Electrical panel with distributed energy resources compartment and pre-wiring for solar inverter connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11764552-B2
Application number	US-202217831871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2022
Priority date	Feb 8, 2021
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A distributed energy resources compartment for an electrical panel is pre-wired for installation of a photovoltaic system for a residence. The compartment is mounted on a back plate in the interior of an electrical cabinet. A pre-wired connection within the compartment is configured to connect to a solar circuit breaker within the electrical cabinet, connected as a back-feed circuit breaker to an electrical panel. An opening on a backside of the compartment adjacent to the back plate of the electrical cabinet, is configured to receive connections within the compartment from a solar inverter, through the back plate of the electrical cabinet when the solar inverter is mounted to the back plate of the electrical cabinet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for an electrical panel for a photovoltaic system for a residence, comprising:
an electrical cabinet having an interior volume, configured to fit between two adjacent vertical studs separated by a horizontal width in a vertical wall of a residential structure, the cabinet having a front side with an access door configured to extend beyond an exterior surface of the residential structure, a top side with a horizontal top wall, and a back side with a back plate facing toward an interior of the residential structure, the back plate including an open portion, the back plate configured to be covered by an interior wall covering of the residential structure;
an electrical panel mounted within the electrical cabinet, configured to be powered by a utility power source, by a solar inverter, or by a combination of the utility power source and the solar inverter;
a solar circuit breaker mounted within the electrical cabinet, connected as a back-feed circuit breaker to the electrical panel; and
a distributed energy resources compartment mounted on the back plate of the electrical cabinet within the interior volume of the electrical cabinet and configured to connect to the solar circuit breaker and to receive connections from the solar inverter through the open portion of the back plate of the electrical cabinet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distributed energy resources compartment further, comprises:
the distributed energy resources compartment being open on a topside thereof adjacent to the horizontal top wall of the electrical cabinet and aligned with knockout portions in the top wall of the electrical cabinet, which include at least first and second knockout portions configured to mechanically connect to respective first and second conduits to provide electrical connections within the distributed energy resources compartment, through the open topside of the distributed energy resources compartment to a respective photovoltaic power source and a battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a terminal block mounted in the distributed energy resources compartment, pre-wired to the electrical panel and configured to make connections with the solar inverter, to conduct AC power between the solar inverter and the electrical panel.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:
a second terminal block mounted in the distributed energy resources compartment, configured to make connections with the solar inverter, to conduct DC power between the solar inverter the photovoltaic power source and the battery.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distributed energy resources compartment is formed as an integral part of the electrical cabinet, having a top wall comprising part of the top wall of the electrical cabinet, including at least first and second knockout portions configured to mechanically connect to respective first and second conduits to provide electrical connections within the distributed energy resources compartment to a respective photovoltaic power source and a battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distributed energy resources compartment is formed as an integral part of the electrical cabinet, with the opening on the backside of the distributed energy resources compartment forming an opening on the back plate of the electrical cabinet, configured to receive the connections from the solar inverter through the opening on the backside of the distributed energy resources compartment.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distributed energy resources compartment further, comprises:
the distributed energy resources compartment having a top wall parallel with the top wall of the electrical cabinet, including at least first and second knockout portions configured to mechanically connect to respective first and second conduits to provide electrical connections within the distributed energy resources compartment to a respective photovoltaic power source and a battery.

8. A distributed energy resources compartment for an electrical panel for a photovoltaic system for a residence, comprising:
a compartment mounted on a back plate of an electrical cabinet within an interior volume of the electrical cabinet, wherein the compartment is configured to be connected to a solar circuit breaker mounted within the electrical cabinet, connected as a back-feed circuit breaker to an electrical panel; and
an opening on a backside of the compartment adjacent to the back plate of the electrical cabinet and aligned with an opening in the back plate of the electrical cabinet, configured to receive connections within the compartment from a solar inverter, through the opening in the back plate of the electrical cabinet, when the solar inverter is mounted to the back plate of the electrical cabinet.

9. The distributed energy resources compartment of claim 8 , wherein the compartment further, comprises:
the compartment having an opening on a topside thereof adjacent to a horizontal top wall of the electrical cabinet and aligned with knockout portions in the top wall of the electrical cabinet, which include at least first and second knockout portions configured to mechanically connect to respective first and second conduits to provide electrical connections within the compartment through the opening on the topside of the compartment to a respective photovoltaic power source and a battery.

10. The distributed energy resources compartment of claim 8 , wherein the compartment further, comprises:
a terminal block mounted in the compartment, pre-wired to the electrical panel and configured to make connections with the solar inverter, to conduct AC power between the solar inverter and the electrical panel.

11. The distributed energy resources compartment of claim 10 , wherein the compartment further, comprises:
a second terminal block mounted in the compartment, configured to make connections with the solar inverter, to conduct DC power between the solar inverter, a photovoltaic power source, and a battery.

12. The distributed energy resources compartment of claim 8 , wherein the compartment is formed as an integral part of the electrical cabinet, having a top wall of the compartment comprising part of a top wall of the electrical cabinet, including at least first and second knockout portions configured to mechanically connect to respective first and second conduits to provide electrical connections within the distributed energy resources compartment to a respective photovoltaic power source and a battery.

13. The distributed energy resources compartment of claim 8 , wherein the compartment is formed as an integral part of the electrical cabinet, with the opening on the backside of the compartment forming the opening on the back plate of the electrical cabinet, configured to receive the connections from a solar inverter through the opening on the backside of the distributed energy resources compartment.

14. The distributed energy resources compartment of claim 8 , further comprising:
a top wall of the compartment parallel with a top wall of the electrical cabinet, including at least first and second knockout portions configured to mechanically connect to respective first and second conduits to provide electrical connections within the compartment to a respective photovoltaic power source and a battery.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Usa Inc

Inventors

• Phillips Timothy

Classifications

• H02B1/202 Primary

  Cable lay-outs · CPC title

• H02B1/20 Primary

  Bus-bar or other wiring layouts, e.g. in cubicles, in switchyards (installations of bus-bars H02G5/00) · CPC title

• H02B1/305

  Cable entries · CPC title

• Y02E70/30

  Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin · CPC title

• H02S40/38

  Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules · CPC title