Solar power tap

Are line side taps a good alternative to a large solar system?

Because of the current cost and availability of electrical equipment for commercial solar systems, line side taps are becoming increasingly common with large solar systems as a cheaper alternative.

What is a load side tap?

Load side taps are common for residential systems and smaller commercial systems. When designing your solar system, the provider must consider the 120% rule. This rule was established by the National Electrical Code (NEC) to identify how much power can be safely back-fed through the load side of the existing electrical panel.

Do you need an electrician to install a side tap system?

That means you need both interconnection specialists designing your system and electricians well-versed in line side tap and load side tap interconnection techniques doing the actual installation.

How does a solar inverter work?

With a load side tap, your solar inverter is wired directly to your electrical panel through a circuit breaker. When you have more power than you need, it flows from that breaker through the bus bars, the main breaker, the meter, and then ultimately out to the grid.

What are the advantages of a line side tap?

The advantage to this approach is that it allows you to install a supply side connection that is limited only by the amperage of the existing panel. That means that if you have a panel rated for 200 amps, your line side tap connection can also be as much as 200 amps.

How many amps can a line side tap connect?

That means that if you have a panel rated for 200 amps, your line side tap connection can also be as much as 200 amps. With this type of installation, the inverter is essentially wired into the system before the main panel.