Newbie question

[GeeMac]

I have an idea. I would like to put a switch on a house circuit wire just before it enters the incoming circuit breaker box so that I can switch the house circuit between the Electric company power and my solar power. If I do this for each house circuit I will be able to easily control and test the load on my system as it grows.

So, my question is, what type of switch should I use?

Will a normal household wall swich be okay?

[Bruce S]

GeeMac;

   Today is a good day to learn:-)

First of all there's a ton of safety stuff you need to know. I've not gone through and read how proficent you are with industrial electricty, so I have to go with the notion that you are not very knowledgable about it.

One of the thing you'll need to understand , is that house wiring comes in at a near perfect 50Hz or 60Hz and with voltages off 90VAC up to 240VAC depending on your area. Removing a circuit from your central fuse box is supposed to be done by a certified person. NOt doing this can get you into hot water with the mains provider.

Now having said that there are those , myself included , that have the knowledge do this ourselves, I went and got certified by the local power provider and city people including local union IBEW....

The power coming from your solar arrangement can if properly sized , run a segment of one of those circuits, BUT, it may be a good idea to have a licensed person remove one of the circuits and put it in a breakout-box so you can try this out before going any further.

I did this with the little circuit box going to my "little" shed.

I calculated what power I needed , then got everything turned on , on that circuit and actually measured the "real-life " usage , then resized my little battery-bank and inverter before I did the switch.

ONE major thing you'll need to understand!!! If you do this the "test" circuit or any circuit after that MUST not be able to feed power back into the lines of the mains !!! This is done so that if there's a line down and the guy is up on the pole, that your LIVE feed doesn't end his life:-[

Also let the mains power supplier know what you're doing they are a curious bunch and may even have tips for you...

There are people on here that will be able to help you even further than this little tid-bit. PLEASE make sure and read all you can , safety should come first.

Hope this helps

Bruce S

 

[Bruce S]

GeeMac;

  The answer to the bottom of your question(s)

1. ) Mains approved, meaning a switch made specifically for this purpose.
   
2. ) Yes, but only at possibly ending your life sooner than necessary , REAL ANSWER is NO WAY!!
   
   

Bruce S

[GeeMac]

Thanks folks. I guess I have to snoop around to find the right switch for the job.  

I was part of a team the put in a 600 amp service for a new motel.  I've played with the fire in the wire before and I know what to avoid.

The house circuits have no power in them until I connect them. So what I am looking for is a switch that will allow me to connect the house circuit to one side and the other side would have two poles. One leads to the circuit breaker in the standard power box and the other would lead to a circuit breaker in the solar power box.

[GeeMac]

[vawtman]

Why not become your own little electric company and have your own little panel with circuits for your loads?

[Bruce S]

Hey vawtman!! how goes it :-D

I think this is what he's trying to do.

I wasn't sure as to his level of ability so I kinda went simple and made sure the "stay safe" was all in there.

The way the diagram is drawn , it culd be done and should be safe enough, biggest problem might be surges though.

The light switch thing won't handle the power requirements though, since they're rated normally for 125Vac at 15A that would be pulling ~150A DC not counting losses.

Cheers

Bruce S

[kurt]

if you are using a cheep mobil inverter you will have to switch the neutral as well as the hot as those cheep inverters do not like the bonded neutral  that is code for mains power in the U.S. if you just tie all the neutrals together you will let the magic smoke out of the inverter...... the easyest way to switch a line from maines to inverter power is to install a plug and 2 outlets then clearly mark one outlet mains and the other inverter...........  or you can buy a good inverter that can stand bonded neutral then get a comertal transfer switch.....

[GeeMac]

Yes there are two panels. One solar and one power company.

I don't think I need to tie the grounds together because, with the switch, one panel will never see the other panel.  

Each payday I buy another piece for my solar system and add it. With two panels I can grow my system by moving one house circuit from getting it's power from the incoming power company service over to my solar service. Both panels have circuit breakers.

I bought the biggest inverter I could find. It is only 1000 watts so very small house circuits are all I can move over for now. Powering the fridge, tv etc are out of the question for a while.

From where in North America/Canada may I purchase a larger inverter at a reasonable price?  What do your recommend for a place my size? I use slightly under 16 Kwh a day.

I will also need a more powerful charger soon too.

[GeeMac]

That is exactly what I am doing.  ;-)

[Mary B]

Use a switch AFTER the breaker, putting it before could burn your house down in the event of a short circuit. You would be relying on the mains breaker to trip and they are 100 amps++. After the breaker would be relatively easy also.

power from breaker ---------

                            ---------load

power from inverter---------

[ricksure]

Hi GeeMac

The type of switch you are looking for is a transfer switch. This the only type of switch that will do what you want with out damaging anything. The best one for you is available  at homedepot. It is a sub panel with interlocking main breakers to switch from either source. This is an approved panel to keep you safe and cost about 175. can

and has 6 circuits.

[GeeMac]

Nope - One circuit gets one switch. Then I have control over the change over and load testing of each ciruit as it and it's switch is added. Then if needed I can test the circuit against the system and return to the original power source if required.

I have found some properly configured switches at Radio Shack but they max out at 3 amps. I'll have to go to an electronic parts joint an get them.

Carry on having fun

[ricksure]

Are you talking about a type of relay to switch power?