Can you run a 600w Grid Tie Inverter from a 24v battery for 14 continuous hours? Let's try!

I'm going to push this cheap 600w grid tie inverter to the limit. It's connected to my 24v battery and I'm going to run it for 14 hours straight! We will find out how much power it puts into my house. I will also be checking it every 3 hours for any signs of failure.

Here is a list of the items in this video:

Y&H Grid Tie Inverter:

32amp DC circuit breaker:

Kill a Watt energy monitor:

BN-LINK WiFi Heavy Duty Smart Plug Outlet:

Want to learn more about me and my setup?

Solar Panels, Victron Solar charge controllers and smart shunt. Don't forget my homemade PVC solar panels stands!

Solar Generators I've reviewed!

Off Grid Batteries and Victron Battery Balancer:

Off Grid & Grid Tie Inverters and 24v to 12v Step down reducer:

Need tools to get your Off Grid setup completed? Check out the list I use!

All Amazon links in the description are affiliate links to support the channel. I'm getting paid a small commission if you order products through these links. The doesn't make the products more expensive for you.

Thanks!

#SolarPower #GridTieInverter #24v

[TheTimoroan]

Fantastic show for a newbie to solar power systems.
I’m planning to watch it again in the next few days
That’s how good it was
Thank you

[MitchellRanch]

I been running a 600w Micro grid tie inverter at night for 15 hrs on a timer. I have a 200kW battery bank lifepo4 battery it has helped the grid tie in the daytime and at night so I don’t have to pay for the utility bill

[DIYSolarandWind]

I have a lot of those inverters around. I will put them to use once again when I make a solar array this summer.

[anthonykenneally]

Great video... I`ve being playing around with these for a while now. Had a few burnt smell times of course!!! I`m using small wind turbines with solar to charge. I used buck boosts and full choke filtering to gain maximum efficiency. Cheap 700w and new 800w m/inverters if kept well cooled seem to be perfect. I hope to upload a video some day. Well done to you. Spread the knowledge my man.

[realToby]

Good testing with battery. The key is keeping the grid tie inverter cool always and use very thick wires. I use the 36v (20 to 50v) version connected directly to my solar panels. I think it has higher efficiency but I can't use it with my battery bank because it requires 36v battery.

[Electronzap]

Nice. As mentioned in your other video, I ordered a unit that looks just like that, so I'm glad that it seems to like running for 14 hours.

[codebeat]

I also watch the first video. Interesting subject but I think you overlook something. By running the grid-tie inverter you drain the battery because there is not enough power to (fully) charge the battery and run the grid-tie inverter at the same time. Actually, you doubled the loss of the system by taking away the charge (and more) by a load. It would be more efficient to first charge battery to a safe level (for the night and enough room to run the grid-tie inverter) and after this use the battery (and/or with solar) to run the grid-tie inverter.

You need a schedule or some measurement automation to run the grid-tie inverter at safe and most efficient moments to guarantee the system keeps running and stable without problems. This results in more efficiency, there is a controlled balance between the loss and benefits. The loss is not a problem when there is enough overhead. For example, when it is only possible to run the grid-tie inverter at night, you still save XXXw on electricity bill. I think that is a plausible result. But if you want more, you need more overhead, to be sure a loss somewhere in the system is not a problem. It is better to have more than you need than exact or less than you need.

Other things you can do is to reduce the overall power consumption. Why do you need 700w at daytime and why only 200w at nighttime? Ask yourself this question because this can save you money and hassle to expand the system.

[timz]

This was a great and timely experiment. Very nice. I'm doing something similar with one of the limiting GTIL inverters now, just running from sunrise to sunset at 250W. I ultimately want to use the limiting inverter elsewhere and am trying to figure out what would be the ideal size of one of these simple grid tie inverters to replace it with in that system and how badly solar panel limited I am. Looks like these grid ties are listed on eBay from 300-600W and are probably all in that 80% efficiency range.

Based on my experience with similar inverters (1000w version), you might have a problem where the fan continues to run while you have no AC power. You'd just have to cycle the DC power to it in order to stop that until the next day.

The cheap Emporia smart plugs similar to what you have also include Energy monitoring through an app and have allowed me to see how much AC production I'm getting from mine.

[rafewalker]

Wow nice setup. I made a limiter for this type of inverter

[jimmurphy]

The variable power inverters I described at length in a comment on one of your previous videos are about 93% efficient, per my measurements.
DC input power = 377 watts, AC output power 350 watts. Only 27 watts lost as heat in the inverter. And as a result, their little built in fan only runs part time, and no extra cooling is needed.
BTW, I incorrectly said the unit I am using put out 450 watts. I mis-remembered. They are 350 watts AC output when using a battery and rated at 500 dc input watts when used with a solar panel.

[Maguy]

Thanks for sharing. Would it not be better to invest in additional battery storage to begin with. I get the power dump concept because who wants to waste the produced energy but you have added more complexity to your design, additional losses due to heat / cable loss etc, and if the grid goes out you would basically want to have full sun to capture the power being generated when the batteries are full. I get batteries are expensive perhaps experiment with lifeP04 diy batteries. For about $1350 you can solve your 8kw power difference. I just think if you have to put a fan on that grid tie inverter to keep it cool you are adding risk to your home and family. I like the innovative approach how ever and you learn by doing these types of things.

[elmurrial]

There is a model of microinverter with manual control of output power between 60 and 300 W.

[pkefvkef]

Hello My friend.Nice approach of meaurements and good results.Congrts.Friend i have a question for you and be happy to hear your answer.We all know that in order to Grid tie inverter to operate there is a Limitation.which is Existence of Grid.What about if grid goes off??? is there a way to create my personal small Grid with an identical off grid inverter and a small battery so offering to the grid tie inverter electricity with 2 characteristics. Sinusodial 220 volt AC at 50 Hz. you

[DAMAGEINC]

Nice Video update.. btw if i have both 240v like for electric stove and clothes dyer, will this inverter supplement electric use as well?

[Tonyjr]

How do you limit the current from the battery to the inverter?

[Kcqdq]

Can you do a demo of the program you used to monitor you power in and out

[scab]

Did you have a YouTube video how to build this system ?

[LarryRichelli]

So the part the almost nobody covers, are you only powering one circuit in your house and if not how is this part wired in your panel?

[TabooRevolution]

My grid tie inverter doesn't like the Kw tester... I have to remove it.. It also pongs from fault to on back and forth a lot.

[chriswhitehouse]

I have a buddy who tells me I risk spinning my electrical grid meter and getting charged for it anyway. Is there a good summary somewhere that you read where I can learn more perhaps?