Power Direct

What Is A Solar Power Inverter and Why Do I Need One?

Home solar power systems provide an easy and cost effective way for the average homeowner to generate all the power their home requires with simple sunlight. These systems have continued to improve over the years and are constantly incorporating new and innovative features into their design. One component that has changed substantially in recent years is the solar power inverter.

The Heart of Your System

The solar power inverter is the part of any solar power system that is responsible for the conversion of DC power being generated by the solar panels into AC power that can be used by the home. In their simplest form they do little more than accept this DC power directly from the panels and connect to your homes wiring panel to allow you to use the free AC power they convert. Even though this seems like a trivial function, these solar power inverters still require a fairly sophisticated circuitry to ensure they generate AC power that conforms to a common standard of 60 Hz and 120 VAC that most homes require.

Expanding Their Functionality

Over the years these simple solar power inverters have taken on additional functionality and can be found today performing several critical functions in addition to their conversion tasks. Most modern inverters are more intelligent than older models and actually sit between the locally supplied utility power to the home and the solar power system itself. They act like a traffic cop for power being supplied to the home and will intelligently switch between solar power when it’s available and to utility supplied power in the evenings when the solar power system is dormant. By being able to sense when the solar power system is active, these modern solar power inverters ensure the home will always have a reliable supply of electricity.

Spin Your Electric Meter Backwards

Many modern solar power systems are designed to actually supply more power during the day than the home is using. These modern solar power inverters are sophisticated enough to send this excess power back up the power lines to the local utility which generates a credit for the home. This way the homeowner can use these credits to help offset the cost of power they need to buy back from the utility in the evenings. Because the solar power inverter is connected to both the home and the local utility, it can guarantee that the free solar power is used by the home whenever possible and the excess power doesn’t go to waste.

Charge Your Batteries at the Optimal Rate

Another duty that many of these solar power inverters have taken on is the charging of any batteries connected to a solar power system. Some homeowners will install a bank of batteries in their home that are charged with the excess power being generated by their systems during the day that can then be used later that evening to lower the amount of power they need to purchase from the local utility company. These batteries can also be used to supply power to the home if the local power utility has a blackout due to a storm. Most modern solar power inverters can handle the charging of these batteries and then convert their stored power for use by the home when needed.

Micro-Inverters Minimize Electrical Losses

One recent innovation to these solar power inverters is the way they are installed. Older systems would typically have a single large solar power inverter that converted all the power supplied by the solar panels. This required long lines be run from the panels on the roof of the home to the solar power inverter that was typically located at ground level near the electrical panel. The challenge with this design was that there was some loss of power because of these long lines and this could reduce the efficiency of the system. Newer systems are being installed with a group of smaller micro inverters that are actually located at the solar panels themselves. By doing the conversion of DC power to AC power right at the solar panel you can eliminate much of the loss that older systems suffered.

About the Author

Hope this information helped answer your questions. Have another question you need answered? Want to get more great content and information about topics like solar power inverter and get a FREE informative 5-day eCourse to learn more about solar power for homes, then check out my website. Hope to see you soon, thanks!

Cougar Modular Power Supplies

Krups 20342 Electric Coffee and Spice grinder with stainless steel blades, Black $11.95 Capture the total experience of coffeemaking. Buy fresh beans and grind your own coffee. Nothing will compare to the fresh taste and aroma….

Toro 51599 Ultra 12 amp Variable-Speed Electric Blower/Vacuum with Metal Impeller $69.97 Powerful and effective, the Toro Ultra 3-in-1 Blower, Vacuum, and Leaf Shredder makes completing yard work fun and easy. With air speeds up to 235 mph, this electric blower nevertheless is lighter, quieter, and cleaner than similar gas blowers. And with a sleek, ergonomical design, it’s a tool that is easy to use and will grab your neighbors’ attention. .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica…

Lodge Mfg. L10SK3 Lodge Logic Skillet With Assist Handle $59.99 Lodge Logic is electrostatically coated with a proprietary vegetable oil and cured at high temperatures to allow the oil to deeply penetrate the surface of the cast iron. Natural sand mold surface is ideal for our new, seasoned, ready to use finish. Sturd…

The Wizard of Oz (Two-Disc Special Edition) $6.23 When it was released during Hollywood’s golden year of 1939, The Wizard of Oz didn’t start out as the perennial classic it has since become. The film did respectable business, but it wasn’t until its debut on television that this family favorite saw its popularity soar. And while Oz’s TV broadcasts are now controlled by media mogul Ted Turner (who owns the rights), the advent of home video has mad…

The Hunger $11.39 HUNGER – DVD Movie…

All The Way…A Decade of Song $5.99 One of the best performances of Celine Dion….

X-Men – The Last Stand [Blu-ray] $6.42 No Description Available.Genre: Feature Film-Action/AdventureRating: PG13Release Date: 14-NOV-2006Media Type: Blu-Ray…

The Kennedy Center Presents – Speak Truth to Power [VHS] $19.98 This moving film chronicles an evening at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the fall of 2000 when a cast of noted performers gathered to pay tribute to human-rights activists from more than 40 countries. Footage shot in various locations around the world is shown, as are interviews with noted human-rights activists, but the centerpiece of the production is a dramatic reading by…

Silence of the Heart [VHS] $2.80 …

Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown $5.48 Jillian Michaels, winning trainer on The Biggest Loser®, introduces a new yoga workout unlike any other in the Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown DVD. Combining hard-core yoga power poses with her dynamic training techniques, Jillian will get you real weight-loss results fast ….