Two houses, same lot - one solar system

[unheard]

Hello.

 

I"m interested in a solar system that would be capable of covering the vast majority of our electrical needs,

I don't know much about solar and all things electrical.

 

I live in a newly built house located at a distance of approximately 15 m from another, much older house, which is occupied by my parents in law.

Both houses are on the same lot/property.

 

Each house is connected to a separate electrical meter.

The older house is connected via an analog type, while the newer house - via a digital.

Both meters reside on the same pole.

The digital meter supplies electricity to the newer house via an underground cable , while the spinner is connected to the older house via an overhead line.

 

I pay all electrical bills.

 

I'm thinking of installing a hybrid system with batteries that would be big enough to cover both houses electrical needs while still having an option to draw from the utility company during the prolong rainy, overcast weather.

All solar equipment (panels, inverter, batteries) will reside in close proximity to the older house.

 

Questions:

1) How would you configure the connection to the utility company considering the above-described situation with two meters/households?

2) Would it be OK to run an underground cable from the solar station to the second house electrical inlet with an estimated run of 20m?

 

Thank you

[lom]

10 hours ago, unheard said:

2) Would it be OK to run an underground cable from the solar station to the second house electrical inlet with an estimated run of 20m?

Yes and if you want to keep the grid connection with the old meter then you can install an Automatic Transfer Switch at the old house.

You can also choose to have the old meter removed and only feed the old house from the underground cable from your solar inverter.

My inverter is supplying power to our main house and  to the two smaller rental cabins that we have.

[Crossy]

I would choose one supply as the "master" and, as @lom suggests, use an ATS to ensure that you can never connect the grid to the output of your inverter, therein lies the exit of the Magic Smoke and tears 😞 

 

Do a simple sketch of what you want to do and post here.

 

it's also a good idea to log your day/night usage split (read the meters at 9AM and 5PM) this will help determine how much storage you will need.

 

[unheard]

Thanks guys

 

So it sounds like I'd need to choose one of the  meters as the "master" and then proceed from that.

I'm thinking about selecting the older house as the host location for the solar panels and hardware.

 

Does it mean then that it would make the most sense to choose the analog meter/overhead line as the only link to the utility company?

In that case how should I go about the digital meter/underground line?

Completely disconnect or leave it in the idle state?

 

Sorry, I don't know much about the local electrical regulations/common practices.

 

 

[Pogust]

I did something similar half a year ago and now running on almost only solar for 3 houses. Pays max 200 bht per month.

I would suggest you make sure the cable area on the overhead line to the old house is enough to feed both houses if needed. You should connect to grid that way and cut down the new connection. You can only have one connection to the grid from inverter. An ATS is highly recommended. Don't be too stingy om battery bank. If you draw down the batteries every night to their limit it would reduce their lifespan.

Just my thoughts..