While
solar panels command a lot of attention, the quality of the inverter is
often overlooked when people buy a solar power package.
The solar inverter converts from a field of the panel array, the solar panel output of direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) power, suitable for the use of household appliances and feeding into the grid.
The solar inverter can be subject to high and different voltage levels, extreme temperatures, humidity and dust. Of all components is required, the inverter is the key to safety, efficiency, reliability and ease of solar PV systems.
As is the case with solar panels, all the inverters are not the same - even if the manufacturer makes claims for the production of a high quality device. Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, bad quality inverters can significantly affect the performance of solar systems; tend to have a high failure rate and can create an electrical safety hazard.
Lesser quality solar inverters often have poor seals, shoddy circuits and also heat up more than a good quality inverter, all of which affect the efficiency and the lifetime of the device. A heat test by Australia solar energy provider questions, which was carried out using a thermal imaging camera showed the temperature difference between two inverters brands can be considerable.
Two key elements to ensure when choosing a solar inverter:
IP Rating - defined to prevent seals against water and dust, the ability of the inverter. Although some inverter manufacturers high IP ratings for outdoor installation charge, but the quality and location of the seals and ventilation major impact on the ability of the inverter to the many years of solar installations are expected to work to survive.
Maximum efficiency - provides the highest efficiency that the inverter can achieve.
Inverters are an important part of the cost of a system and the consumer's attention often to the solar panels in a package that some providers are cutting back on quality inverter to increase profits and / or reduce system cost prices.
The inconvenience, a warranty should be considered when making a purchasing decision;; While shoddy solar inverters the same period of the guarantee may provide higher quality than their counterparts as should the scenario of the inverter manufacturers or distributors disappear - In case of warranty even difficult.
A symptom of a sloppy or faulty inverter can where a household does not change the energy consumption by installing a system, but the expected energy bill savings will not be achieved....
