A fundamental part of every Solar Power setup is the Inverter. It is a piece of equipment that is very important to understand.
After you read this definitive guide, you will understand:
- What is an Inverter
- How do Hybrid Inverters work?
- How do Off-Grid Inverters work?
- How do Grid-Tied Inverters work?
- What Size Inverter Do I Need?
- Solar Inverter Prices, How Much Do They Cost
- Best Solar Inverters In South Africa
Chapter 1
What is an Inverter?
The basic fundamentals
Simply put, a solar inverter converts DC power (Direct Current) that Solar Panels produce and batteries store into AC power that our home appliances use to run.
Inverters do several other things like tracking your production, and they are responsible for ensuring your system is safe and shutting down if it’s not to prevent damage.
Without an Inverter, you can't use the Solar Power your panels are producing.
Understand the Basic Inverter Types
Watch our short video to understand which type will be best for you
Chapter 2
Hybrid Inverters
How do they Work?
You get three main types of Inverters you can use. Each one functions a bit differently from the other: Grid-Tied, Off-Grid & Hybrid Types.
Features
- Newest Technology
- Multiple MPPT inputs
- Scalable
- Flexible
Understand how Hybrid Inverters Work
Watch our short video to understand how the Hybrid inverter works
Each inverter has their own set of requirements:
New Technology
The newest in inverter technology , the Hybrid Inverter offers everything you'd need in an inverter and then some.
Multiple MPPT Inputs
Most Hybrid inverters will come with two or more MPPT inputs and a high voltage range , allowing you to have a more extensive array. In addition, you can split your array so that you have two arrays that function independently. Separate arrays mean that should one fail, you still have another fully functioning array.
Scalable
The Hybrid Inverters can be paralleled, which is an excellent feature if you plan on scaling up in the future. They communicate with most Lithium-ion Batteries, and most Li-ion batteries are parallalable too. Above all, If you need a system that can grow with you , this is most definitely the inverter to go for.
Flexible
Another great feature of the Hybrid Inverter is the ability to power non-essential loads should your solar power production exceed the needs of your essential load. To clarify, this means that any extra solar power produced can then be used for your non-essential appliances .
It will always use the available solar power generated from your array, and if your array is not producing enough, it will pull power from your batteries and the Grid . This feature ensures that you always have power and that you use the available solar-generated power first and foremost before using your batteries and the grid.
The Fusion inverters are the ideal Hybrid inverters, and we highly recommend these.
Pros
- Efficient
- Easy to install
- Blends AC/DC Energy
- Long-lasting (around 15 years)
Cons
- More expensive
-
3 Phase, Hybrid Inverters, Sofar, Solar Inverters, Solar Power
Sofar 15kW ES - 3 Phase Inverter
- Sofar
- 15kW
- Yes
-
Out of stock
3 Phase, Hybrid Inverters, Solar Inverters, Solar Power
Deye 12kW Hybrid - 3 Phase Inverter
- Deye
- 12kW
- 180V~600V
-
3 Phase, Goodwe, Hybrid Inverters, Solar Inverters, Solar Power
Goodwe ET Series 10kW - 3 Phase Inverter
- Goodwe
- 10kW
- 180V~600V
Chapter 3
Off-Grid Inverters
The inverter that brought everything together
- Easy to install
- Expandable
- High or low voltage options
- Lowest solar inverter price
A very popular choice because of their price , compared to previous Off-Grid inverters, they are far easier to install due to the fact you have everything in one box instead of separate components.
You would need other components like an MPPT (this allows you to connect to solar panels), a Charge Controller (that allows you to connect to batteries), a monitoring device, and a bunch of wiring to tie it all together. Now, you get all of this in one box!
A Quick Guide on Off-Grid Inverter
Need to understand Off-Grid in a nutshell?
Expandable
Some Off-Grid inverters can be paralleled should your demand for more power increase. But, it is essential to remember to do your research and ask questions about how to meet your needs and future plans.High or Low Voltage
You get 2 main types of Off-Grid inverters, and these are Low-voltage and High-voltage . The difference between the two comes down to how many solar panels you can connect to the inverter, more detail on how that worksin this guide.
Pros
- Easy to install
- Expandable and modular
- Affordable
Cons
- Less reliable than a Hybrid
- Lifespan isn't that great (around ten years)
- Can be noisy
-
Out of stock
Growatt, Off-Grid, Solar Inverters, Solar Power
Growatt ES 5kW - High Voltage Inverter
- Growatt
- 5kW
- Off-Grid
-
Off-Grid, Solar Inverters, Solar Power
LuxPowerTek 5kW Inverter
- LuxPowerTek
- 5kW
- Off-Grid
-
5kW Off-Grid Inverter King with UPS
- Synapse
- 5kW
- 48V
Chapter 4
Grid-Tied Inverters
Feeding back to the grid
- Grid connection required
- Solar Panels required
- Scalable
- No batteries
Grid-Tied Inverters require an active grid connection to function. If the grid goes down, you will not be able to use any Solar Power produced. An energy meter must be installed within a Grid-Tied Kit so that should your array not be producing enough solar power, it will supplement the excess with grid power.
Grid-Tied setups are ideal for homes or businesses that use the majority of their electricity during the day. Supplementing your daily electricity usage with Solar Power will drastically reduce electricity bills.
Grid-Tied systems do not require batteries which brings down the cost of these kits.
Chapter 5
What Size Inverter Do I Need?
Working out what size inverter you'll need is easy
All you'll need to work out which inverters size is best for you is your average monthly electricity bill and a calculator.
Step 1
Take your average monthly electricity bill amount and divide that by 2.2 (the average price per kW) Eg:
R1800
R2.20
818.18kW
Step 2
Take your monthly usage in kW and divide that by 30 (days in a month)
818.18kW
30
27.27kW
Step 3
Take your daily usage and divide it by 5.5 - the hours in the day that you produce the most.
27.27kW
5.5
4.96kW
Inverter Sizing Conclusion
You will need at least a 5kW inverter to cover the 4.96kW
- 6 x 400W Solar Panels = 48% coverage.
- 10 x 400W Solar Panels = 81% coverage.
- 12 x 400W Solar Panels = 97% coverage.
Important Array Sizing Information
In addition to size, you will also need to consider MPPT voltage ranges when selecting an inverter.
Do you need a large array? If the answer is yes, you will need a high voltage inverter.
If the answer is no, you can look at the low voltage inverters.
Bonus Section
Inverter Application Questions
These are the questions you should ask yourself before choosing an inverter.
Do you want an inverter for solar power or load shedding only?
If you answered Solar Power, a Hybrid Inverter is recommended because it synchronises to the grid allowing you to use all available Solar Power and if you’re not producing enough, it will pull the deficit from the grid and/or batteries.
If you answered load shedding, either-or will do nicely.
Will you add solar panels later?
Adding Solar later is something that many of our customers do. However, in this instance, it is always a good idea to install a Hybrid Inverter because of its blending capabilities mentioned above. Installing a Load Shedding Kit now and installing Solar Panels later, breaks up the cost of the product and installation allowing you more time to prepare financially.
Will you add extra solar panels later?
If you’re wanting to add extra solar panels later, an inverter with more than 1 MPPT is your best option. Allowing your system to grow with you.
Will you need batteries?
If you’re adding batteries, check to make sure that the inverter you are interested in is compatible with the batteries you want.
Will you be adding another inverter later?
Some inverters can be paralleled and some can’t. Be sure to check the datasheet or ask one of our sales team.
Do you require a UPS function?
If you're running life-saving machinery or computers, you’ll definitely want to invest in an inverter that has UPS capabilities.
Do you have Single Phase or 3 Phase supply?
This will determine the type of inverter you will need. You can install a single-phase inverter on each phase if you have 3 phase supply. Or, there are 3 phase inverters available on the market.
Chapter 6
Solar Inverter Prices
What to expect
The cost of a solar inverter all comes down to brand, build quality, features, and size.
For commercial inverters that have a massive kW rating, you will be paying anywhere from around R50,000 and much higher for even larger inverters.
Whereas residential inverters typically starting from a 3kW to a 10kW inverter, you can expect the following price ranges:
Off-Grid Inverters
Between R 8,000.00 and R 14,000.00
Hybrid Inverters
Between R 18,500.00 and R 44,000.00
Chapter 7
Best Solar Inverters in South Africa
Quality inverter brands
To name the best pound for pound brand is tricky. Each brand does have its strengths and weaknesses, depending on its application.
Here are the best brands that we would recommend:
Fusion Solar
Fusion Solar's creators have seen the demand in South Africa for more choice when it comes to Solar Inverters and Batteries.
Passion for the South African Solar Industry has seen them answer this demand by bringing in products fit for the South African market.
- Stylish
- Functional
- Reliable
- High Quality
- Excellent warranties
Their Solar Products have been popular thanks to their reliability and stylish design.
AlphaESS
Founded in 2012, AlphaESS is one of the leading energy storage manufacturers in the world.
Their passion for green energy is evident in their excellent product range. AlphaESS offer a variety of residential and commercial solar solutions in over 60 countries worldwide.
- Good reputation
- Long life-span
- Excellent quality
- Great support
Additionally, AlphaESS ranked fifth as one of the top suppliers of Residential Storage Systems for 2020, accounting for 15% of the global market share.
GoodWe
GoodWe's hope for a sustainable future for the generations to come has seen them produce some of the worlds best quality inverters and as such, they have won numerous awards for their outstanding products.
And as a testament to their hard work, they were listed as a public limited company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2020.
- Excellent reputation
- Innovative
- Superb quality
- Great warranties
Sofar Solar
Sofar Solar has been sharing its exciting new products with the world since 2013.
They have been one of China's top 5 string inverter manufacturers for many years and have supplied their products to over 80 countries worldwide.
Their excellent price point offers many South Africans the chance to own a Hybrid Inverter.
- Worldwide availability
- Reliable and safe
- Quality products
- Good warranties
Resources:
Visitor Rating: 4 Stars
Visitor Rating: 5 Stars
Good day,
I would need some advice and pricing.
In January i bought 16 365W solar panels, 3kVA RCT 48V Inverters x 3 and four Pylon-Tech U 2000 batteries.
During the installation ALL three inverter did blow up – incorrect installation by some company from Brakpan – CHC Electrical. So – now I am looking for the new inverters. I wold like to go for 5kVA – two f them. I would need a quote from you and advice – which ones can I install, how many solar panels can they take and – most important – can I split the system in two – one 5kVA + 2 Pylon Tech batteries and join them…or would you advise something else.
Hi
Sorry to hear about the inverters blowing up, your choice of 5kVa inverters sounds like a better option but before suggesting anything what kind of appliances/machines are you running and what is the maximum kW’s are you dealing with?
If you’re looking for high end inverters that handle large loads and spikes we suggest the Victron inverters, if however you are dealing with moderate loads and spikes we’d would suggest an inverter from our Hybrid range or for the lower end of the end we suggest the Kodak (Voltronic) range.
Thankfully you have PylonTech which are a good brand with a decent compatibility range.
Give us a call or email us to advise further.
Visitor Rating: 4 Stars
Visitor Rating: 4 Stars