Hi Chris, I’m wondering if a load management device like this could be helpful? However, it does not discern between grid presence and island mode, so it might not fit the bill.
https://www.getstepwise.com/product?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22363404421&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqqDFBhDhARIsAIHTlkub687mJZYb6g0nIR33X1eA2FVY3bMc_zBxMr44IEl5a7QenVljhUgaArKeEALw_wcB Quick caveat that shedding an HVAC unit potentially mid cycle is not ideal for the health of that unit…but neither is an overload and subsequent power failure. I do know that Lumin Smart sells remote CTs for grid detection. Might be worth a call to them to see if this fairly inexpensive product can pair with a remote contactor to open the HVAC circuit. Best of luck! -Chris On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM Christopher Warfel via RE-wrenches < re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote: > We installed a 4kW Outback multimode system about 8 years ago. An > electrician came in afterwards and installed 3 heat pumps on the battery > backed up power panels. The Outback inverter disconnected on load every > time there was a power outage. The electrician really messed up and is > long gone. Also found out did not pull a permit. But I digress. We > managed to move two of the heat pump circuit breakers to the utility > panel, so no longer on the battery backed up power panels. The third > heat pump is the problem as it is located in an apartment building > remote from the main house. The whole apartment subpanel, including the > heat pump load is interconnected to the "main" battery backed up power > panel in the home. > > A master electrician and I are considering how to shed the apartment > heat pump in a power outage. We cannot easily run a separate circuit to > the apartment building to pick up this load. We have considered a smart > panel, but the cost seems high for one circuit. Does anyone know of a > power line product of RF product or similar that could operate this > breaker when the main service panel loses power? I have been > unsuccessful over months of sporadic research. > > Thanks in advance. > > > Chris > > > > > > > > > -- Christopher Warfel, PE ENTECH Engineering, Inc. PO Box 871, Block > Island, RI 02807 (401) 447-5773 > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > >
_______________________________________________ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other: https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
