Split-bus electrical panel in parallel configuration to maximize PV/battery inverter back-feed power
An apparatus provides a single split-bus electrical panel with back-feed circuit breakers arranged and sized so that, for example, a single 225 A rated split-bus electrical panel with a 200 A main breaker may be used to connect a far higher photovoltaic power source than conventional configurations. The circuit breakers are connected to a Microgrid Interconnection Device for isolation of critical loads during a utility power outage. A first panel section of the split-bus panel is connected to a utility and supplies power to non-critical loads. A second panel section is connected to a renewable power source with battery back-up to supply power to the critical loads and is connected through a relay to the utility, in parallel with the first panel section, to supply both utility power and renewable power when there is no outage. The relay is configured to isolate the second panel when there is a utility outage.
1. An apparatus for maximizing power of a photovoltaic system to power critical residential loads during a utility power outage, comprising:
a single, split-bus electrical panel including a first panel section of the split-bus electrical panel configured to supply power to non-critical standard electrical loads and a second panel section of the split-bus electrical panel configured to supply power to critical electrical loads by a back-up system, the critical loads required to be powered during a utility power outage;
a first circuit breaker in the first panel section connected to a first bus bar and a second bus bar of the first panel section, the first circuit breaker configured to conduct utility power from a utility power source;
a second circuit breaker in the second panel section connected to a first bus bar and a second bus bar of the second panel section, the second circuit breaker connected through a relay to the utility power source in parallel with the first circuit breaker, the second circuit breaker configured to conduct the utility power from the relay to the first bus bar and the second bus bar of the second panel section when there is no utility power outage, and to be isolated by the relay from the utility power source when there is a utility power outage;
a third circuit breaker in the second panel section connected to the first bus bar and the second bus bar of the second panel section, and connected to a renewable energy power source and a back-up power source of the back-up system, configured to conduct renewable energy power and back-up power to the first bus bar and the second bus bar of the second panel section, the back-up power to supplement the renewable energy power at least when a utility power outage is detected.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the relay is configured to be closed and conduct utility power from the utility power source to the second circuit breaker when there is no utility power outage and to be open when there is a utility power outage.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein an outage detector is associated with the back-up power source and is configured to detect whether there is a utility power outage and to send an outage signal to the relay to open when a utility power outage is detected.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the renewable energy power source of the back-up system is at least one of a photovoltaic solar array or a wind energy array.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third circuit breakers are two-pole circuit breakers operating as back-feed circuit breakers.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the utility power is 120/240 VAC Split Phase Electrical power.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the relay is a component of a microgrid interconnection device.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second panel is connected through the relay to the utility power source in parallel with the first panel when there is no utility power outage.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the back-up power source of the back-up system includes a rechargeable battery, a charger, an inverter, and an outage detector that is configured to detect when there is a utility power outage and send an outage signal to the relay.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the back-up power source of the back-up system includes a rechargeable battery and a charger that receives the utility power from the fourth circuit breaker to charge the rechargeable battery when there is no utility power outage.
11. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein an outage detector is associated with a microgrid connection device and is configured to detect whether there is a utility power outage and to cause the relay to open when a utility power outage is detected.
12. A system for maximizing power of a photovoltaic system to power critical residential loads during a utility power outage, comprising:
a single, split-bus electrical panel including a first panel section of the split-bus electrical panel configured to supply power to non-critical standard electrical loads and a second panel section of the split-bus electrical panel configured to supply power to critical electrical loads by a back-up system, the critical loads required to be powered during a utility power outage;
a first circuit breaker in the first panel section connected to a first bus bar and a second bus bar of the first panel section, the first circuit breaker configured to conduct utility power from a utility power source;
a second circuit breaker in the second panel section connected to a first bus bar and a second bus bar of the second panel section, the second circuit breaker connected through a relay to the utility power source in parallel with the first circuit breaker, the second circuit breaker configured to conduct the utility power from the relay to the first bus bar and the second bus bar of the second panel section when there is no utility power outage, and to be isolated by the relay from the utility power source when there is a utility power outage;
a third circuit breaker in the second panel section connected to the first bus bar and the second bus bar of the second panel section, and connected to a renewable energy power source and a back-up power source of the back-up system, configured to conduct renewable energy power and back-up power to the first bus bar and the second bus bar of the second panel section, the back-up power to supplement the renewable energy power at least when a utility power outage is detected.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the relay is configured to be closed and conduct utility power from the utility power source to the second circuit breaker when there is no utility power outage and to be open when there is a utility power outage.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein an outage detector is associated with the back-up power source and is configured to detect whether there is a utility power outage and to send an outage signal to the relay to open when a utility power outage is detected.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the renewable energy power source of the back-up system is at least one of a photovoltaic solar array or a wind energy array.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first, second, and third circuit breakers are two-pole circuit breakers operating as back-feed circuit breakers, and wherein the utility power is 120/240 VAC Split Phase Electrical power.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the relay is a component of a microgrid interconnection device, and wherein the second panel is connected through the relay to the utility power source in parallel with the first panel when there is no utility power outage.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the back-up power source of the back-up system includes a rechargeable battery, a charger, an inverter, and an outage detector that is configured to detect when there is a utility power outage and send an outage signal to the relay.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the back-up power source of the back-up system includes a rechargeable battery and a charger that receives the utility power from the fourth circuit breaker to charge the rechargeable battery when there is no utility power outage.
20. The system of claim 13 , wherein an outage detector is associated with a microgrid connection device and is configured to detect whether there is a utility power outage and to cause the relay to open when a utility power outage is detected.