Why a Typical Home Solar Setup Does Not Work with the Grid Down
> Backfeeding the power grid, according to some lineworkers I've talked to, is really not a big concern for two reasons. First, lineworkers assume lines are live until proven otherwise.  And, second, no residential system is going to successfully backfeed a large dead section of grid.  [...] it's really not that big a concern from a technical/safety perspective.<p>This is wrong and dangerous. Suddenly energising a section of grid which has been isolated from all known power sources could easily kill someone working on it. Yes, lineworkers will isolate and test lines before touching them. No, this won't protect them because your inverter could start outputting after they've tested. Yes, your inverter will <i>probably</i> overload and trip out before putting <i>too</i> much voltage into your local section of the grid, depending on where it's isolated. No, it's not OK to bet a random stranger's life on it.