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Panels on Shed, where to place inverter?

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  • 29-04-2018 8:01pm
    #1
    mike_2009
    Registered Users Posts: 528 ✭✭✭


    Hi,
    I've a large metal shed out the back and I was hoping to mount a few solar PV panels on it. It's currently connect to the house mains via armoured cable and the shed has it's own MCB panel.
    My question is if I'll have to run a new DC wire into the house, or if it's possible to locate the inverter and isolation switch in the shed to avoid this?
    Thanks


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    #2
    bunagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭bunagee


    As we have done is inverter is close to the dc lines of the solar and the ac output from the inverter feeds back to the house.
    High loss of power from having dc run that distance and higher cost of cables, vs lower cost and power loss from having the ac sent to the house.


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    #3
    mike_2009
    Registered Users Posts: 528 ✭✭✭mike_2009


    Thanks - must find out the cross section of the existing electrical cable back to the house. Was also concerned that the cut off would need to be at the main fuse board rather than at the shed to isolate the panels. Have a sparks arriving in a bit, will see what he thinks. Cheers!


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    #4
    quentingargan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,627 ✭✭✭quentingargan


    The norm is to try to keep voltage loss on the line less than 1% to prevent the inverter tripping out on overvoltage. But I would stretch that a bit rather than take DC back. Your spark should be able to use a voltage drop calculator to work that out based on max inverter output and cable size.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Voltage drop affects AC an DC equally. Put the longest runs on the highest voltage.


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    #6
    jobrok1
    Registered Users Posts: 117 ✭✭jobrok1


    Just keep the inverter as close as possible to the panels.
    Then 240V AC output from the inverter to the house.


    Running low voltage DC to the house is a waste of time.


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    #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Low voltage DC = 121VDC > 1500VDC
    Cables are rated up to 600VDC

    Extra Low Voltage would not be recommended for this.
    Given a load voltage of 230Vac it does not make any sense to have a primary input lower than this.


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