zero export but a lot of memebers do.
I follow a lot of these threads just to see what issues come up, and to learn about equipment I don't have from forum members (I trust) - seems a lot of the Zero-export equipment will either: Will have some small back-feeding events typically when switching off a big load, or they draw a constant but quite low current from the grid, to ensure that back feeding doesn't occur even when large loads are truned off.
Smart meters seem to pick up even tiny back-feeding events, and this can lead to a visit to the property from the utility - if there is no grid feed in agreement in place. I opted to not try grid tie-zero export for exactly this reason.

 

[Mattb4]

Some locations just having solar panels may cause your power company to investigate if you are running an illegal interconnect. Especially if your usage pattern shows a marked decrease. Than there is the difficulty with any grid parallel unit to avoid export. When you are in parallel with the grid it is just a fiction that you are only supplying your homes loads. Your system picks up load by increasing its potential while in parallel with grid. The grid responds by passing some of the total load to your system.

So to avoid trouble consider an Off grid setup with grid as backup

 

[OffGridForGood]

Off grid setup with grid as backup

For the OP's benefit, as they state they are new to all this,
When Matt says grid as back up he means the utility can feed your system - to charge batteries, and to pass-through the inverter to run the loads the solar normally does, in the event there is insufficient power from solar/battery. But the key take-away, this utilty pass-through does not allow at any point back-feeding the utility. The term 'off grid' Inverter can be confusing at times for those new to this, it doesn't have to mean that no utility is connected to the inverter. What we mean is the inverter operates separate from the grid.

 

[cardboardboxprocessor]

Looking into the eg4 6000XP more.
It seems pretty new and not a ton of info but lots of install and advise videos.

But my one question i haven't seen addressed is. If it's getting solar power but not enough to power the load yet is it strictly using grid or a mix of the two?
What's the efficiency lose from it using grid?

 

[OffGridForGood]

Looking into the eg4 6000XP more.
It seems pretty new and not a ton of info but lots of install and advise videos.

But my one question i haven't seen addressed is. If it's getting solar power but not enough to power the load yet is it strictly using grid or a mix of the two?
What's the efficiency lose from it using grid?

The EG4 6000 has been well discussed on this forum - you can search in the upper right of your screen ----> ^^^^ up here for more info.

Not that new anymore, and has a number of features some members need to interact with the utility.

Your Question:
If it is getting solar, but not enough for the loads connected, then it will be using solar plus battery to power the loads, if enough battery is available, and it is programed for this set up.
Some of the newer units can also do load shaving - I don't remember if the 6000 is one of these units, maybe someone that knows can chime in to confirm one way or the other. If it can do load shaving, the inverter will blend some utility power with the solar to supply the loads.
If it can't load shave, or is programed not to, then the inverter uses battery and solar to supply loads until the battery is depleated, then it switches to utility pass through, if you have utility available to the input of the inverter.

 

[wdwtx2.0]

I agree about the 6000XP.
Off grid inverters are incapable of export, so there is no worry about back feeding.