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Can Generator Charge Batteries


fuzex

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So before I got Solar, during loadshedding I used to use an extension cord with plug on each side to power the house with a 6500k generator. One side into the gennie and one side into any plug point.

Wondering now if during extensive loadshedding when lithium batteries are running low if I can do the same to power the house and hopefully power the batteries. Thinking is the generator will act as the grid.

Anyone know if this will work before I go blow my inverter or something?

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4 minutes ago, fuzex said:

So before I got Solar, during loadshedding I used to use an extension cord with plug on each side to power the house with a 6500k generator. One side into the gennie and one side into any plug point.

Wondering now if during extensive loadshedding when lithium batteries are running low if I can do the same to power the house and hopefully power the batteries. Thinking is the generator will act as the grid.

Anyone know if this will work before I go blow my inverter or something?

This is like suicide. Can never say anyone must do it. Rather get someone to do it the right way and check if the genny will in fact work so that you know you have a workable system. 

Sometimes one must not try to remove your own appendix :)

Edited by Scorp007
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27 minutes ago, fuzex said:

Anyone know if this will work before I go blow my inverter or something?

If you plug the genny into a socket supplied by the inverter, the smoke will come out. If you plug the genny in to the house such that the inverter sees it like the municipal supply, it may work. There are a few threads about this but in short frequency and overloading are your risks.

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@fuzexYou must use a transfer switch between generator and db board plug to plug illegal and dangerous.

31 minutes ago, fuzex said:

One side into the gennie and one side into any plug point.

So for instance that any plug point is connected to the essential side of the inverter guess what you put your generator power onto the output of your inverter buy buy inverter noooo bad idea

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13 hours ago, fuzex said:

So before I got Solar, during loadshedding I used to use an extension cord with plug on each side to power the house with a 6500k generator. One side into the gennie and one side into any plug point.

Wondering now if during extensive loadshedding when lithium batteries are running low if I can do the same to power the house and hopefully power the batteries. Thinking is the generator will act as the grid.

Anyone know if this will work before I go blow my inverter or something?

The arrangement you describe is often referred to as a "suicide plug". It can work, but there are risks. Most obviously that your gennie is connected to the house's wiring and via that to the grid when Eskom comes back up. That's not going to end well. People do run suicide plugs and live to tell the tale (or their wiring does), but it can't be taken for granted.

I doubt anbody is going to give you any kind of encouraging response, for fear of your inverter blowing up and you getting angry with them.

There's been talk of using generators on the input side of the inverter. This is not guaranteed to work either, because generators don't always deliver a steady 230V at 50Hz. The voltage or frequency may fluctuate, and the inverter may respond by disconnecting.

I think your best strategy here is to figure out why the state of charge of your batteries is getting so low. You've got 4.5 kW of panels and 10kWh of batteries. I have less panels, same amount of battery, and I get through the night on batteries and still have usually better than 50% left when the sun rises the next morning. That would get me through a few hours with a little discipline on our part. 

Or are you just thinking forwards to a dooms day scenario?

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24 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

The arrangement you describe is often referred to as a "suicide plug". It can work, but there are risks. Most obviously that your gennie is connected to the house's wiring and via that to the grid when Eskom comes back up. That's not going to end well. People do run suicide plugs and live to tell the tale (or their wiring does), but it can't be taken for granted.

I doubt anbody is going to give you any kind of encouraging response, for fear of your inverter blowing up and you getting angry with them.

There's been talk of using generators on the input side of the inverter. This is not guaranteed to work either, because generators don't always deliver a steady 230V at 50Hz. The voltage or frequency may fluctuate, and the inverter may respond by disconnecting.

I think your best strategy here is to figure out why the state of charge of your batteries is getting so low. You've got 4.5 kW of panels and 10kWh of batteries. I have less panels, same amount of battery, and I get through the night on batteries and still have usually better than 50% left when the sun rises the next morning. That would get me through a few hours with a little discipline on our part. 

Or are you just thinking forwards to a dooms day scenario?

Some guys and dolls don't go to bed/sleep at sunset 😀😀😀

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