For nearly three hours my house was running off solar. Still more work to do and a ton of add-on batteries to buy, but the system works. Eventually I want to replace the manual transfer switch with an automatic switch that I can run from anywhere. I designed the system and picked the components but hired an electrician to do the permitted installation. Passed inspection yesterday. And today, of course, cloud cover! Come on, man! I want my photons!
The phase 1 switch pictured is a Reliance A510C 120/240-Volt 50-Amp 10-Circuit Pro/Tran 2 Indoor Transfer Switch. It’s completely manual, is UL certified, and uses separate wiring and breakers so there’s no chance of back feeding to the grid. That’s why I hired a licensed electrician and got a permit for the installation. Even maxed out it only runs two 240 circuits (one 30 amp, one 20 amp) and six 120 20 amp circuits. That’s about two-thirds of the house. I put this system together specifically so I could add to it over time without going into debt. Next I’ll add solar panels and add-on batteries until I get up to whole house capability. Eventually I’ll swap out the old manual switch for a whole house automatic switch that I can operate remotely and program. The electrician who installed the manual switch in the photo left room for that future expansion with the wiring and conduit they installed for this phase of the project. The eventual goal is to run solar primary with grid backup. Not the most efficient way to get there but I also don’t have to lay out $50K all in one go.