When you install a solar PV system, whether it’s grid-tied, off-grid or hybrid, a solar panel inverter is essential. It’s the brains of your solar PV system, converting the DC (direct current) electricity your solar panels generate into AC (alternating current) electricity for use within your home.
At SolarTherm UK, we supply and install high performance inverters from leading manufacturers, ensuring maximum efficiency, reliability and long term savings for homeowners across Essex, Kent, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.
What is a Solar Panel Inverter?
Solar panels produce DC (direct current) electricity, but your home and the National Grid use AC (alternating current). A solar inverter converts DC to AC, allowing you to power your home, export excess energy or charge a solar battery. In modern systems, your inverter is an important part of the system, managing solar power, battery storage, grid import and export and backup power.
How Solar Panel Inverters Work
Solar inverters use advanced solid state electronics to rapidly switch DC electricity, creating a clean pure sine wave AC output. Pure sine wave power is essential for the safe operation of home appliances, EV chargers and sensitive electronics.
A quality inverter ensures:
- Higher energy yield
- Quiet, efficient operation
- Long term reliability
- Maximised bill savings and SEG (Smart Export Guarantee) export income
Types of Solar Panel Inverters
At SolarTherm UK we understand that every property and roof is different. Shading, orientation and angle can all have an affect on your solar and how it performs, so choosing the right solar inverter for your roof matters.
String Inverters
A string inverter is best for a standard solar installation. They are more affordable than other solar inverter options and work well for most roofs and installations. If your roof is clear from shading and your panels are being installed on one orientation then a string inverter is your best option.
String inverters offer very high efficiencies, typically up to 98% and are easy to maintain. With a string inverter, your solar array is installed as a single string, with all panels connected and working together to generate electricity. The downside to a string inverter is that if one panel in the string is underperforming, then the performance of the whole string is affected, making them unsuitable for roofs with multiple orientations, shading or complex roofs.
Microinverters
The alternative to a string inverter is microinverters, where every solar panel has it’s own inverter to convert DC electricity to AC electricity. With microinverters, every panel operates independently from the others, usually resulting in a higher overall output than with string inverters.
Microinverters are perfect for more complex roofs, usually those with multiple orientations or with trees, chimneys or nearby buildings causing shade across parts of the roof or at certain times of the day. The downside to microinverters is that they have a higher upfront cost than a traditional string inverter, which can make a solar installation costly and increase the payback period.
Hybrid Inverters
Hybrid inverters combine solar PV panels with battery storage. A hybrid inverter works in the same way as a traditional string inverter, converting the DC electricity into usable AC electricity, but it is also connected to solar batteries and can convert the AC electricity back to DC electricity to be stored in the batteries. A hybrid inverter also allows your home to be fitted with Emergency Power Supply (EPS) backup, where in the event of a power cut your property can run from your solar batteries, anything from a single socket to full house back up depending on the level of EPS you have installed.
A hybrid inverter maximises self-consumption of your solar power, storing surplus electricity in batteries for use in the evenings or when you need it most. Hybrid inverters are perfect for homes wanting to future proof against rising energy prices and wanting long term energy independence.
Off-Grid Inverters
These are used when your property isn’t going to be connected to the National Grid. In the UK, there is very little need for properties to be off-grid completely, and most properties will instead opt for a grid connected hybrid inverter to give the best of both worlds.
Off grid systems are expensive to install and require a system that will cover all your energy needs, including battery storage and reliable back up power. They are used for remote installations where the property is not connected to the grid.
Power Optimisers
Ok, these aren’t an inverter, but they are a popular, affordable alternative to microinverters. At SolarTherm UK we install a SolarEdge power optimised system if your roof experiences partial shading or has multiple orientations or a complex design. Power optimisers work similarly to microinverters where each panel works independently of the others, but unlike microinverters, the power optimisers connect to a single string inverter.
Choosing the Right Solar Panel Inverter
Before we design your solar PV system, our solar experts at SolarTherm UK assess your roof, property and ask about your energy usage and future needs.
- Roof shading and orientation: shade affects inverter choice significantly, if your roof experiences partial shading at SolarTherm UK we are likely to suggest a SolarEdge power optimised system.
- Electricity usage: high energy homes may need a hybrid inverter, your existing electrics will be assessed to see if you need a single phase or three phase inverter.
- Battery storage plans: of you’re thinking of adding battery storage in the future, installing a hybrid inverter may save money in the future.
- Number and type of panels: different solar panels require different inverters, the voltage and current ratings need to be compatible.
- Your budget and long term goals: more efficient inverters pay back quicker through higher yields, but can also incur higher upfront costs.
Why a Quality Inverter Matters
A premium solar inverter matched to your property ensures:
- Maximum solar generation
- Higher SEG export income
- Longer system lifespan
- Safe, reliable operation
- Better performance in UK weather
- Reduced downtime and maintenance
Cheap or improperly sized inverters are the number one cause of lost solar output. Ensuring your solar inverter is correctly sized for the number of panels you have and your battery storage system will result in short payback periods and a more efficient system.
At SolarTherm UK, we only install the latest in certified solar technology. Using top brands and quality inverters like Solis, SolarEdge, Growatt, Luxpower and Solax. Our recommendation for a solar inverter for your property comes from over 15 years of experience installing solar and working with a number of brands, these brands offer the highest support, excellent efficiency and value for money and have long warranties, which at SolarTherm UK, we believe is important for our customers.
Your inverter is one of the most important parts of your solar PV system, without it your panels can’t power your home or export to the grid.
Ready to Start The Solar Journey?
Contact SolarTherm UK today for a free, no obligation quote and design, tailored to your property, usage and future energy needs. No hard sell, just honest, expert advice.
Your home. Your energy. Your future.
