Grid tie and off grid solar systems use different types of inverters.
Use of inverter in solar panels.
This is where your solar inverter comes in.
In a solar energy array a converter is an electrical device that adjusts direct current dc voltage output either up or down from the input level.
When your solar panels collect sunlight and turn it into energy it gets sent to the inverter which takes the dc energy and turns it into ac energy.
The inverter takes dc power either from your solar panels or batteries and turns it into ac power ready and usable for your household appliances.
This ensures maximum production of ac electricity flows to your fuse box and electric grid.
Everything in your home uses ac or alternating current power.
Most homes use alternating current ac energy not dc so the energy produced by your solar panels isn t useful on its own.
From the inverter the ac energy is ready for use to power the various appliances and lighting within the building.
Pros and cons of microinverters.
It s also the kind produced by solar panels.
A solar inverter or pv inverter is a type of electrical converter which converts the variable direct current dc output of a photovoltaic pv solar panel into a utility frequency alternating current ac that can be fed into a commercial electrical grid or used by a local off grid electrical network.
An inverter is a critical piece of equipment in any pv system.
Inverters play a crucial role in any solar energy system and are often considered to be the brains of a project whether it s a 2 kw residential system or a 5 mw utility power plant.
Your solar system can also be easily expanded at a future date with microinverters since the dc to ac conversion occurs.
That s where your inverter comes in.
When the cells in the solar panel produce electric energy the electric current flows to the solar inverter.
Often called charge controllers these dc to dc converters can maximize the energy harvest for photovoltaic systems and help regulate the amount of dc energy running through the system.
An inverter s basic function is to invert the direct current dc output into alternating current ac.
But you can t use dc power directly to power anything in your home.