Complicated power setup

[flynn$]

I'm trying to figure out a backup power system for my home and I want to use my new Silverado 3WT with a generator outlet, a transfer switch, and my solar setup. My goal is to use the solar panels to feed the grid most of the time, but when the power goes out, I want to use the truck's battery to run a critical loads subpanel.

My main question is whether I can somehow "trick" the Fronius solar inverter into turning on and charging the truck while it's also powering the house from its own onboard inverter. I'm also worried about a GFCI fault since the truck has a bonded neutral and my subpanel has a separate ground and neutral. Can I just remove the ground wire from the generator box or will I need a three-pole transfer switch to avoid this? My solar salesman says it will all work but I want to get some opinions from people who have actually done something similar. Has anyone successfully set up a system like this?

 

[Power4Home]

Okay, so to get your system up and running, make sure your Fronius inverter is ready to kick in and charge the truck while the truck's inverter takes over powering your house. This can be done! Just a heads-up, you might run into a GFCI fault because of how the neutral is connected in your truck. A three-pole transfer switch can sort this out by keeping the neutral separate, which stops those GFCI faults from happening. An alternative to keep things safe without constant tripping is using a GFCI breaker.

 

[aicrag_reave]

I'm trying to figure out a backup power system for my home and I want to use my new Silverado 3WT with a generator outlet, a transfer switch, and my solar setup. My goal is to use the solar panels to feed the grid most of the time, but when the power goes out, I want to use the truck's battery to run a critical loads subpanel.

My main question is whether I can somehow "trick" the Fronius solar inverter into turning on and charging the truck while it's also powering the house from its own onboard inverter. I'm also worried about a GFCI fault since the truck has a bonded neutral and my subpanel has a separate ground and neutral. Can I just remove the ground wire from the generator box or will I need a three-pole transfer switch to avoid this? My solar salesman says it will all work but I want to get some opinions from people who have actually done something similar. Has anyone successfully set up a system like this?

Before you jump in, that solar setup might need a second look from a pro. An electrician who gets backup power can spot any risks the salesperson might have missed. Better safe than sorry when you're playing with electricity.

 

[ThepowerboX]

I'm trying to figure out a backup power system for my home and I want to use my new Silverado 3WT with a generator outlet,

You can't really fool the Fronius into powering up during a blackout, grid-tie inverters are designed to shut down for safety reasons and won't start back up unless the grid conditions are right. Plus, the truck's generator outlet doesn't deliver the clean 60Hz sine wave that's necessary.

As for the GFCI problem, you need a proper transfer switch that can switch the neutral along with the hot wires. Just taking out the grounds isn't a good idea, it can lead to safety risks.

You might want to think about going for a hybrid inverter system instead. This would allow you to keep the solar running during outages while also having battery backup that can function independently.