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PV Solar Technical

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  • 17-10-2017 4:11pm
    #1
    bike5
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    Hi All
    Just wondering if anyone here knows the technical ins and outs of PV systems? specifically the technical workings...cheers


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    #2
    Risteard81
    Registered Users Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭Risteard81


    Solar arrays generate DC electricity which is then inverted into AC. This is at a slightly higher voltage than the incoming mains so that it will be used first, and export into the grid if excess energy exists.

    Not sure if this helps, or if you wish to be more specific with your question?


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    #3
    bike5
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭bike5


    Cheers Risteard81.....say where you use a powerwall storage battery fed from a PV supply does the battery feed back into the grid or is the battery just a stand alone facility for general use also is the battery pack fused on the outgoing side or do we rely on the appliance fuse Also does the inverter smooth out the incoming PV supply to match grid supply?. What stops the PV supply backfeeding onto the grid is their a failsafe so as the PV electricity generated doesnt feed onto the grid when the grid has a power outage (just wondering of the safety of engineers working on the network). Is the generated PV supply and grid supply separated in the consumer unit? Does the powerwall battery setup need a separate invertor of does the string type units cover this (if the powerwall is ac fed). Are micro type invertors available in sizes over 2080 watts, i prefer to micro route to eliminate DC work ....cheers


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    #4
    Risteard81
    Registered Users Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭Risteard81


    OK lots of questions there, and I may not be able to answer all of them. The only PV I have dealt with is for non-domestic (i.e. commercial & industrial) installations, and never with internal battery storage but grid-connected. As for stopping the PV energising the grid when the ESB are working on a fault or whatever, the inverter will shut down on loss of incoming mains voltage. This is also to prevent islanding where the PV system would be attempting to supply the whole neighborhood! It will shut down very quickly on loss of mains supply. There are both AC and DC isolators, and a PV system should not share an RCD with other circuits as this would affect the disconnection times of the RCD where the PV is continuing to deliver power to the installation after the RCD has tripped before it detects loss of mains supply.


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    #5
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    :rolleyes:
    bike5 wrote: »
    Cheers Risteard81.....say where you use a powerwall storage battery fed from a PV supply does the battery feed back into the grid or is the battery just a stand alone facility for general use also is the battery pack fused on the outgoing side or do we rely on the appliance fuse Also does the inverter smooth out the incoming PV supply to match grid supply?. What stops the PV supply backfeeding onto the grid is their a failsafe so as the PV electricity generated doesnt feed onto the grid when the grid has a power outage (just wondering of the safety of engineers working on the network). Is the generated PV supply and grid supply separated in the consumer unit? Does the powerwall battery setup need a separate invertor of does the string type units cover this (if the powerwall is ac fed). Are micro type invertors available in sizes over 2080 watts, i prefer to micro route to eliminate DC work ....cheers


    Hi,

    Welcome to boards
    How did you managed to get all these qustions,from where !? :)

    Have fun...


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    #6
    bike5
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭bike5


    Risteard81 wrote: »
    OK lots of questions there, and I may not be able to answer all of them. The only PV I have dealt with is for non-domestic (i.e. commercial & industrial) installations, and never with internal battery storage but grid-connected. As for stopping the PV energising the grid when the ESB are working on a fault or whatever, the inverter will shut down on loss of incoming mains voltage. This is also to prevent islanding where the PV system would be attempting to supply the whole neighborhood! It will shut down very quickly on loss of mains supply. There are both AC and DC isolators, and a PV system should not share an RCD with other circuits as this would affect the disconnection times of the RCD where the PV is continuing to deliver power to the installation after the RCD has tripped before it detects loss of mains supply.

    Thanks Risteard81 some good info there


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    #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Risteard81 wrote: »
    a PV system should not share an RCD with other circuits as this would affect the disconnection times of the RCD where the PV is continuing to deliver power to the installation after the RCD has tripped before it detects loss of mains supply.

    Anti Islanding operates in 0.1second on most approved inverters.
    RCD should be B type.


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    #8
    Risteard81
    Registered Users Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭Risteard81


    Sir Liamalot wrote: »
    Risteard81 wrote: »
    a PV system should not share an RCD with other circuits as this would affect the disconnection times of the RCD where the PV is continuing to deliver power to the installation after the RCD has tripped before it detects loss of mains supply.

    RCD should be B type.
    Yes indeed to protect against pulsating DC as well.


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