PowerBloc Technology
A Powerful Solution. The PowerBloc is a primary power supply to a home or business, with utility power secondary or optional. The PowerBloc’s powerful inverter can run high-demand appliances such as air conditioners. Solar panels with YouSolar’s proprietary panel-level micro-converters create an efficient, modular, and shade-tolerant solar array. A modular parallel battery system using bi-directional converters creates the most advanced energy storage system on the market. A rectifier ads energy to the system but shields the system from grid transients. With the PowerBloc, you will never notice any interruption, not even a glitch, when utility power goes out or comes back. The PowerBloc®️delivers perfect and constant power in any situation.
Cut The Wire. Going from partial self-supply to being entirely off the grid only requires adding more batteries and solar panels without changing the system otherwise. Using a fuel generator can “extend the range” of the batteries where reliability is an absolute must, or eliminate the need for utility power. Never before has ”grid defection” been easier.
Automate, But Control. Power from various sources blends seamlessly and is controlled by an intelligent energy management system, EDISON™. EDISON delivers a solar production forecast, learns load patterns, and allows users to select performance targets. The system can be monitored and manually controlled on an intuitive user interface table that is part of the system.
A Core Built on an Emerging Standard. All PowerBloc solar+battery systems are based on the emerging direct current standard using proprietary and state-of-the-art power electronics for seamless, reliable, and robust operation.
Start With The Basics. You can build the most formidable custom PowerBloc using its modules or blocs, although most customers will start with our pre-configured systems.
Modularity To The Max. PowerBloc is a modular system, and all modules are in parallel. This means that you can also have multiple modules of the same type. For example, for a 30-kW solar array, you would use one 1-Branch (10 kW) and one 2-Branch (2 x 10 kW) STEP-IN™ Solar Input module.
Need Help?
PowerBloc Modules
Not Shown: External GATE™ Control Module and stand-alone STEP-IN™ module for additional solar branches.
DIYA™ Tablet
DIYA™ is a beautiful and highly intuitive user interface that makes understanding and operating the PowerBloc® easy and enjoyable. DIYA gives you control of your system. When on standby, DIYA is a practical timepiece and weather station, and you’ll find system performance information cleverly integrated into the clock’s dial. DIYA comes on an Android tablet. It directly connects to the TRAFFIC™ Controller using WIFI; thus, DIYA can control the PowerBloc during an internet outage.
Watch the Video and “Say Hello” to a User Interface that
Loves You Back. (1 min.)
TRAFFIC™ Controller
The TRAFFIC™ Controller monitors and controls energy and power on the PowerBloc®. It runs the EDISON™ Energy Management Software. EDISON optimizes solar energy usage and performs utility price arbitrage. TRAFFIC communicates with the DIYA™ User Interface, the internet. TRAFFIC shares a module with a 2 x 10 kW STEP-IN Solar Input Module.
STEP™ Micro-Converter
The STEP™ Micro-Converter is a panel-level DC-DC micro-converter that steps up each solar panel’s potential to the High Potential Direct Current bus of the PowerBloc nano-grid.
STEP is rail-mounted and allows the use of customer-specified solar panels. STEP works with any solar panel with an open circuit potential of 24-60 Volts. Each STEP delivers up to 380 W of power, and there can be up to thirty-one (31) STEPs on one Branch.
STEP shuts down rapidly if the branch line opens due to a fault or the user presses the system’s emergency stop. The user can also turn off the array on the STEP-IN module.
STEP-IN™
Solar Input Module
The 2-Branch STEP-IN™ Solar Input Module connects two Branches of a Solar Array equipped with STEP™ Micro-Converters to the PowerBloc’s High Potential Direct Current bus. Solar panel-level STEP Micro-converters combined with the STEP-IN Solar Input Module create a solar array that is safe, efficient, and flexible. A Branch is a “daisy chain” of up to thirty-one (31) × STEP Micro-Converters for up to 10 kW|DC of solar power. The STEP-IN Solar Input Module has inputs for two Branches for 20 kW of solar. The STEP-IN Solar Array shuts down rapidly in case of an emergency.
EXTEND™ Rectifier
The EXTEND™ Rectifier extends the 400V direct current nanogrid by integrating AC power sources such as utility or generator power. The EXTEND has four bays, each holding a 3kW rectifier blade for a total of 12 kW. All four AC input lines are electrically isolated from each other. Therefore, up to four different AC sources can connect to the EXTEND (or one AC source can be distributed over multiple lines). The EXTEND accept powers at 50 or 60 Hertz frequencies and electric potentials of 177 to 277 V | AC Volts.
TWIN™
Bi-Directional Converter
The TWIN™ Bi-directional Converter steps up the potential of the 50 V STORE™ to the 400 V potential of the PowerBloc’s High Potential Direct Current bus. TWIN can charge/discharge from 0 to 4 kW. TWIN connects up to four 50 V STORE™ batteries in parallel.
50V STORE™ Battery Pack
Lithium-Iron Phosphate, LiFePO4
The PowerBloc uses a safe, high-discharge 50-volt LiFePO4 battery with 5.1 kWh of energy storage. It requires no active cooling. The battery has many features not found in other rack-mounted batteries, including a recessed hold point for easier handling. The battery pack is proprietary to YouSolar.
ONE™ Isolated Charger Module
The ONE Isolated Charge Module contains two isolate chargers, each of which charges one BOOST™ 100 V battery of the 600 V BOOST Battery Stack. The 600 V BOOST Battery Stack delivers the power to the inverter.
100V BOOST™ Battery Pack
Lithium-Iron Phosphate, LiFePO4
The PowerBloc uses a safe and high-discharge 100 Volt LiFePO4 battery with 5.1 kWh of energy storage. The battery pack was developed by YouSolar and is the only 100 V rack-mounted in the market. It requires no active cooling. The battery has many features not found in other rack-mounted batteries, including a recessed hold point for easier handling. The battery pack is proprietary to YouSolar.
POWER-LINK™ Module
The POWER-LINK Module manages the 600 V BOOST Battery Stack of six BOOST™ Batteries and three ONE™ Isolated Chargers Modules. POWER-LINK also controls one or a Group of inverters and the automatic transfer switch associated with the Group
FORCE™ Inverter
The FORCE™ is a grid-forming inverter that delivers 100 A of single-phase 120/240 V or 208 V three-phase power. Inverters can be grouped in parallel. PowerBloc supports up to four inverters in a Group for a single 400 A service. Multiple inverter Groups can be on the same PowerBloc.
GATE™ Box
GATE™ is a wall-mounted box that connects to the PowerBloc®’s communication, E-Stop, and 24 V bus. GATE has a keyed switch that overrides the PowerBloc’s door sensors, allowing certified YouSolar maintenance personnel to open cabinet doors while the PowerBloc runs without triggering its emergency stop. GATE also controls one or more external transfer switches and generators. GATE is the connection point for one or more external Emergency Stops.
InBox™ and OutBox™
The InBox™ and OutBox™ are standard electrical enclosures with spring terminal blocks. The terminals are clearly labelled with standard connections familiar to solar installers or electricians. Installers land their connections inside the two boxes and never have to open a PowerBloc cabinet to connect a PowerBloc to solar, a generator, the utility, and the load panel. YouSolar personnel or certified technicians make all connections between the PowerBloc cabinets and the InBox™ and OutBox™.
MICRO-LINK™ Module
The MICRO-LINK™ allows you to connect two PowerBlocs to share energy. MICRO-LINK is a 750 V DC connection that can transfer power efficiently across distances of up to 1,000 meters. Each PowerBloc has a MICRO-LINK Module.
MICRO-LINK is the first step of YouSolar to offer a complete microgrid solution that can network PowerBlocs in tens or even hundreds of co-located homes. The YouSolar microgrid will also include POWER-EXCHANGE™, a central hub that can bank energy from homes for use by other homes in the network and trade energy and power with a connected utility. MICRO-LINK is under development.
