Which Inverter is Best for me?

Which inverter should I choose? Which panels are great? Will they last the entire life of my solar installation? Many people looking to get solar hear about panels, inverters, batteries and more, and have many questions about it. It can be a little confusing for the average person. That’s why I am writing articles for different components of a solar installation. This article is about the solar inverter!

What is a solar inverter for?

A solar inverter is one of the most important components of your solar installation. It converts the direct current (DC) produced by the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels to alternating current (AC) that’s going to be fed into your home to power your household appliances.

Types of inverters

There are five type of inverters that can be used in a solar installation. These are string, microinverters, hybrid, battery, off-grid inverters and power optimizers. Presented below is an example of a solar inverter.

1. String Inverters

This type of inverters suits most homes and is the most common type of inverters used in Australia, Asia and Europe.

2. Microinverters

Microinverters are very small  inverters which are attached directly to each individual panel in a solar power system. Since each microinverter and panel can function independently, this type of inverter is best for complex roof layouts and locations that does not get much sunlight. Microinverters are known, especially overseas, in the states and while they cost more than the string inverters, they do have several advantages particularly when there’s shading we cannot remove (such as buildings or trees.)

3. Hybrid Inverters

A hybrid inverter refers to a combination of solar and battery inverter to a single unit. As batteries become economical and starts to become more and more popular among consumers, these inverters are beginning to be more competitive against other types of inverters.

4. Battery Inverters

The use of this inverter to connect a battery to an existing solar system. It’s function is to convert direct current (DC) from batteries in alternating current (AC) at the appropriate voltage and frequency to power up your household appliances.

5. Power Optimizers

Just like microinverters, power optimizers is also a good option for complex type of roofs or locations with shading issues. Although these inverters can be very similar, since they are installed at each panel, the two functions differently. While microinverters converts DC energy to AC, power optimizers conditions the DC energy and sends it to a central inverter which completes the process of conversion.

6. Off-grid Inverters

Off-grid inverters needs a battery in order for it to function. The direct current (DC) energy that your solar panel generates is fed into the batteries, The inverter will then convert the energy creating alternating current (AC) to power your home. The new generation flexible off-grid inverters, also known as multi-mode inverters, can also be used  to create advanced hybrid grid-connected systems. This works like a miniature power grid.

The Criteria for Solar Inverters

So which inverter is best? There are a variety of different criteria used to assess how effective an inverter is for you and your needs. For most of our customers, there are three outstanding criteria – Quality and Reliability, Warranty Support and Service and the Features of the inverter chosen. These are presented below.

1. Quality and Reliability

This should be the first thing that should be considered when choosing inverters. There are plenty of low cost inverters. Some are good, others do not perform as well. Low cost inverters tend to have poor quality controls. This means a higher failure rate. In addition, claiming warranties can be difficult and tedious. While we’re here to support you, sending the inverter for repair and shipping it back will take time and not only will freight be at your cost, but you will be drawing power from the grid. For this reason, we usually source our inverters from SolarEdge and Fronius. Why, you might ask? Read on below.

2. Warranty Support and Service

Most inverters such as Fronius are guaranteed for a period of 10 years, apart from SolarEdge which has an industry leading warranty of 12 years. You can either deal with the manufacturer directly or with us if you have an issue. The inverters we, and other leading solar retailers source are subject to strict quality control and assurance checks and we maintain great relationships with from the manufacturer. Replacements are shipped within a week compared with other brands which will only fix a problem when the unit is shipped to them at your cost.

3. Standout Features of Our Inverters

Monitoring

Monitoring is an important element in planning out a solar installation, particularly those above 5kW. We install checks to ensure that your system will operate as intended. We use a cloud based vendor meaning you can monitor electrical output from anywhere in the world, as long as you have internet access.

Price

Calculating the estimated full cost of an inverter selection can be somewhat complicated. But we’ll give you transparent advice. At the end of the day, we do recommend paying more for a higher quality inverter at the right cost. While lower end inverters can save you hundreds of dollars upfront, a higher end inverter will save you thousands of dollars over its lifetime.

So which inverter should you choose?

SolarEdge and Fronius are the two brands that we highly recommend. SolarEdge has hybrid models and plenty of different styles to select from. It is the third largest inverter manufacturer globally. In contrast, Fronius is a European firm that in our experience, offers great performance at a reasonable price. As a result, many of our customers are happy to go forward with SolarEdge or Fronius. That said, if you are seeking another brand or alternative, we’d be happy to share our experience with you so you can make an informed decision. To get started, complete the form below or book an Energy Audit here!