How do hybrid inverters export to the grid? | DIY Solar Power Forum

14 Jul.,2025

 

How do hybrid inverters export to the grid? | DIY Solar Power Forum

Please could someone point me in the direction of a typical wiring diagram showing how a hybrid inverter exports energy back into the grid. The type of Inverter, for example, would be an iconica W hybrid. It has 2 pv inputs, grid input and load output, along with battery out and various comms ports.
Would the export take place on the load side or the input side? Is it bi-directional? Is an auto transfer switch rqd?

I am based in uk
TIA

TOM Any form of grid tie involves matching grids voltage, frequency and sine angle so that the two sources can be paralleled. Once in parallel the source with greater potential will act to feed current in the direction of the other. Each supply therby picks up a percentage of load. For instance the grid is loaded at 1MW and you hook in your w hybrid (assuming that it is getting PV enough to make w). The grid generators will see a reduced load of w. At this point your hybrid and the grids generators are carrying the systems 1MW load.

So your hybrid input is also its grid tie output. Your hybrid output is designed to provide power from the inverters DC bus (PV and battery) at times there is no grid. Zero feed back types will incoroprate CT's on the grid's incoming conductors so that you unit can detect if greater loading than your home is consuming is being fed to the grid and cuts back inverter production.
Please could someone point me in the direction of a typical wiring diagram showing how a hybrid inverter exports energy back into the grid. The type of Inverter, for example, would be an iconica W hybrid. It has 2 pv inputs, grid input and load output, along with battery out and various comms ports.
Would the export take place on the load side or the input side? Is it bi-directional? Is an auto transfer switch rqd?

I am based in uk
TIA

TOM
if its grid tie capable it will send power back to the grid on the grid input wires.

if its not grid tie capable it will NOT send power back to grid on grid input wires.

please DO NOT connect load output to the same panel grid input is coming from
if its grid tie capable it will send power back to the grid on the grid input wires.

if its not grid tie capable it will NOT send power back to grid on grid input wires.

please DO NOT connect load output to the same panel grid input is coming from
If a hybrid inverter is not ‘grid tie capable’, how does it dispose of excess solar energy?
If a hybrid inverter is not ‘grid tie capable’, how does it dispose of excess solar energy?
DC coupled solar panels do not need to dispose of energy, they just leave it up at the panel as waste current circulating inside the cells.

AC coupled grid tie inverters will need to be commanded to ramp down OR diverted into a battery. Since they aggressively pull energy off the panels and then drive it out the AC side.
if its grid tie capable it will send power back to the grid on the grid input wires.

if its not grid tie capable it will NOT send power back to grid on grid input wires.

please DO NOT connect load output to the same panel grid input is coming from
Thanks for the reply, how can I tell if a particular inverter is ‘grid tie capable’? There is nothing in thIS manual regarding feeding back to the grid, but I would expect it state wether it is capable or not…the below inverter has the same user manual as the iconica, it doesn’t mention grid tie anywhere, is this because it is an expected feature or because it doesn’t have said feature. TIA

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  • Conversol Axpert MAX-8KW-manual-.pdf Conversol Axpert MAX-8KW-manual-.pdf
Thanks for the reply, how can I tell if a particular inverter is ‘grid tie capable’? There is nothing in thIS manual regarding feeding back to the grid, but I would expect it state wether it is capable or not…the below inverter has the same user manual as the iconica, it doesn’t mention grid tie anywhere, is this because it is an expected feature or because it doesn’t have said feature. TIA
Reading the manual that AIO is not a grid tie unit. Nice features though.
the below inverter has the same user manual as the iconica, it doesn’t mention grid tie anywhere
It's a rebadged Voltronic inverter, same as the MPP Solar MAX designed for 220-240 V AC input/output countries. These inverters do not export to the grid. It has an AC input which can be used for passing through grid power to the AC output and/or charging batteries.

I have the same inverter, just badged under a different brand name.

If a hybrid inverter is not ‘grid tie capable’, how does it dispose of excess solar energy?
It's simply not generated in the first place.

See this chart showing my PV output and the battery charging today:



Can see for the morning and early afternoon the PV array was generating what it could.

At about 1PM the battery was finished charging and so the production from the PV array after that was simply matched to loads. Before then there was more than enough load (battery) to use all the PV array could possibly supply. But if there is no load, there is no PV production.
In position A, you can limit exporting to the grid. And still power the loads in group #2.
In position B , you can limit all export. To the grid and/or group #2.
So its mean if i install at position B it will limit export to the grid and also the load.

What if i turn off the limiter, the extra power will feed into the grid and also to the load at the same time. Is this correct?
So its mean if i install at position B it will limit export to the grid and also the load.
The CT isn't a limiting device. It's just a measuring device. The limiting is a setting that you can adjust.
The location of the CT is decided by what you want to be measuring. And how you want to use the information.

What if i turn off the limiter, the extra power will feed into the grid and also to the load at the same time. Is this correct?
If the limiter is off.
There's no limiting.
All available power flows wherever it can.

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