Solar Made Simple
Evaluate Your Solar Inverters
The Inverter in a solar plant converts the electricity produced by the panels (which is in DC form) to AC so that you can use it just as you use the grid power. The following are the key parameters you should use to select the right inverter.
Performance of Your Inverter
Likely Cost Increase of Inverter Over Benchmark
| Parameter | Choice | Likelihood of Performance Increase | Likelihood of Cost Increase |
| Parameter | Choice | Likelihood of Performance Increase | Likelihood of Cost Increase | |
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1. What is the peak efficiency of the inverter? Higher the efficiency, lower the conversion losses in the inverter |
.The higher the efficiency, the lower will be the losses for the inverter. The standard efficiency levels for most inverters are in the range 97-98% Data available in the datasheet |
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2. What is the cooling system employed in the inverter? Forced cooling is preferred for capacities higher than 25 kW |
.It is usually seen that for inverters greater than 25 kW capacity, forced cooling offers better heat protection than natural air cooling or liquid cooling Data available in the datasheet. |
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3. Does the manufacturer provide local service support? Inverters are prone to failure and local service providers hence come in handy |
.Installation and maintenance of the inverter need in-depth knowledge of its design. Availability of local support has been found to make a big difference. Kindly do a background check of the inverter manufacturer in this regard. |
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4. What is the ambient air temperature range of the inverter? Wider the ambient temperature, lower the amount of cooling required |
.The wider the ambient air temperature range, the better it the inverter performance.. Inverters designed for extreme climatic conditions have been found to need lower amount of cooling Data available in the datasheet |
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5. What is the type of warranty considered? Extended warranty for inverters is favourable |
.Standard warranty for inverters is for 5 years.. With extended warranties, the inverters can be covered up to 20 years for a premium. For inverters, extended warranties could make sense as there could be failures after the first 5 years. |
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6. What is the protection level of the inverter enclosure? Higher the Ingress Protection (IP) number, higher the resistance to water and dust |
.IP ratings are an indication of the resistance against water and dust.. A protection level of IP 65 is suggested for outdoor installations, and IP 54 is suggested for indoor installations Data available in the datasheet |