GEYA Project | Chile Distributed Rooftop PV System

Key Takeaways

Location & Challenge: Santiago, Chile. Extreme weather causes frequent grid instability, threatening critical residential loads.
Solution: Upgraded the distribution box with a GEYA G2R ATS, DC Combiner Box, and DC MCBs without altering the existing PV inverter architecture.
Result: Seamless automated switching between the public grid and PV/battery storage, ensuring zero noticeable flickering for home appliances.

Project Overview

Chile is experiencing a rapid boom in distributed solar generation, particularly in its capital, Santiago. While the Mediterranean climate provides abundant sunshine, the region is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, leading to unexpected public grid outages. For this residential project, the homeowner had already installed a rooftop PV system paired with battery storage. However, during grid failures, their critical loads were completely interrupted.

As a comprehensive supplier integrating R&D, production, sales, and service, GEYA was commissioned by the client to upgrade their home energy management system at the distribution box level. The primary goal is to achieve seamless switching between the gridand the solar/battery supply without modifying the main inverter architecture.

How the System Works

The upgraded electrical architecture provides the homeowner with a highly efficient AC/DC power routing system. Solar energy captured by the rooftop panels is first routed through the GEYA DC Combiner Box, which consolidates the DC currents. From there, the energy flows directly to the storage system (batteries) or through the inverter to be converted into AC power for household loads.

At the core of the load management is the GEYA G2R Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS). It constantly monitors the public grid. When the grid is stable, the ATS prioritizes grid power or inverter output based on user settings. During a blackout, the ATS instantly switches the power source to the off-grid inverter output (drawing from PV and batteries). This micro-second transition ensures that the energy flow remains uninterrupted, keeping critical appliances running and lights on without any noticeable flickering.

Related GEYA Products

The reliability of this solar setup relies on precise component selection. Below are the key GEYA products utilized in this distributed rooftop PV system.
(Technical Note: When sizing circuit protection for such systems, understanding the full form of Icu in electric (Ultimate Short-Circuit Breaking Capacity) and the full form of Ice in electric (Service Short-Circuit Breaking Capacity) is essential to ensure the breakers can safely clear high DC fault currents without sustaining damage.)

Product Category	Model / Specification	Application in System
ATS(G2R)	Link Here	Responsible for the management of automatic switching between photovoltaic and main power lines.
DC MCB	Link Here	Provides safety protection and isolation for the DC side of photovoltaic arrays and battery systems.
Combiner Box	Link Here	Providing a platform for electrical equipment that offers superior fire and corrosion resistance, along with convenient and streamlined wiring.

Challenges Solved

Seamless Power Transition: Overcame the issue of load dropping during grid failures. The G2R ATS handles the transfer so quickly that sensitive electronics remain unaffected.
Non-Invasive Upgrade: Successfully integrated the automated switching logic at the distribution box level, saving the customer the cost and hassle of replacing their existing PV inverter.
Enhanced Safety & Maintenance: The selected ATS features a manual/auto toggle, furthermore, a “0” position is mandatory to preserve the operational environment for a forced power-off. (and it must have a 0-position to retain a forced power-off operating environment), ensuring absolute safety during system maintenance.

Customer Feedback

“The extreme weather in Santiago used to mean guaranteed blackouts for our home, even with solar panels installed. Since GEYA’s components were integrated into our distribution board, the transition during a grid failure is completely invisible. The lights don’t even blink, and our critical appliances stay on. It’s exactly the reliability we were looking for.”