Adding Breakers to Panel, Turn Off Inverter or Disconnect?

[GeorgeIoak]

I'm going to add my own energy monitoring system (emporia) since I didn't get one when my panels were installed. I'd rather not turn the power off at the Inverter and I don't think it matters where I disconnect but I thought I'd check in here what the standard practice is. Perhaps I do need to turn both the disconnect and the inverter off, and by disconnect I'm talking about the one on the right in the attached picture.

 

[aesculus]

You have not stated where the energy monitoring system is being placed. Between the panel breaker and the blade switch, the blade switch and the inverter, somewhere else?

A single line diagram would be nice to see.

 

[GeorgeIoak]

Sorry, the energy monitoring system is going into the main breaker panel. The monitoring system is this one, Flexible Current Sensor Solution for Bus Bars and Combo Boxes. I'll be placing them on the main bus bars as well as on 16 individual breakers.

The inverter (not shown) is physically to the left in the first picture I shared. It feeds into the disconnect panel, the one on the right. That then feeds into the bottom of my main electrical panel and into those 60A tandem breakers. At least that's my understanding of how my system is connected. I don't have any Powerwalls or battery backup in my system.

 

[aesculus]

Well then you shut down the main panel breaker from the grid and that in theory would shut down all the inverters, but I would throw the blade disconnects too, just in case.

Now if you have Powerwalls or some other ESS then you have another set of issues.

 

[GeorgeIoak]

Yeah, that's what I thought of doing, main plus disconnect. No batteries in my installation (at least not yet!).

I can't think it would be an issue but I just wasn't sure if the inverters "cared" about receiving power from the panels but no where to put it.

 

[holeydonut]

Yeah, that's what I thought of doing, main plus disconnect. No batteries in my installation (at least not yet!).

I can't think it would be an issue but I just wasn't sure if the inverters "cared" about receiving power from the panels but no where to put it.

Solar panels only export power if there is somewhere for that energy to go. With an open circuit, voltage will develop but current of electrons will not flow. The solar panel will just become some hot, black, glass, and some dope if you throw the disconnect.

I installed two Emporia Vue's, and the only time I felt I really had to power things down was when I put the big CTs over the main lugs. After that, their 50A CT's are pretty easy to navigate and your hands won't be near exposed circuits. But of course for 100% safety you should leave everything powered down until all of them are set up.

The worst part is if your house breakers are anything like mine, you won't actually know which outlet or overhead light is on which breaker. Odds are you're going to have to leave your energy on, and plug in a space heater or something into various plugs. Then swap the CT's around hunting for which breaker has that 1500w load.

 

[GeorgeIoak]

Yep, I'm expecting the same issue with not knowing what object in the house is connected to what CT. I guess running a hair dryer on a few outlets is an easy test.

Nice to have confirmation on the inverter and that makes sense that once there's an open that prevents any current flow so I'll just have an open circuit.