Thanks for having an interesting forum and this topic! I have a related question. I am looking at installing up to 24 panels of PV and going grid-tied. I was very disappointed to learn that they shut down during outages! I want to be able to run at least a 2hp pump and some low draw controls for irrigation when power is down. I have a generator that can do this short term. What happens if it's a loooong time before power comes back? (OK, let's talk in terms of never for the sake of argument) What would it take to convert a grid-tied system to an off-grid at least strong enough to start and run the pump and a few more amps? Are there things i can do now while building the grid-tied system that will make the switch to off-grid easier? In this doomsday scenario, i don't need power at night. Just a few hours per day running the well would work for me. A different controller and a small battery for intermittent clouds? More? Design considerations up front? Cost of a different controller?
