The "Grid-Tie With Battery Backup" PV system incorporates one or more special AC circuits which are not directly connected to the electric grid like the rest of the building, but are always powered through the inverter and/or charge controller. These circuits may power a refrigerator, selected lights, computers or servers... any devices the owner deems essential. The "dual function" inverter can supply the utility grid with any excess power produced by the system like the "grid-tie" inverter, plus the inverter works with the PV modules and battery bank (through the charge controller) to provide AC power to the backup circuits when the grid is down. The charge controller manages the battery voltage, keeping them fully charged when the grid is live, and preventing them from being depleted when the system is drawing power from them.
Our office is in Excelsior, MN. We serve Minneapolis, St. Paul, all of the Twin Cities area (including Blaine, Bloomington, Burnsville, Chanhassen, Chaska, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Lakeville, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Wayzata, and Woodbury) and the southern half of Minnesota.