How many circuits do you run?

[WineGuy]

Newbie here, but have been reading posts for a year or so.

I have one solar panel with inverter (120 volt 2 circuits just for lights). I am working on a small wind generator, and have inherited a 7.5 kw generator with a transfer box. The generator is wired for 220 VAC. Now for the questions.

I want to hook up the generator in parallel with the inverter to power the cabin. I also want to install a "normal" breaker box in the cabin using 220 VAC.

I have read here that you can not connect the 120 VAC outputs "in series" to produce 220 VAC because you will blow out the inverter.

What kind of inverters do you guys use? How many outputs?

Do you run just multiple individual circuits, or do you run through a normal breaker box?

Any thoughts would be helpful.

[TomW]

Guy;

We have an Outback FX2524 inverter. 2500 watt at 24 volts. Pure sine wave. Very nice unit.

I don't run much off it compared to some, anyway.

I run the output to 5 breakers that control circuits as follows:

1 has 2 freezers and intermittent shop tools on it.

1 runs the house fridge, an answering machine and the house Sat TV receiver as well as the house TV when power is available by switching which outlet the TV power strip is plugged into.

2 for my office power 1 for each of 2 walls of outlets run from the inverter. These have intermittent loads like computers, network hardware, etc running off them. As well as a couple of devices that run 24/7 for my network hardware WIFI access points, the office TV equipment, etc. And, of course, on cruel, hot sunny days I can run the window AC to cool off the well insulated office and not drain the batteries too bad.

1 dedicated outlet for use in the garage next to office for things like my wire feed welder, table saw or other power tools that pull hard to start. They benefit from the short, heavy cable run to the other side of the wall and start better.

That is 5 outlets and I seldom pull even a KW of power other than surges, according to my logs.

I never, ever use less than #12 to wire outlets and prefer #10 these days to avoid issues with voltage drop but devices for #10 are not available at Big Box Stores in case you try to use #10 be sure the devices can accept it. #14 is for speakers or phones, IMHO not power cable.

Just what we do. Probably more than you wanted to hear but there it is.

Tom

[wpowokal]

For what it's worth I run two 3000w 24vDC-240VAC pure sine wave inverters, they are set up so either can supply through a break before make switch, so the two outputs can never be paralleled.

They supply what I assume you are calling a "normal" breaker box which has a main isolator earth leakage CB and six circuits.

I also have a separate circuit board that can be generator supplied from a generator shed some 60M away, or one of the two inverters (a specific one) can be dedicated to supply this board.

allan down under