Hippy Steve

I just learned that they make something called a reliance transfer switch. This might be a good option for both emergency power and for those who can’t afford a full home solar system and need to start small and grow their system as able.

A typical transfer switch is all or nothing. Your generator will be connected to every circuit and you may need to turn a lot of stuff off to not overload a small generator in an outage. A reliance transfer switch has each circuit selectable as grid, off, or generator powered.

For someone growing a solar system that would be connected in place of a generator. So you can add circuits to solar as your system is able that will be off grid, but still have the option of switching back to grid if solar can’t keep up.

Here’s a vid on it featuring a budget Vevor one. Vevor is a rebranding budget distribution company. I’d probably look around before going with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqE5HheVccw

cc @NilaJones @ai6yr

#OffGrid #DIY #Solar #EmergencyPower

Vevor 30 amp 10 circuit transfer switch for solar shedding

YouTube
Jan 27 at 4:50pmWeb
Show threadAI6YR Ben5d ago
@exador23 @NilaJones Oh yeah, those are great!
Show threadGary @N8DMT5d ago
@exador23 @NilaJones @ai6yr Considered the add-on “reliance” transfer switch for a 220 Ecoflow inverter solar / gas-generator system a few years ago and upon *deep* review found limiting factors (circuit count, assignment challenges, etc.) that pointed instead to a main breaker lock-out solution w/ interlocked breaker feed in from the backup power system. Needed to turn off unused individual circuits across panel but worked out very well in the end (turn on only what you need). Details matter!
Show threadGary @N8DMT4d ago
@exador23 @NilaJones @ai6yr Here is a photo of the interlock on panel in utility power position. The plate slides up once the main breaker is off, allowing the top right breaker to be turned on. This leads to garage 220V Ecoflow battery/solar system plugged into a jack there. A printed sheet posted at main panel (w/ flashlight) guides selection of which breakers to turn on or leave off. This was for a SE Michigan DTE power problematic area & used often. #Ecoflow #BackupPower
Show threadHippy Steve4d ago

@n8dmt @NilaJones @ai6yr

unless i'm missing something, this is only for emergency backup. the purpose of a reliance transfer switch would be to have circuits that are run off of solar and others off of grid ~at the same time.~ An interim solution on the way to a full off-grid system. But yeah, circuit count is a limiting factor.

The other way to do that would be a sub-panel that is only powered by a hybrid off-grid (no backfeed) inverter. You then have a circuit breaker on your main panel that provides a grid feed to the hybrid inverter. The hybrid inverter IS the transfer switch then, and can function like a computer UPS for that whole sub-panel.

hybrid inverters can be programmed with priorities like Solar>Utility>Battery which would supplement solar with grid and keep batteries full and ready for a power outage. Or Solar>Battery>Utility that works like an UPS in reverse that only powers the circuits from the Grid if the solar and batteries can't keep up.

The advantage is no limit on the number of circuits. the disadvantage is you'd have to move circuits from the main panel to the sub-panel as your solar system is grown.

Show threadGary @N8DMT4d ago
@exador23 @NilaJones @ai6yr Agree partial solar power into residence is very different from the whole house interlock I used. I dug into the Reliance products first to see if I could get by with less than 10 circuits, but ended up not being allowed to have solar panels at the home. For future solar-allowed residences, will consider a Reliance type panel, and looking further into the installation details at that time. (Had concerns on some aspects of the wiring/installation before.) #SolarPower
Show threadNilaJones4d ago

@n8dmt @exador23 @ai6yr

Love those clear, concise instructions!