Buying a Solar Inverter? Here’s Everything You Should Know: Sometimes, it’s all about living a comfortable life. However, for most of us, staying in an AC room, watching our favorite movie, or mindlessly scrolling our phones is the definition of comfort. But when it comes to comfort, we know frequent power cuts are our enemy here.
The main cause of frequent power cuts is the excess demand. What we need is an alternative source of energy that exists in abundance and powers our appliances during a power outage.
Solar energy is the answer we are looking for. It’s no surprise that solar inverters are being adopted in personal and commercial spaces to slash electricity costs and ensure an uninterrupted supply of power.
If you are looking to invest in a solar inverter as well, here’s everything that you must know.
What is a Solar Inverter? How Does it Work?
A solar inverter is an electrical converter that converts DC (Direct current) absorbed by a solar panel into an AC (Alternating current). A solar inverter forms an essential part of a solar system.
While solar panels generate direct current electricity, they can’t be used by the grid. However, a solar inverter makes sure that the power generated is compatible with the grid by converting it into alternating current.
Factors that Need to be Contemplated Before Buying a Solar Inverter
Load Requirement:
Load requirement plays an essential factor that affects the pricing. A solar inverter has to be as powerful as the load it has to handle. The higher the VA or Volt Ampere of an inverter, the more load it can take. Therefore, knowing your load requirement is crucial here before you buy a solar inverter.
Type of Solar Inverter:
There are two types of solar inverters that customers can choose between. The two types are On-Grid inverters and Off-Grid inverters.
On-Grid Solar Inverter:
An on-grid solar inverter is linked to the local grid. It does not exclusively rely on solar panels to generate power. Hence, in case of a power deficit, an on-grid inverter can draw additional power from the grid to ensure the system keeps functioning.
Off-Grid Solar Inverter:
An off-grid solar inverter is independent of the main grid. It generates 100% power itself to meet your power requirements. Hence, it requires more power and battery units to store energy that can be used on a daily basis as well as on consecutive cloudy days.
The price of the solar inverter is determined by the inverter type and inverter technology. Off-grid inverters are much more expensive as they do not depend on external sources for power. If price is a constraint, an off-grid inverter might not be a suitable option for you.
Inverter Technology:
PMW and MPPT are the two most widely available solar inverter technologies.
PMW or Pulse Width Modulation:
PMW technology works like an electric switch that ensures that the battery voltage stays similar to the battery voltage.
In case of disparity, it lowers the solar arrays’ voltage to match the battery’s.
MPPT or Maximum Power Point Tracking:
MPPT technology ensures that the solar array operates at its optimum power delivery rate. It also ensures real-time monitoring of the voltage and at the same time controls the output voltage to match the voltage of the battery.
The MPPT technology is on the higher end of the price range and is ideal for commercial spaces that have heavy power requirements. As for PWM type, they are ideal for homes having low to average energy requirements.
The Bottom Line:
Now that you know how a solar inverter works, and how to choose solar inverters, you might as well decide upon the brand. Make it a rule to go for trusted brands like Luminous. Luminous has been a market leader for home appliances and power solutions. They have a reputation for providing first-rate products as well as excellent customer service. Choosing them would be a decision you would be proud of.
