Section 14 Frequently Asked Questions - Generac Power Systems PWRcell Reference Manual

Frequently Asked Questions
Section 14
Applications
Q: Can PWRcell battery be used with other
mainstream inverters such as SolarEdge, Delta,
or Enphase?
A: No, the PWRcell battery is designed to work only with
the Generac PWRcell Inverter. This ensures the best
customer experience.
Q: What type of solar panels can the PWRcell
system support?
A: The PV Link substring optimizers work with the
majority of DC output ungrounded solar panels. The
system will not work with AC output modules (i.e.
panels with an
negatively-grounded solar panels).
Q: Can the PWRcell System integrate with a
generator?
A: The PWRcell system cannot directly couple to a
generator at this time.
Q: Can multiple inverters be installed in one
system?
A: Contact the Generac Clean Energy Inside Sales
team at 888-436-3722 x1861 to discuss system
configuration options for larger projects.
Q: Can the PWRcell Battery Energy Storage System
be used for off-grid applications?
A: The PWRcell Battery Energy Storage System cannot
be used for off-grid applications at this time.
Q: Do I need to purchase and install PWRview
monitoring technology with my PWRcell system
to get home energy monitoring capabilities?
A: The PWRcell system comes standard with the
PWRview monitoring technology. When CTs are
properly installed, monitoring can be done through
the PWRview for PWRcell application available for
Apple phones in the App Store and Google Play
Store from Android phones.
Q: Can I use the PWRcell Battery Energy Storage
System if I already have a solar power system
installed?
A: The PWRcell Battery Energy Storage System cannot
be AC-coupled to existing solar systems at this time.
PWRcell solar plus storage can be installed at sites
with existing solar for certain applications. Contact
the Generac Clean Energy Inside Sales team at 888-
436-3722 x1861 to discuss system configuration.
Q: Can the PWRcell Battery Energy Storage System
be used to replace existing PV inverters to add
battery backup?
Diagnostic Repair Manual
integrated micro-inverter,

Section 14 Frequently Asked Questions

A: While it is technically possible to replace existing
grid-tied components with the PWRcell Battery
Energy Storage System, there are some practical
implications that might not make such a solution
viable (e.g. only the PV modules and racking would
be reusable, the upgrade may nullify existing PPAs
or other programs and or credits, the old system may
need to be brought up to new code standards, etc.).
Q: Can the PWRcell Energy Storage System store
electricity from the electric grid (local utility)
during non-peak times, and deploy that energy
during peak demand times?
or
A: Yes, the PWRcell Battery Energy Storage System
can store energy from the electric grid (local utility),
which can be deployed during peak demand times.
This application can help customers reduce their
electric utility bills.
Q: Is a solar power system installation required to
have the PWRcell Energy Storage System?
A: The PWRcell Energy Storage System does not
require the installation of solar. Customers that do
not have a solar power system can tie the PWRcell
Energy Storage System to the electric grid (local
utility), and capture energy during non-peak hours,
and use the stored energy during peak demand
times or during power outages to power their home/
business.
Q: Can optimizers from another manufacturer be
used with the PWRcell Inverter?
A: The PV Link is required if the customer wants to
install solar with the system. The proprietary protocol
that improves performance and efficiency of the
system requires that only PV Link substring
optimizers be used with the PWRcell inverter and
battery products.
Q: Is the PWRcell Battery Energy Storage System
capable of selling power back to a local utility?
A: Yes it is.
Q: Does the PWRcell Battery Energy Storage
System allow you to take advantage of peak and
off-peak pricing from the electric utility?
A: Yes, the system can be configured to charge/
discharge energy at certain times. This allows
customers to participate in Time of Use (TOU)
programs and minimize the amount of electricity they
have to buy from the utility.
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