How to Work with Inverters:
Optimizers vs. Microinverters When Solar Panels Are Shaded Are your solar panels affected by shading? Learn how inverters work in shaded conditions and discover the difference between optimizers and microinverters. This video breaks down the pros and cons of each, helping you maximize the efficiency of your solar system even in partial shade. Whether you're planning a new installation or upgrading your existing setup, understanding how inverters, optimizers, and microinverters perform under shaded conditions is crucial. Watch now to make an informed decision for your solar energy system!
Are you researching different solar technologies for your home? What a power move. Okay, sorry about the pun (not really though).
As you’ve studied up on different solar systems, you’ve probably come across the types of systems that you can install. Do you go with a string inverter system or a microinverter system for your solar panels? There’s a lot to consider: cost, efficiency, and return on investment – just to name a few things. Whichever type of solar system you choose should be based on your unique energy needs.
DC optimisers were developed by string system manufacturers to address some of the problems inherent in string inverter systems. Since then, the solar community has been debating which solar system is better for solar panel efficiency: microinverters, string inverters, or string inverters with DC optimisers.
Microinverters and DC optimisers are completely different technologies but are often grouped together because they both enable panel-level optimization. They’re both mounted underneath individual solar panels and they both play a part in getting power to your home, battery, or the grid. There are some key differences between these technologies.
At Penrith Solar Centre, we only install microinverter systems. However, we want you to be a happy and informed shopper, empowered to make the right choice for your unique needs. In this article, you’ll receive an unbiased and honest look at all three of these technologies so you can decide for yourself what is going to be a better fit for your home. After all, you live in it, not us.
In this article, you’ll learn: What is a String Inverter?
What is a DC Optimiser?
What is a Microinverter?
Comparison Chart and Context Here are the categories we’re going to compare: Cost Efficiency Functionality Reliability and Durability Safety Compatibility and Scalability Monitoring and Management You’re going to be an expert by the end of this article.
What is a String Inverter?
A string inverter is a boxy device that is usually fixed on the side of a house with solar panels on the roof. Its purpose is to convert the DC power that’s absorbed by the panels into AC power to feed the appliances in the house. It’s called a “string” inverter because it’s connecting a string of solar panels wired together in a solar array.
String inverter solar systems present a short-term cost advantage because they require less equipment than microinverter solar systems. Installing a string inverter system is a wonderful way to save on the upfront costs of a solar system if the system is small.
They have the capacity to manage the power output of a string of 5 – 13 (approximately) panels. In a string inverter setup, the performance of the entire solar system is limited by the lowest-performing panel.
If one panel is obstructed by debris or is shaded, it will affect the power output of all the other panels on the string connected to the same string inverter. They work like Christmas lights (roughly): if one light goes out, the entire string goes dark. This overall efficiency reduction is the main disadvantage of string inverter systems.
What is a DC Optimiser?
Because one of the drawbacks of string inverter systems is that if one panel is shaded or underperforming, the whole system slows down and the output power is significantly reduced.
Enter the DC optimizer. Think of them as coaches who train each panel to be its best. They allow string inverter systems to bypass shaded or underperforming panels. Regular string inverters working without optimisers can’t achieve this.
The DC optimiser is attached to individual solar panels to make certain that each one outputs the maximum amount of DC power they are capable of outputting individually. While the technology for different brands will vary slightly, the general principle is that the inverter for the string system tells the optimisers how to behave for the best output.
When one panel is dropping in voltage because it’s experiencing some shade, debris, or a bad orientation, then the current for the entire string drops. The drop is registered by the inverter, and it induces the circuits to boost the other optimisers on the other panels to compensate for the loss and prevent the entire string from underperforming.
Then, the optimized electricity is sent to the central inverter, as ly on the side of the house somewhere, for conversion from DC electricity to AC electricity.
DC optimisers can be added to existing solar installations, making them great for retrofit projects. They can enhance the performance of older systems that have shading issues or mismatching panels.
However, a DC optimiser is not interchangeable with a microinverter. While they are similar in monitoring and maximizing panel output, the microinverter converts DC power into AC power at the panel. A DC optimiser, well… optimizes the DC power and sends it to the central inverter on the side of the house.
A string inverter system with DC optimisers is still more susceptible to malfunction than a microinverter system because there’s still a central point of failure in the system: the string inverter itself.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about shopping for a solar system, you might want to check out the following article titled, 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Solar.
Microinverters are miniaturized inverters – micro, if you will – that are mounted under each solar panel in a microinverter solar system. They transform the power that each panel collects (DC power) into the kind of electricity your home uses (AC power). If one panel is shaded or malfunctioning, the other panels will still perform independently. Distributing the power conversion this way is called decentralisation.
A decentralized system improves energy efficiency. Replacing a single microinverter out of 20 will reduce your system’s output by 5%, leaving 95% of the system still sending electricity to the house. Your overall power only drops a little because only one panel is affected.
Microinverters are great for roofs with shaded parts during the day. They work independently, so if one panel is in trouble, it doesn’t bring down the whole team. They fit well where trees, buildings, or other things cast shadows.
For a deeper dive into microinverters, read this article about The Benefits of Microinverters.
Comparison Chart and Context Hold on to your solar panels as we journey into the differences between string inverters, microinverters, and string inverters with DC optimisers.
This table is designed to give you a quick glimpse into the strengths and weaknesses of each piece of technology and which is a better solution for the specific criteria.
How to Work with Inverters:
Optimizers vs. Microinverters When Solar Panels Are Shaded Are your solar panels affected by shading? Learn how inverters work in shaded conditions and discover the difference between optimizers and microinverters. This video breaks down the pros and cons of each, helping you maximize the efficiency of your solar system even in partial shade. Whether you're planning a new installation or upgrading your existing setup, understanding how inverters, optimizers, and microinverters perform under shaded conditions is crucial. Watch now to make an informed decision for your solar energy system!
Are you researching different solar technologies for your home? What a power move. Okay, sorry about the pun (not really though).
As you’ve studied up on different solar systems, you’ve probably come across the types of systems that you can install. Do you go with a string inverter system or a microinverter system for your solar panels? There’s a lot to consider: cost, efficiency, and return on investment – just to name a few things. Whichever type of solar system you choose should be based on your unique energy needs.
DC optimisers were developed by string system manufacturers to address some of the problems inherent in string inverter systems. Since then, the solar community has been debating which solar system is better for solar panel efficiency: microinverters, string inverters, or string inverters with DC optimisers.
Microinverters and DC optimisers are completely different technologies but are often grouped together because they both enable panel-level optimization. They’re both mounted underneath individual solar panels and they both play a part in getting power to your home, battery, or the grid. There are some key differences between these technologies.
At Penrith Solar Centre, we only install microinverter systems. However, we want you to be a happy and informed shopper, empowered to make the right choice for your unique needs. In this article, you’ll receive an unbiased and honest look at all three of these technologies so you can decide for yourself what is going to be a better fit for your home. After all, you live in it, not us.
In this article, you’ll learn: What is a String Inverter?
What is a DC Optimiser?
What is a Microinverter?
Comparison Chart and Context Here are the categories we’re going to compare: Cost Efficiency Functionality Reliability and Durability Safety Compatibility and Scalability Monitoring and Management You’re going to be an expert by the end of this article.
What is a String Inverter?
A string inverter is a boxy device that is usually fixed on the side of a house with solar panels on the roof. Its purpose is to convert the DC power that’s absorbed by the panels into AC power to feed the appliances in the house. It’s called a “string” inverter because it’s connecting a string of solar panels wired together in a solar array.
String inverter solar systems present a short-term cost advantage because they require less equipment than microinverter solar systems. Installing a string inverter system is a wonderful way to save on the upfront costs of a solar system if the system is small.
They have the capacity to manage the power output of a string of 5 – 13 (approximately) panels. In a string inverter setup, the performance of the entire solar system is limited by the lowest-performing panel.
If one panel is obstructed by debris or is shaded, it will affect the power output of all the other panels on the string connected to the same string inverter. They work like Christmas lights (roughly): if one light goes out, the entire string goes dark. This overall efficiency reduction is the main disadvantage of string inverter systems.
What is a DC Optimiser?
Because one of the drawbacks of string inverter systems is that if one panel is shaded or underperforming, the whole system slows down and the output power is significantly reduced.
Enter the DC optimizer. Think of them as coaches who train each panel to be its best. They allow string inverter systems to bypass shaded or underperforming panels. Regular string inverters working without optimisers can’t achieve this.
The DC optimiser is attached to individual solar panels to make certain that each one outputs the maximum amount of DC power they are capable of outputting individually. While the technology for different brands will vary slightly, the general principle is that the inverter for the string system tells the optimisers how to behave for the best output.
When one panel is dropping in voltage because it’s experiencing some shade, debris, or a bad orientation, then the current for the entire string drops. The drop is registered by the inverter, and it induces the circuits to boost the other optimisers on the other panels to compensate for the loss and prevent the entire string from underperforming.
Then, the optimized electricity is sent to the central inverter, as ly on the side of the house somewhere, for conversion from DC electricity to AC electricity.
DC optimisers can be added to existing solar installations, making them great for retrofit projects. They can enhance the performance of older systems that have shading issues or mismatching panels.
However, a DC optimiser is not interchangeable with a microinverter. While they are similar in monitoring and maximizing panel output, the microinverter converts DC power into AC power at the panel. A DC optimiser, well… optimizes the DC power and sends it to the central inverter on the side of the house.
A string inverter system with DC optimisers is still more susceptible to malfunction than a microinverter system because there’s still a central point of failure in the system: the string inverter itself.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about shopping for a solar system, you might want to check out the following article titled, 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Solar.
Microinverters are miniaturized inverters – micro, if you will – that are mounted under each solar panel in a microinverter solar system. They transform the power that each panel collects (DC power) into the kind of electricity your home uses (AC power). If one panel is shaded or malfunctioning, the other panels will still perform independently. Distributing the power conversion this way is called decentralisation.
A decentralized system improves energy efficiency. Replacing a single microinverter out of 20 will reduce your system’s output by 5%, leaving 95% of the system still sending electricity to the house. Your overall power only drops a little because only one panel is affected.
Microinverters are great for roofs with shaded parts during the day. They work independently, so if one panel is in trouble, it doesn’t bring down the whole team. They fit well where trees, buildings, or other things cast shadows.
For a deeper dive into microinverters, read this article about The Benefits of Microinverters.
Comparison Chart and Context Hold on to your solar panels as we journey into the differences between string inverters, microinverters, and string inverters with DC optimisers.
This table is designed to give you a quick glimpse into the strengths and weaknesses of each piece of technology and which is a better solution for the specific criteria.
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