How Generac's PWRgenerator and PWRmanager ensure whole home backup with solar and one battery
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Generac debuted three potentially game-changing additions to its PWRcell solar + storage line of products that, together, comprise the most complete set of options offered by one company for providing energy independence and whole home backup. In this episode of the Pitch we focus on pairing the PWRgenerator and the PWRmanager with home solar and a battery, and how that will create a true home nanogrid (and save some customers from buying two batteries).
The Pitch is a side project of Solar Builder magazine. We chat awkwardly with manufacturers and suppliers about their ideas and innovations so you don't have to.
Related links:
• How Generac's PWRCell ...
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You know what would be really interesting? A 400V DC system (+-200V). Here are some things to consider:
1. Your EV is likely able to charge at ~400V DC. Even going up to 800V, it is a simple DC-DC voltage doubler. As voltages between your car and house if you have 400V DC will not actually at the same voltage and 400V DC is really referring to a voltage range with 400V being more of a nominal or max voltage, you could use a compact, cheap, and efficient DC-DC buck-boost converter to charge your car. You can also use that buck-boost converter in reverse to power your home. Changing an EV can be a big power draw, so if you can pull power directly from the home batteries connected to solar panels, that would be a very effective way to charge your EV.
2. Solar panels can be hooked up in series to produce 400V DC. You feed this through an MPPT controller and have a very efficient transfer of power from the solar panels and into your battery. With #1, it is a very cheap and efficient process to go from solar panel to home battery to EV.
3. Inverter based HVAC heat-pump systems are far more efficient than other means of heating and cooling all the way down to freezing temperatures. If the HVAC system ran off of 400V DC, you are taking out the conversion hardware to go from AC to DC power in the HVAC unit and allowing it to run straight off of solar and battery power. Essentially, you are eliminating conversion steps when running off of solar where you would normally go from DC solar to AC power to DC battery to AC main power to DC power and then drive the inverter to run the HVAC unit and instead just going DC - DC - DC all around the same voltage with very little loss along the way.
4. In such a system you can have AC bypass for grid power and a DC charger at the same time keeping the DC system from running out of energy (keep the batteries from going dead). When the AC grid goes down, you immediately switch over to have the power inverter driving the AC stuff in your home UPS (uninterruptible power supply) style. The beauty of this system is your AC inverter is much smaller because big ticket items can easily run off of 400V DC directly and so the AC inverter only needs to power small items. At this, the DC items are directly connected to the main home battery and so will see zero disruption whatsoever.
5. When you get to the generator component, it just puts out DC power to charge the battery. Normally in an inverter-generator you create DC power to run an inverter and size up to handle peak load. In this setup the generator only needs to be sized to keep the home battery from going dead and the battery handles the instantaneous and peak loads in a power outage. Especially when you look at say a 20 kW standby generator spinning at 3,600 RPM and your average usage over 24 hours is say 1 kW, but you need the 20 kW for peak demand, that is a whole lot of waste in an under-utilized generator over 90% of the time spinning much faster than it needs to for its actual power output in order to produce 240V at 60 Hz because any other speed and it is not generating that voltage nor that frequency. If instead say the generator is sized down to say generating 3 kW of DC efficiently and maybe ramps up and down some while charging the home battery based on battery voltage and matching the generator DC output to battery voltage while charging and then the battery ensures 24 hour power even when the generator is off, that is far more efficient than say a 20 kW generator spinning at 3,600 RPM around the clock in order to handle peak loads and leave no gaps in power delivery. While engine RPM is only a certain range, so is battery voltage and battery voltage is a reasonably narrow range. You could even have a night time mode where you make sure the battery is sufficiently charged before bedtime in a power outage and the generator shuts off for the night with all night time power coming from batteries. That is certainly better than hearing your generator thrumming away all night, especially if you want to open a window for ventilation.
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Smart evolution of the solution. However, the 12 circuit cap in the PWRManager module is a serious limitation. If you could bump that up to a 20-25 circuit load bus, THEN we really have a flexible and scalable SMM 'smart' replacement that we can use!
I see a lot about these apps to control your system and all that.. will this battery system even work with an internet connection? I’m pretty confused as to why all the focus on internet based control of the system when the entire point of the system is to provide power in a grid down scenario..
Very glad to see a major emergency generator company moving to integrate batteries. Enphase is also integrating generators into their existing solar/battery systems. Tesla has shown no interest in generator integration to date (I have a grid tied Powerwall - charge with cheap daytime power, discharge at night when power is expensive). My problem is that current permanent backup generators are still too noisy in an area with adjacent neighbors and a small yard. Hope this DC generator is indeed quieter.
Ed best place to find the best solution for grid off power for weeks? Trying to learn or look for a good guide here
I sure like the idea of being able to top-off a battery-- keep the generator from running all the time. A DC generator right to the battery...hmm... sounds efficient. I bought a Generac gen two years ago with transfer switch. I hope Generac can take care of customers with battery system with existing AC generators.
From what I can understand the Power Cell will stay charged up when it is connected to the grid. If that is the case then an AC generator could also charge the batteries! I have not done it yet so do not know if that works.
Is it possible to run the Pwr generator with the Pwr cell batteries without solar panels?
So how does power manager function when the grid is down, internet might be down and even cell service might be down???
Just looked up the sound specs. The PWRGenerator is only quieter in test mode compared to the Generac 10,000 watt Guardian G007171 (51 db vs 57 db). At normal load they are the same, 61 db. ‘Super Quiet’ description came from marketing staff, not engineering staff.
it appears that the black start grid down scenario function only works if internet is intact...any plans on correcting this oversight (flaw really)?
seems like if you use survivalist jargon....it must apply to the term that it was coined. true independence isnt by fracturing core components (internet reliability)
Thinking of going off grid so running a generator 24-7 is not practical. Adding the Power cell to my system will greatly reduce generator run time. It will also reduce fuel usage and useful life of the generator if it only runs a few hours per day. Adding solar will be the last step in the system due to reduced daylight North of the 49th parallel. Just wondering how quickly the generator can recharge those batteries and at what battery % reserves does the generator kick in?
I have a grid-tied system, but wasn't worth cost of doing batteries yet with net metering in my area, etc. Because of this when grid goes down, I lose use of my array. My backup is a standard generator with manual interlock setup.
Would this new system, by adding a single battery and pwrgenerator, allow me to also take advantage of my array in a grid outage? So my backup to grid/solar is solar/generator?
Thanks
Is there TOU control for grid integration?
Is PWRGenerator dual fuel?
My system is a off grid and wen the cold front came in February 2021 I ran my house for 5 days and my 22kw generac generator never wen on
Do you still need power transfer swith box?
Hello Chris, I am settled on installing a solar system and my wife and I have settled on the Generac solar Power Cell "islanding" capability. We live in Central Maine and are having a difficult time locating qualified installers who understand the Generac way.. Most companies do not use Generac equipment. Most companies are driving the Grid tied approach. That's fine however we do want independence if the Grid goes down or if rolling blackouts occur. Are you familiar with companies in the Northeast who are qualified to do this type of install? We currently have a 16kw Guardian whole house generator that is 3 years old. Can that be incorporated in to such a system?
Can more than 1 PWRmanager be connected to a single inverter setup?
who can I talk too about a system like this for my home?
I called Generac and was transfered 3 times to different people. Then on hold for 1.5 hours until they closed and never answered the phone. I like you would like to talk to someone that knows about this system.
what is the cost of the generator
plus install?
I’ve been wondering this myself. Can’t get an answer
Lowe’s in so.California is charging 16500$ to install a 24 k with transfer switch only .still need a manager switch and batteries with some solar to complete a total system
6500$ just for the generator and another 10,000$ to install gas and electric,
5000$ gas plus
5000$ electric plus
6500$ generator equals 16500$
in 2022 and I would imagine it’s going to get more expensive with materials going up
$5000.00 to run two wires?
That is insane.
I can run to the gas line and wiring
and have electrician hook the two wires. But $5,000 for two wires come on man!
Can this be added to a solar setup with Tesla batteries?
PWRManager is designed to work with Generac’s system. Tesla Powerwall is an AC coupled battery.
Is new for you you for you guys I have one for the last 5 years
Generac needs to train their sales people to not use the words "um", "ah", & "you know".