Don’t Get Fooled by the Inverter Rating

I have seen quite a few solar power advertisements that try to fool you!

They say something like:

    • 5kw Inverter

    • 16 x 260 watt Panels

    • Free Installation

 

You might think you are getting a  5kW System

The Truth

What you are getting is a 4.16KW system.

It is the panels that determine the maximum output . . . . . .16 x 0.26kW =  4.16kW

In fact this system would run more efficiently with a 4kW inverter than the advertised model as inverters are at their most efficient close to their advertised rating.

My own system has 3.3kw of Panels with a 3kW Inverter, and very rarely generates the full 3.0kW, and then only for a few minutes.

The experts say that the best combination is when the rating of the panels exceeds the inverter rating by around one third.

This post    Lower Output Reasons   explains why the output from the panels may be lower than you might think.