Hooking up an Inverter to a 110 Volt Breaker Panel

Posted by James Cormican on July 02, 2009, 09:36:57 AM

Re: Hooking up an Inverter to a 110 Volt Breaker Panel (Reply #15)
900?

http://www.altestore.com/store/Inverters/Off-Grid-Inverter/1000-to-1999-Watts/Xantrex-TR1512-120-60-InverterCharger/p6671/

which model were you looking for?

james
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Posted by Ken Hall on July 02, 2009, 07:47:29 PM

Re: Hooking up an Inverter to a 110 Volt Breaker Panel (Reply #16)
Mike:

The term floating neutral is often used to describe a system where the neutral is not bonded to ground.  Others also use it to describe two hot leads and a ground, with no neutral.

That is what the half voltage scheme inverter is. 60 volts on the hot, 60 volts on the “neutral”, and the separate ground wire.

The ground supplied by the inverter will probably be at a different ground potential than any other grounded item in the cabin (meaning water pipes or other conductive items with a direct path to earth.).  Between the different ground potentials and having 60V AC on your white wire (and other things that should be “neutral”), don’t be surprised if there are more shocks with this method.

Don’t count on protective devices to work properly.

You will never be able to interface it with a generator, or any other power source. (Other than running them through a charger to your batteries)

If you have fire insurance and the place burns, the insurance may not pay if the non-code system is discovered during the investigation.

Some people may point to a 230V system and say that the two hots and a ground have been used safely for years.  The difference there is the second hot is red and both hots are breaker protected. (And most homeowners are scared to death of 230V, won't get near the plug)
You would be using the whites as hots, without having breakers on them. That could easily start a fire, or cook your inverter.

Keep your panel grounded. It is much safer. Get a proper inverter for your system. 

Ken
 

Posted by Paul Smith on July 03, 2009, 10:06:23 AM

Re: Hooking up an Inverter to a 110 Volt Breaker Panel (Reply #17)
Just wanted to add a little background.My cabin is in an isolated location, and I must have 'portable" install. Have a problem with people helping themselves to your stuff. Last year they smashed a window and stole the woodstove, took 4 men to carry it in, not sure how many to remove it. Then they came back 2 weeks later and stole a truck load of firewood.The cabin was built with a lot of 2nd hand material, very low cost. So, although a proper hardwired $800 inverter might be the proper way to do it. Sometimes we have to make the best of what we have.
 

Posted by Ken Hall on July 03, 2009, 11:49:49 AM

Re: Hooking up an Inverter to a 110 Volt Breaker Panel (Reply #18)
If you have to have plug in capability, I would use an appropriate sized SO cord between the AC panel and the inverter. If you install a 4 prong twist lock plug in the middle of it, you are now plug in capable.

Portability has nothing to do with the idea of unbonding the neutral, and putting 60 volts on it.
 

Posted by Hunt Stoddard on July 18, 2009, 04:59:18 AM

Re: Hooking up an Inverter to a 110 Volt Breaker Panel (Reply #19)
This thread answers questions that I've had for over a year on an installation that began with an AIMs 1250 inverter and has now progressed to a Xantrex Xpower 1750.  I now see that both of these inverters are of the half-voltage variety with hot neutral.  Amazingly, the AIMs operated for a year hooked to a bonded panel with the residents complaining that it wouldn't power appliances that I knew where within its watt capacity.  Somehow it struggled on with a virtual short between neutral and ground (I guess it had good current protection) and their appliances obviously didn't work too well at 60 volts.

Eventually the AIMS died, and now I've hooked up a Xantrex 1750 in the same config.  Amazingly, it too has not blown, but the residents of the cabin have similar complaints.  Thanks to this thread, and Ken, a light bulb (pun) has just gone on over my head.

Unfortunately, I still don’t think I can afford a hardwired inverter with a proper ground voltage neutral.  Does anyone know of one, even if it’s not a inv/charger combo that’s around $400?
 
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