When it comes to evaluating your Solar system Equipment, solar panels are not the only thing to consider. In a solar system, solar inverters play an equally important role: they convert the electricity generated by your solar panels into a form that can be used by your appliances, lighting and other devices. The Prices for solar inverters vary from model to model.
What is the purpose of a solar inverter? How do solar inverters work in a PV system??
When the sun shines on your photovoltaic (PV) system, electrons begin to move in the solar cells and generate direct current (DC). Circuits collect the energy in the cells that you can use in your home. This is where your solar inverter comes in. Since most homes run on alternating current (AC) rather than direct current (DC), the energy produced by your solar panels alone is not useful. When your solar panels absorb sunlight and convert it to energy, the DC energy is transferred to the inverter and converted to AC power. Always compare solar inverter prices before buying one.
How to choose the most suitable inverter for your home
After you have got to know how solar inverters work, you need to find out which type is suitable for your PV system. String inverters are not ideal for every system, and it is not always important to pay extra for optimizers or microinverters. In the end, there is no one size fits all right or wrong answer, just what fits your specific circumstances and needs. For inverters that are more efficient and offer a longer back-up time, the prices for solar inverters will be higher.
There are three types of Solar inverter:
Stand-alone / off-grid inverter The off-grid inverter system consists of a solar inverter, a solar panel and a solar battery. The solar inverter stores the direct current generated by the solar panels in solar batteries and converts it into alternating current to operate the household appliances. This system is recommended for areas where there is no power or where there is prolonged power outage.
Grid-connected inverter – Its phase corresponds to that of the supply network. On-grid systems only consist of a grid-connected inverter and solar panels. They don't come with a battery bank and you can export excess electricity generated by solar panels to the power supply. It is connected to the public power grid and is disconnected when it detects that the grid is not available for security reasons. In the event of a power failure, for example, it is automatically switched off.
Hybrid inverter A hybrid inverter is a combination of a grid-connected and an off-grid solar inverter. These are more versatile, but more expensive than grid-connected and off-grid inverters. It can work without a grid, store electricity in batteries and feed excess electricity into the grid. Solar inverter prices for all of these inverters will be different. You can choose one that best suits your budget.
How can you choose the best solar inverter for your home?
There are various sizes, brands, and models to choose from, as well as prices for solar inverters. Choosing the right solar inverter from this list requires a basic understanding of the concepts. Here are some of the most important variables to consider:
(This can be certified by an independent testing laboratory for safety.)
- Watt: When a device is turned on, it uses a certain amount of electricity. The watt is a unit of energy that is measured in joules per second. Watts is calculated by multiplying voltage (V) and current (A). For example, if the voltage is 110V and the current is 3A, then multiply 3 by 110 to get 330W (watts).
- Watt hours: This is the multiplication of the wattage of the device and the number of hours it has been in use. If a 100 watt light bulb is used for 10 hours, it will consume 1000 watt hours.
- Efficiency is defined as the ratio of output power to input power. 100% efficiency is difficult to achieve because some of the electricity is lost through heat. The load determines the efficiency of a solar inverter and an efficiency curve is included in the specifications of the inverter. It's the efficiency-load diagram.
- Internal protection: The components of the solar inverter must be protected against overload, lightning and other hazards. It must have a sensor circuit to detect errors and switch off automatically. It must switch off when the supply voltage is too low. Otherwise the battery will be overcharged and can be destroyed.
We are sure that you can buy the best solar inverter by following the above specifications and choosing a manufacturer that offers you extended warranty and guarantee periods. Luminous offers off-grid and grid-connected solar inverters. The NXG + is an off-grid solar inverter that can be charged from the grid as well as from the sun. If there is no solar energy, the NXG + inverter charges the batteries from the grid. They offer the most competitive prices on solar inverters. Check out their website and discover more options.
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