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It depends on how the solar panels are integrated with the public utility, if at all. For example, I have solar power panels on my roof, and they are connected to PG&E (and hence the power grid). So I sell my power to PG&E and continue to run my appliances off of PG&E. So everything works as if I don't have solar panels (i.e. all appliances work as you would expect) -- the only difference is that I get paid for all the power I generate so my electrical bill is zero. However, if I had chosen to have a solar system installed separate and distinct from PG&E, then the answer is different. If I wanted to live "off the grid", then I'd have my solar panels feeding batteries, and the batteries would then supply the power to my house. In this case, I can drive the 220V appliances, but they draw additional power from the batteries. In electrical engineering terms, power is measured in watts, and watts are equal to volts multiplied by amps. So 220V appliances draw twice as much power as 110V (for the same amount of amps). That means when 220V items are on, there is less power for other appliances. So if I turn on my dryer, other appliances may shut off. In other words, you are limited by the amount of current your batteries can provide. A third possibility is to feed power directly from the panels to your house, but this doesn’t make much sense since you would have no power when it’s dark or cloudy outside. You’d need a generator, or batteries, or both. So in summary, if you stay on the grid, everything works. If you go off the grid, you need to ensure that you have enough power to run what you need to run.
By bdc,
posted Mar 31, 2008 5:44:28 PM:
I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, especially if the solar is integrated with a home's electrical system.
However, it is less clear to me how much current the solar panels can deliver at that voltage. You might not want to be running your electric oven, stove top burners, dryer, all at the same time.
