Solar Inverter With Battery
Whether it’s a blackout or you simply want to generate more energy for your household, solar battery systems are the answer. They provide backup power when needed and are able to charge EVs.
You can install a storage-ready system with an existing inverter, keeping costs low during installation. Otherwise, you can opt for a hybrid inverter.
Battery Storage
There are several different battery storage options for solar panels. Some are integrated and some need to be paired with an external inverter. For example, SimpliPhi uses its own patented battery cells to build its own energy storage modules but is “inverter agnostic,” meaning it can be AC or DC coupled with any inverter.
Most batteries include an inverter to convert DC electricity into AC power to use in the home and grid. The inverter also protects solar inverter with battery the battery against overcharging and deep discharges. Battery producers are always improving their inverters to reduce current conversion loss and increase efficiency.
All solar batteries will disclose their peak and continuous power output ratings. Peak power output is how much electricity the battery can put out all at once, and continuous power output is a measure of how long it can keep supplying your home with power.
For off-grid homes, many solar installers recommend using self-managed lithium batteries from Powerplus Energy in Melbourne. These batteries can be DC coupled directly to your solar panel system and inverter, or they can be AC coupled to your existing inverter, if it’s compatible with the new technology. Adding a battery that’s DC-coupled to your existing solar system will require extra wiring, electrical equipment and labor. It is usually cheaper to add the battery and a new inverter as part of a system upgrade, rather than replacing your old inverter at a later date.
Grid-Tied Hybrid Inverters
Grid-tied hybrid inverters are designed to work seamlessly with the electricity grid and solar battery storage. They allow you to benefit from the advantages of both, offering greater energy control and a faster return on your investment.
Unlike off-grid inverters, which require an energy storage solution like batteries, hybrid grid-tie inverters work without the need for battery backup. They synchronize with the grid, allowing surplus power generated by your solar panels to flow back into the electricity network, which gets credited to your account (known as net metering), and ultimately reduces your electricity bill.
However, when your solar system isn’t generating enough power, hybrid inverters can automatically switch to battery backup mode, using the energy stored in your batteries to help you run your home or business. This is known as islanding, and the technology is increasingly being used to make homes and businesses more self-sufficient during power outages and in other grid conditions.
Hybrid inverters with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology can track the voltage of your solar panels and convert DC electricity into the highest possible charge for your batteries. MPPT also ensures that your PV system will function efficiently, no matter the weather conditions or electrical demands on your building. Additionally, hybrid inverters that are compatible with your solar battery storage will offer power monitoring features that let you keep an eye on your energy use and production from a central display or a smartphone app.
Inverter Clipping
In a solar PV system, the DC power generated by your panels is converted to AC for use in your home. Sometimes, that conversion is limited by the inverter’s capacity. This limitation is known as inverter clipping. Inverter clipping occurs when the DC maximum power point (MPP) of your solar array exceeds the inverter’s AC power rating.
To prevent this, your inverter will limit DC output by increasing voltage above its MPP to reduce the amount of power it can convert. This is a good thing! It protects your inverter from reaching temperatures that could damage it. However, it does limit your system’s production slightly by “clipping” the energy that would otherwise go to your household appliances.
When a system is properly designed, this small loss of energy is not an issue. It is to be expected that your inverter will reach its max output rating on a sunnier day and may experience some clipping. For this reason, we typically recommend that your inverter be 13% oversized for lifetime losses and sun variability.
Consider this analogy: Suppose you are shopping for a water pump and want to pump five gallons of water each day. You see a 4.5-gallon bucket for $100, and a six-gallon bucket for $300. Your instinct is to buy the more expensive bucket because it will hold more water. However, if you do the math, it might make more financial sense to buy the cheaper bucket because the extra cost is spent only on the smaller portion of your total annual water consumption.
Reliability
The battery in your solar panel system provides backup power during blackouts, which can help you save money on electricity and maintain peace of mind. During normal operation, the solar inverter battery stores the energy your panels produce and then releases it to your home’s appliances when needed. Many solar inverter batteries have long-term warranties to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from your investment.
Solar inverter batteries can perform many additional functions, including maximizing efficiency and monitoring your solar panel energy usage. Most inverter manufacturers create an app for your solar panel system that allows you to view real-time energy data and track how much electricity your panels are producing and using Commercial Power System at any given time. You can also set a power schedule and avoid peak energy consumption periods to save money on your utility bill.
Inverter battery manufacturers like SunGarner provide solutions that are designed to maximize the potential of your solar panel system. These systems use the latest technology to collect and analyze solar energy performance. They’re also created with a strong awareness of customer needs to deliver dependable solutions.
Solar inverters are a key component of any residential solar power system. To learn more about the technology, get a free solar quote today. Your solar expert can walk you through the different options that work best for your home and explain the benefits of each technology.
