When it comes to powering your home with clean solar energy, the inverter is what makes it all happen. Your solar inverter is responsible for taking the energy from the sun and turning it into energy your home can use to turn on the lights, make dinner, blow dry your hair, and all the other things that make life go.
Your Inverter Is The Heart of Your Solar Energy System
The inverter is what makes your solar panels so powerful. It plays the crucial role turning the direct current (DC) output, aka the sun’s rays, into alternating current (AC). AC is what your appliances run on, so this conversion is not only necessary, it’s how solar energy works.
Knowing how important it is, let’s compare three different kinds of inverters and what they can offer. There is no one right answer, every solar energy system has different needs that mean any one of these could fit the bill.
MICRO INVERTER
Enphase Solar Inverter
The Enphase IQ7+ is the latest on the market. Micro inverters are essentially tiny inverters matched one for one with your solar panels, so you can add panels as you go and pinpoint issues one at a time, instead of a problem with one effecting them all. You can monitor each one independently.
- 290W
- Peak Efficiency of 97.6%
- Includes Individual Panel Monitoring Capabilities
- Best for those who want to start small and grow the size of their solar energy system over time. It also works well for those whose rooftop space is non-contiguous, as in you have some panels on one part of the roof, and more on another, like the garage.
- 25-year limited warranty
STRING INVERTER WITH OPTIMIZERS
SolarEdge HD-Wave Inverter
SolarEdge HD-Wave Inverter comes with a new (since 2019 at least) app the SetApp which allows you to program your system and monitor it from your iPhone. For grid-tied inverter options, this one is affordable, as string inverters tend to be, but offers more than the basic with individual panel monitoring capabilities as well.
- 7600W
- Peak Efficiency of 99%
- Includes Individual Panel Monitoring Capabilities
- Best for a wide range of solar applications thanks to its convenient centralized design that includes flexible panel-level monitoring. This is a great mix of features and affordability
- 12-year warranty with ability to extend to 25-year
GRID-TIE INVERTER + ENERGY STORAGE
Outback Skybox
If you’re looking for the best inverter for grid-tied systems that also include energy storage, the Outback Skybox is an excellent option. This inverter is storage-ready and makes it easy to protect against outages with battery storage and, if available, to store excess solar energy from your panels that you can sell back to the grid at a profit with net metering.
- 5000W
- Peak Efficiency of 97%
- For those with grid-tied systems that also want solar battery storage
- 10-year limited warranty
Quality Matters
Inverters are a big part of your rooftop solar system. A good inverter should be well protected from power surges, lightning and static, and be protected from itself should it get overloaded. And the kind of inverter you choose can affect the type of solar panels and installation that you’ll have. It’s all connected. Let the experts at Simply Solar guide you to the right solution, taking into consideration your home, your energy needs and your budget. Get a quote today!
