The Solar Inverter

In order to use electricity from a photovoltaic array in your home, it must first be converted from direct to
alternating current. Thats because most electric loads (i.e. lights, appliances, tools, etc.) operate on AC. In a solar
power system, an inverter performs this vital function. A circuit of on/off switches manipulates the current polarity
so that it changes back and forth, just like the current delivered by the utility grid. Then the electricity passes
through a transformer coil, which adjusts the voltage to 240/120 volts at 60 cycles (or Hertz) per second.

Technically, a solar inverter is known as a power conditioning unit, or PCU, since it does other jobs besides
changing DC to AC. But that name sounds a little creepy, so most people just call it an inverter. And just in case
youre wondering, a rectifier converts AC to DC, while an inverter does the opposite, or inverse. Hence, its name.
Together, the inverter and PV modules comprise the big-ticket items of every home solar electric system. In a
utility interactive (aka grid-tied) system, any surplus energy not needed in your home when it spurts out of the
inverter flows into the grid itself, something electricians refer to as back feeding. As a result, your electric meter
may spin or count backwards, and you credit for the power.

Two principle measurements go into choosing a grid-tied inverter. The first is how much wattage your PV array will
produce. The second is the total voltage configured in the array when modules are wired in series strings. For
example, if you have two strings of 10 modules, each rated at 235 watts and 30 volts, that would give you an array
of 4,700 watts and 300 volts.

Most designers configure an array's modules to meet the specs of an inverter they'd like to use. Inverter
manufacturers provide sizing tools and calculators to help you find the right-sized model, and to size your array
strings to fit the inverter's parameters. However, it's a good idea to perform the sizing calculations on your own
first. (Configuring an array to match the inverter's specs is discussed at length in "Steps to Going Solar".)

In addition to conditioning and moving electricity where it needs to go, an inverter/PCU monitors and adjusts the
current in the solar array. The circuit that performs this function is called a Maximum Power Point Tracker. The
MPPT monitors the changing voltage and current in the PV array to insure optimum power output. While it may
seem like a minor technical spec not worth fretting over, power tracking is actually pretty important to the bottom
line, since they extract as many kilowatt hours of energy as possible from your array.
MPPT tracking screen.

When you start shopping for an inverter, the primary features to consider include:

Type of inverter (grid-tied, standalone, bimodal, micro inverter)

AC output capacity in watts

DC input voltage range
Minimum starting DC voltage (a hard-to-find, but important spec)
MPPT range or capability
Ambient temperature operating range (if you live in a place that gets really hot or cold)
Warranty

Here's a closer look at each of the product specs:

Wattage rating - Inverter models are designated by watts they output, just like PV modules. As explained earlier,
the size you pick depends on the size of the array (in watts). However, if youre buying a standalone inverter, it's
size will depend on your maximum AC load and battery bank.

Input Voltage - Inverters offer a range (or window) of voltages to accommodate different designs and sizes of PV
arrays, as well as the constantly changing irradiance through the course of the day (and the year). A PV system
designer must make sure the maximum array voltage possible is less than the high number in the range. At the
same time, the starting voltage of the inverter shouldnt be so high that the equipment wont kick on during
periods of low irradiance, or on really hot days when wire voltage drops regardless of irradiance. Ideally, your
arrays maximum open-circuit voltage should be about two-thirds to three-quarters of the high end on the
inverters operating range. For instance, an inverter range of 150-450 volts would be right for an array configured
for 300 to 400 DC volts.
Spec sheet data for several Xantrex GT (for Grid Tied) inverter models. "CEC" stands for California Energy
Commission, which issues product quality standards used for their rebate program.

AC Output - This is the maximum load your home appliances and other electric devices can expect to get from the
inverter at one time. For normal grid-tied systems, this spec is not a big deal, since the grid is always there to
supplement any power generated by a PV array. For a standalone system, the AC output rating is a much bigger
deal and usually requires that a load analysis be conducted. (Check the Sizing Worksheets page for a sample form.)

Surge power - Like the previous spec, this one is primarily important for standalone and bimodal inverters. Many
appliances and tools require an extra burst of energy to start their motors. The voltage spike that accompanies
these moments may last one-tenth of one second, or a few seconds. That means the inverter must be capable of
sending the extra juice for that amount of time.

Efficiency Rating - Like solar modules, an inverter is rated for its efficiency in processing the available energy. The
rating takes into account current losses due to circuits heating up, low voltage levels, changes in the way the
current flows or gets stored, and the units own internal energy consumption. Beware, however, of a single
efficiency rating listed on a product spec sheet. The actual efficiency of an inverter should vary with the different
loads it encounters (or even no loads at all). For this reason, an inverter advertised as having 90 percent peak
efficiency may not be better than one with 85 percent peak efficiency. A better spec (if you can find it) is the
weighted efficiency. You can sometimes find a graph on the spec sheet, known as the efficiency curve, which
provides a more detailed picture of the inverter's capacity to produce power.

This is an efficiency curve for the 1500-watt inverter. The axis representing the percent of rated output power is
based on how much voltage is being generated by the array. Notice that efficiency dips significantly when less
than 20% of output power is used. However, the efficiency still remains well above 90%, as indicated on the
Efficiency axis. Also, the variation between a high voltage (400VDC) and low voltage (125VDC) is not significant.

Type of Sine Wave - This feature may sound kind of geeky, but its still important. Most efficient inverters move
electricity around to conform to whats known as a pure sine wave. Many popular off-grid inverters use a modified
sine wave, which is a lot cheaper to buy than an inverter with a pure sine wave. However, you run the risk of
destroying your electrical devices (especially computers) with this lower-quality electric current. A modified sine
wave may also cause an appliance or tool to use more power than it would otherwise, which can burn out a motor
or other circuitry. Even less expensive are the square wave inverters, which should probably not be used outside a
barn.

Grid-tied inverters should always feature a pure sine wave. In fact, utility companies are extremely picky about the
characteristics of any electrical current being pumped into their grids. Since youll be using it over the course of
many years, the higher expense for a pure sine wave inverter is offset by the additional power output that results
from its much higher efficiency.

An oscilloscope is a measuring instrument that tracks electrical current in such a way that it produces a line
moving horizontally across a screen. This is how scientists measure the amplitude and frequency (i.e. how
frequently the polarity changes) in an AC current.

Ambient Temperature Range - If you live where the temperature dips or rises to extremes, then your inverter will
be susceptible to excessive heat or voltage spikes due to cold weather. Besides carefully choosing a location for
the unit (inside or outside, shaded from the sun, away from the snow, etc.), youll want the inverter to have its
own heat mitigation feature, such as a fan. In any case, a temperature range of -20C - 50C (-4F - 122F) should
work in all but the most extreme environments.