[Steve_S]

Good Day folks,

I'm trying to help a friend out with info and am trying to find a website / docs they can refer to for their project & i'll be damned if I can find something simple & clear cut. I'm hoping someone here has a good link to such, so here is the scenario below. I'd go & do it for them but they're now 700kms from me, so not an option.

They are planning to hook up a 2100w solar & 400w wind system (diy) using a classic 200 controller, a 24v/3000 watt Inverter/Charger with 120v output. The Inverter output is to go to a small panel (panel-1) that would have 1-15a breaker and then another 2 breakers (30a I believe) to feed a sub panel (panel-2) in their "shed" (they lovely little cabin) which is to have 6-15a & 1-20a) circuits. There is NO 240V used anywhere. Seems like a lot of circuits but it is to locate different plugs etc, the load will be minimal at any given time.

What is needed, is a simple diagram / schematic showing how the inverter 120V goes to panel-1 and then how to wire up to the sub-panel panel-2.

He's adamant about using Square D panels which is likely a good choice but open otherwise. I saw such diagrams somewhere along my web travels some time ago but can I find the site & diags when I want to share it - geez, nope. Murphy's Laws applied I suppose ! I tried explaining it but just no go, so images & simple instructions is what is needed. The place is remote & offgrid but everything is wired, grounded etc following standard codes.

If anyone has a site that can be of help with this, it would be very much appreciated, I have tried searching google and much shows up but sifting through it all is a time killer and quite a few are, well, a tad "bodged up".

 

[farmrbrown]

I'll see if I can find you a diagram/website later today, but I'm out the door right now................

But basically you can tell him to ignore the 240v/120v part because every panel is about the same.
It's the breakers and wire size that makes the difference and most every panels can accept both.

 

[Steve_S]

Did you find that link / site ?
Oddly no one else has said a peep, this would also be useful info for other folks out there too that want to wire up 120V only in their cabins, hunt camps and homesteads.

 

[farmrbrown]

Did you find that link / site ?
Oddly no one else has said a peep, this would also be useful info for other folks out there too that want to wire up 120V only in their cabins, hunt camps and homesteads.

I'm so sorry, I completely forgot all about it.

There was only one modification needed to do what he was wanting to do.
Make sure your friend understands there's a lot of caution that needs to be followed here.
Separate grounding not tied to his other system, wire size, etc. I might even put a lock on the panel so no one can fool with it that doesn't know what they're doing.


Here's a picture........

And a little explanation......

Re: Connecting/Hard-wiring inverter to AC Panel offgrid

Welcome to the forum.

Standard North American AC power is 240 Volt split-phase, meaning there is a center tap which provides neutral for 120 VAC on either side. In essence 120 VAC inverters just put out half of this. It is not a problem if you don't need 240 Volts, which you probably don't.

You can in fact wire the two 'hots' of a 240 Volt service together and power them from the same 120 Volt hot, especially with a small inverter (it will invariably fault and shut down before any part of the wiring overloads). Keep in mind that a 2kW inverter is roughly the equivalent of a single outlet: 15 Amps * 120 Volts = 1875 Watts.

So the wiring then becomes straightforward: ground to the ground bus bar, neutral to the neutral bus bar, and hot to the two hot bars which connect to the breakers. A simple jumper wire and you've got 120 Volts on both.

Does that explain it?