A micro inverter is a very small inverter designed to be attached to each individual solar panel. This is much different to common string solar inverters which are usually located on a wall some distance from the string of solar panels and connected via DC cable. In string inverter systems, DC power from the string of the panels is then converted to AC at the inverter. Since micro Inverters are attached to every solar panel, each panel works independently from the rest of the solar array and DC power is converted to AC immediately on the roof.
Enphase Energy founded in 2006 has long been regarded as the world leading micro inverter manufacturer. Based in the US, Enphase launched the first micro inverter, the M175 in 2008 but it wasn’t until the next-gen M190 was launched in 2009 that sales really took off. Ever since Enphase has established itself as an industry leader in micro inverter technology and have a huge market share in North America. Sales in other regions such as Europe and in Australia have been low in comparison but are growing as both consumers and installers realise the many benefits of micro inverters.
Micro inverters are a great alternative to the common 'string' solar inverter. Micro inverters have several advantages over string solar inverters but a marginally higher upfront cost. By contacting us at One solar, we can help you examine the right inverter option for you and whether it is worth paying extra and what advantages micro inverters have over other common string inverters.
Using a micro-inverter can help overcome the challenges of lower solar production due to a number of issues. By installing micro-inverters you can avoid many reasons solar systems can under-perform which include the following -
The Enphase Energy IQ7+ Micro Inverter designed to be used together with the latest generation powerful 60 and 72 cell solar panels.
Considering the issues listed above, micro inverters can significantly improve performance as they allow all panels to operate at their maximum power point and not be affected by the lower performance of other panels. Another advantage of micro's is the ability to locate panels on multiple sections of complex roof layouts with different orientations and tilt angles. Unlike string inverters, micro inverters are not restricted to panel placement which is generally limited to two or three different orientations. String inverters generally have only 2 string inputs (MPPT’s) and thus can only work with two groups of panels. Furthermore, the strings must have enough voltage to operate the inverter which means there typically need to be at least four panels in a string. Micro inverter systems are not restricted by any of these limitations.
Contact One Solar today for a free quote and start saving with an efficient system.