Solar Panel Inverters

UK homes are powered by AC output. Your appliances all rely on alternating current to operate. Solar panels, however, only produce DC output. That’s where your solar inverters come in.

It’s their job in a system to transform the direct current output from your solar panels into AC output for your home. To help you understand their role more, here’s a simplified demonstration of how your solar system works:

• Solar energy is collected by your solar panels and absorbed by the PV cells
• The solar energy then creates an electrical charge within the solar panel which is DC output
• The direct current is then sent to an inverter (either a centralised one for the entire system or an individual one on the back of your solar panels)
• At the inverter, DC output is transformed into AC output
• This AC output is then sent to your main fuse box
• From there, the usable electricity is sent to your appliances to power your home

It’s difficult to say exactly which type of solar panel inverter is best for your particular solar panel system because we’re not sure what that looks like right now (but if you work with us we’ll soon have a plan put together that will ensure your new solar panels really work for you). 

With that said, we’ve often found over the years that for those whose panels are sometimes affected by shading throughout part of the day, micro inverters tend to work best. That’s because your whole system won’t be affected by one panel’s poorer performance like it can with string inverters. So, if one panel is in the shade and the rest aren’t, your other panels will perform as normal, and the shaded one will have a dip in performance but it won’t affect your whole system’s power output.

Alternatively, a string inverter can be great for those looking to centralise the inverter process so if any issues with your inverter arise, you know exactly where to look. If your panels aren’t affected by shade at all, then string inverters can often be a cheaper way of keeping your system running effectively.

Which of the solar panel inverters is best for you will depend on your circumstances. Work with one of our solar experts to help you determine which inverter is best for your system today.

Working out which solar panel inverter size is right for you is an incredibly simple process. If you have a 5kW solar panel system, then you’ll need a 5kW solar inverter to process the solar panels’ DC output effectively.

Whatever your solar panel system size, you’ll need an inverter to match it. That also means if you ever want to increase the size of your solar panel system, then you’ll need to replace your inverter to match, too. 

No. Unlike solar batteries which are an optional extra to a solar panel system, an inverter is one of the, if not the, most integral part of the system. Without a solar inverter, your system wouldn’t be able to create usable energy for your home. You would be stuck with unusable DC output from your solar panels without your inverter.

That’s why all of our solar panel system prices include the price of your solar inverters, too, so you know you’re getting a complete system when you shop with Effective.

Often the lifespan of any part of your solar system can be affected by how well looked after it has been throughout its life. If you’re somebody who sticks to regular maintenance of your system (typically once a year is all that’s necessary), then your solar inverters will last longer than others who don’t keep up with regular solar panel maintenance. 

With the proper care and maintenance you can expect your:

• string inverter to last for 10-15 years
• micro inverter to last for 20-25 years

Proper maintenance will ensure that the integral parts of your solar inverters are cared for each year and help extend its life. 

Solar batteries are an optional extra to any solar panel system. That means you don’t need one. However, if you want to squeeze every drop of usable energy out of your solar panels then a solar battery is a brilliant idea. 

Solar batteries actually store electricity as DC output, meaning if your solar panels are producing more electricity than you can use, then the electricity can be diverted to the solar battery instead, where it can be stored for later use when your solar panels aren’t producing as much as they might otherwise, such as during the night, on more overcast days or during winter when daylight hours are shorter.

This DC energy is then sent to the inverter from the battery as normal, following the same process as if the DC output was coming directly from the solar panels themselves. Here, it will be transformed to AC output as normal, and then sent to your main fuse box to be used in your home. 

Any micro inverters or power optimisers that are installed will simply be placed on the back of or below each individual solar panel in your system, so that’s straight forward enough. 

String inverters, however, are slightly more complicated to place because as the central inverter for your entire system it’ll be larger than micro inverters. In addition, there are different options for a string inverter’s location based on the requirements of the specific inverter used and the recommendations of the solar installer based on where it is likely to work best for your system.

Solar string inverters can be installed indoors or outdoors but it will require a few different factors to be considered to determine which location is best, such as:

• Access – it needs to be reachable with ease for maintenance and repairs as required
• Breathable – have at least half a foot of space in all directions (above, below, and to either side) to keep your inverter well ventilated
• Dry – keeping your inverter dry is key, if indoors this is less of an issue, if outdoors it needs to be housed inside a unit to keep it protected from the elements
• Away from direct sunlight – being in direct sunlight can mean the inverter overheats, so keeping it in shade if outdoors is important
• Convenience – if indoors, it needs to be placed somewhere convenient for the homeowner and also close to the main fuse box for easy connection

When you work with Effective Home, our solar experts can guide you through the best location for your solar panel inverter to get the most of your solar system.

Absolutely! Whether it’s a simple upgrade you’re looking for to improve the efficiency and tech of your solar inverter, or if it’s a replacement you need because your current inverter is coming to the end of its useful life, then you can install a new solar panel inverter with your existing system if necessary.