Your home is unlike any other. And so is your energy use. That means when it comes to finding the right sized inverter for your rooftop solar energy system, understanding those energy use patterns is important.
What is a Solar Inverter
Your solar energy system is made up of several components. There are your solar panels, of course, and they collect the sun’s rays for you. Those rays aren’t ready to be used by your home just yet though. They’re passed through the solar inverter to convert it into energy your home can use.
Solar Inverter Sizing
When considering which inverter to get for your system, you need to understand your home’s energy use. How much your home uses on a daily basis will tell you what size inverter you’ll need to make the best use of your solar energy system–as well as the size of your solar panel installation. Solar inverters come in a variety of sizes, and they’re rated just like solar panels are, in watts. Since your inverter will be converting the DC electricity coming from your solar panels, it will need to be able to handle that amount of wattage. A good rule is that your inverter should be in line with the wattage of your solar system. So for a 5kW system, you can expect the inverter to handle about 5000 W.
How Do I Know What’s Right?
The manufacturers of solar inverters will generally list sizing guidelines for the solar panel capacity that is appropriate for the unit. Often, if you try to install it outside of these guidelines, like a too small inverter for a larger array, you may void the warranty.
The best way to find the right sized inverter for your solar energy system is to talk to us, the experts at Solar Man. We are leading solar installers in South Africa and our experts are always available to help you find the right solar solution for your home.