Quick question, I know some where on the forum the guys talked about that you can push back AC on the output of the Phoenix inverter to charge the battery. “I think it’s Phil that is doing this” I bought this one from the forum, serial number and year info is there: Phoenix Inverter 12/3000-230V VE.Bus
I need to install it at my parents house after they build a new house, my plan is if I can do it, is to run a PV inverter on the output of the Phoenix so the Phoenix will supply the Pv inverter to keep it on and the PV inverter will push back AC power in to the Phoenix to charge the batteries and the PV inverter will supply dedicated plugs in the house, and night time the phoenix will supply. Will be a off grid /standby setup with change over.
Yes, that can work, but you should also install a small PV charger directly to the battery, otherwise the system cannot restart when the batteries have been run down.
Thanks. Plans is to add a 10 or 20a 12v charger with a controller just for backup if I need to get the setup up and running from the grid but the PV charger is a good plan to. Will be running 2 x 200ah lithium batteries and add more later.
As already hinted, not all Phoenix inverters are equal in this respect. The new plastic-case smaller ones (under about 1.2kW I think), the ones with the VE.Direct plug on them, you cannot put a PV-inverter on their output.
The larger ones with a VE.Bus socket, yes you can.
Always check the manual. That’s your best bet.
The logic is pretty simple. The inverter component, the actual design of the thing, is identical to the one in the Multi. The Multi merely has a transfer switch and a power supply as well so that it can also charge- and power itself from the grid.
Because it is the same inverter (so much the same that some of them even had the same productid and was misidentified on VRM for a while), you can put a PV-inverter on the output.
But the important take-home here is: Read the friendly manual.
Thanks @plonkster. Sal in gedagte hou. Got a 250/100 that i will run on temp with 4 x 415w panels. I still got the option open to run a gridtie inverter on it. What brand will you go for this option?
Fronius, Fimer, or Solis. Solis is cheapest but cannot be directly monitored (you need to install an energy meter). Fimer is well priced and excellent quality, but Fronius remains king.
You can also look at a small SMA. They support sunspec and frequency scaling, and can be cheaper than other options. Though some of them are Wi-Fi only.
If it is completely off-grid, maybe look for old SMA inverters that don’t support NRS097-2017
