Not sure where to ask this, but we are looking into building a small cabin for our permanent living space.
We are looking for an inverter/generator that we can hook up batteries and future solar panels to and it also be connected to the grid while we are setting everything up/building.
Does anybody have any experience and want to give me suggestions on the type of equipment to do this?
The types of generators I'm seeing ATM output AC power (have their own inverter) and I'm not sure how I would use something like this in the system.
Something like this schematic shows an inverter that can take both AC and DC power, but I'm not finding anything that seems to fit that bill.
I would imagine we want to spend the most on the inverter to future-proof our needs, and a good enough generator to supply the surge/max-wattage of the inverter if the power of our city goes out (or at least enough to run a fridge and/or power tools while we are building)
Edit: Something in the 5000-8000W range would be enough for our needs. If you have any battery-bank suggestions (I can only find a max of 100Ah batteries) that would be great too.
This isn't the kind of thing you DIY imo
Sure it is, the only thing I'd pay for (and you're required to have a licensed professional do) is get you connected to the grid correctly so you don't kill linemen when power goes out and generator/batteries kick in
You could say that about literally any topic though.
Sure, but like wiring a switch? Ok. Designing the wiring for your house? Maybe not. Fixing a sink? Sure. Putting in a new septic tank? Maybe call the pros.
Idk it's a matter of scale. One thing you could do as a compromise is call up a local resi solar installer and have them quote the work. As part of that process they should give you a broad overview of the work, and allow you to ask any questions including major equipment choices from a licensed professional. Then when you get the price you can choose to move forward or not, but regardless you will be better informed about what you're going to undertake.
Electrical equipment behaves weirdly. There's weird shit like oscillation that can multiply the voltage on a line if you have some sort of synchronization issues between the generator, the inverter, and the grid. This shit can kill you so be careful.