Grid Tie Inverters with Generator
The reason most people go to a second generator (or a larger generator) is because of the startup amps needed to get the Air/Con compressor turning. Once it's turning a 2000-2400watt generator will us...
Forum Discussion
I install grid tied solar systems for a living. I don't know of any grid tie inverters that have a DC input that will accept 12v. Some of the microinverters will take DC in the 20 to 30 volt range but they are only 250 watt inverters. Most inverters require DC at 200 volts or more.
A grid tie inverter only does one thing: make as much power as it can and push it into the grid. If you connect an inverter as you propose and feed it a high enough DC voltage, and if your generator is stable enough in frequency for it to sync then it just might come on and start feeding AC into your gen. It will feed as much as it can draw from the battery and raise the AC voltage as high as necessary (up to the UL limit) in order to push the AC into your system. Your generator will not like this one bit. Your battery bank won't like it either.
There are really a whole host of reasons why this won't work. Instead of typing out all the technical details just skip this plan.
There are inverters that have a feature called "generator support". These are battery based inverters that can sync to a generator and provide power. Yes, they are expensive. I think Magnum and Victron both offer this feature in a 12v DC model inverter. Xantrex and Outback make them too but only in 24v and 48v configurations. An inverter like this is what you need to allow your small gen. to start an AC unit.
A grid tie inverter only does one thing: make as much power as it can and push it into the grid. If you connect an inverter as you propose and feed it a high enough DC voltage, and if your generator is stable enough in frequency for it to sync then it just might come on and start feeding AC into your gen. It will feed as much as it can draw from the battery and raise the AC voltage as high as necessary (up to the UL limit) in order to push the AC into your system. Your generator will not like this one bit. Your battery bank won't like it either.
There are really a whole host of reasons why this won't work. Instead of typing out all the technical details just skip this plan.
There are inverters that have a feature called "generator support". These are battery based inverters that can sync to a generator and provide power. Yes, they are expensive. I think Magnum and Victron both offer this feature in a 12v DC model inverter. Xantrex and Outback make them too but only in 24v and 48v configurations. An inverter like this is what you need to allow your small gen. to start an AC unit.
