Comments on: Heat and power, power and heat http://www.selfsufficientlife.net/2007/12/04/heat-and-power-power-and-heat/ preparing for off-grid living Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:24:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Electric Radiators http://www.selfsufficientlife.net/2007/12/04/heat-and-power-power-and-heat/comment-page-1/#comment-7817 Electric Radiators Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:09:24 +0000 http://www.selfsufficientlife.net/2007/12/04/heat-and-power-power-and-heat/#comment-7817 I didn't realise that Solar energy will be paid at a higher rate than power generated with a diesel generator. I didn’t realise that Solar energy will be paid at a higher rate than power generated with a diesel generator.

]]> By: Nico http://www.selfsufficientlife.net/2007/12/04/heat-and-power-power-and-heat/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Nico Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:53:35 +0000 http://www.selfsufficientlife.net/2007/12/04/heat-and-power-power-and-heat/#comment-14 Hi Sam, Sure, you can not just hook your generator up and expect your meter to run backwards. Most power meters are made in a way that running it backwards is impossible, so you will need to get a new energy meter from the power company. Also, like you mentioned, the power you feed back into the grid has to be of the correct voltage and frequency. This will be monitored by some electronics that has to be added to your incoming power line. Another important feature that is handled by this electronics box is automatically cutting your outgoing power when the grid is not powered: imagine the grid in your neighborhood being disconnected from the power station for maintenance work. I'm sure the guys working on the lines will love you for feeding some juice into the lines they are currently working on! Again, the specific rules differ from place to place. Talk to your local power provider. They can tell you exactly what hardware you need to feed power back into their lines, who can install it for you and what the rates you will be paid for your power production are. Hi Sam,

Sure, you can not just hook your generator up and expect your meter to run backwards. Most power meters are made in a way that running it backwards is impossible, so you will need to get a new energy meter from the power company. Also, like you mentioned, the power you feed back into the grid has to be of the correct voltage and frequency. This will be monitored by some electronics that has to be added to your incoming power line.

Another important feature that is handled by this electronics box is automatically cutting your outgoing power when the grid is not powered: imagine the grid in your neighborhood being disconnected from the power station for maintenance work. I’m sure the guys working on the lines will love you for feeding some juice into the lines they are currently working on!

Again, the specific rules differ from place to place. Talk to your local power provider. They can tell you exactly what hardware you need to feed power back into their lines, who can install it for you and what the rates you will be paid for your power production are.

]]> By: Sam http://www.selfsufficientlife.net/2007/12/04/heat-and-power-power-and-heat/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Sam Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:16:46 +0000 http://www.selfsufficientlife.net/2007/12/04/heat-and-power-power-and-heat/#comment-13 So I can legally hook up any power generator to my home power network and make the meter spin backwards? What kind of rules are there for the way it is connected, I'm sure the utility company wants to be sure that they get a clean sine wave at the right voltage! So I can legally hook up any power generator to my home power network and make the meter spin backwards? What kind of rules are there for the way it is connected, I’m sure the utility company wants to be sure that they get a clean sine wave at the right voltage!

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