A solar power inverter converts D.C. power from the panels to 240V A.C. power that is used in the home. It is the working part of the system and so it is imperative that you buy a good quality product. The inverter also monitors the performance of the solar system, and this is displayed either on a little LCD screen or via Bluetooth to your computer.
Why is it so important to buy a good quality inverter?
The inverter is the working part of the solar system and the way it performs ultimately determines how well your entire system performs. Despite the brochures, there are often significant differences in efficiency and performance between similarly rated inverters, so it is worth buying a quality product such as SMA or Fronius.
The inverter is also the component most likely to fail. Unfortunately, some Chinese inverters have been proven to be inferior to the main brands and we have now replaced many cheap and broken inverters for households that cannot contact their original installer and have discovered the manufacturer/importer is unable or unwilling to honour their warranty.
We strongly recommend buying a solar inverter from a European manufacturer such as SMA or Fronius, and that there are only a handful of brands besides these two that you should even consider.
What is a duel tracker inverter?
A dual tracker inverter allows for two strings of solar panels that can operate independently. For example, you may have split your solar panels to face two different directions, or you may have one string of panels on a flat roof and the other on a pitched roof, resulting in different outputs from the two strings.
What are microinverters?
As the name suggests, a micro inverter is a small inverter that is attached to each individual panel so that the panels are not installed in strings. This allows for greater flexibility as you can have solar panels facing different directions without having to worry about the capabilities of your inverter or a minimum number of panels per string.
It also allows for increased feedback from your monitoring device as you can monitor the output of each individual panel to ensure it is functioning as it should.
Nearly all of our systems are now installed with microinverters due to the superior performance, reliability and longevity. For more information about microinverters, start here: The 10 Key Benefits Of Microinverters
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