Inverters

An inverter is a critical piece of equipment in any solar system. The inverter takes DC power, either from the solar panels or batteries, and turns it into AC power, ready and usable for your household appliances. The type of inverter to be used depends on if it will be connected to the power lines ( grid-tie packages) or if you are going off the grid (off-grid).

Grid-tie and off-grid solar systems use different types of inverters.

Grid-Tie Inverters: In a grid-tied system, solar panels connect directly to an inverter which ties into your main household electrical panel. It sends power into the home to run appliances and turns back the meter with excess energy. Grid-Tie inverters come in several options: string inverters, microinverters, and optimizers. Each varies with features and costs.

Off-Grid Inverters: Off-grid inverters connect to a battery bank and change DC battery power into household AC power. Off-grid inverters work with 12v, 24v or 48v battery banks. The AC output is typically 120Vac for smaller inverters and 230Vac 50hz for larger units.