Solar inverters are an essential part of every solar power setup. They''re responsible for converting the DC electricity produced by solar panels into the AC electricity that most home appliances use.
Choosing the top solar power inverters required considering several different features. We first looked at what style each inverter model is, since this impacts efficiency and cost. We also considered output wattage and input voltage, which determines how you can use your inverter. Finally, we looked at factors like efficiency, ease of installation, and cost. You''ll find reviews of each of our top solar inverters below. Keep reading for our buying guide, which explains everything you need to know about choosing the best solar power inverter for your solar array.
The AIMS Power 6,000-watt solar inverter is our favorite model on the market right now. It is incredibly flexible, with an input voltage range from 45 to 63 volts DC and a standard 120-volt output. Users especially appreciate that the built-in 60-amp battery charger is able to work with eight common battery technologies, including lithium-ion batteries. Plus, you can fully customize your solar and electrical system with this inverter since it can be switched between 50 Hz and 60 Hz outputs to adapt to any international electrical standard.
The inverter is generously equipped with safety and performance features as well. It will automatically alarm when the inverter or battery are overloaded or when the battery begins to overheat. It also has automatic short-circuit prevention and a built-in cooling fan to prevent overheating in the first place.
What impressed users most of all is the surge wattage this inverter delivers. The AIMS Power inverter is rated to pump out up to 20,000 watts from your battery over a 20-second period. In practical terms, that means you won''t have any problems starting up a massive refrigerator or freezer with this inverter controlling your power delivery.
The only downside we can see to this unit is that it doesn''t have any electrical outlets built into the inverter itself. That''s hardly a dealbreaker for the vast majority of users, though, and it''s fairly straightforward to wire your own appliance outlet from the inverter''s breaker panel.
This pure sine wave inverter from Sungold Power is one of the best solar inverters for home use. It includes a few handy features that make managing your solar installation and balancing loads across your system significantly easier.
To start, the inverter can be switched between AC and battery priority. When in AC priority mode, the inverter will automatically draw power from the grid and use it to charge your battery. In battery priority mode, the inverter will continue drawing solar power from your battery even if a grid connection is available.
While the inverter is rated for up to 6,000 watts of continuous output, it''s rated for an input voltage of just 24 volts. That may be a bit of a mismatch for some home solar systems, but it also provides a good alternative to the similarly designed 48-volt inverter produced by AIM Power.
Even better, users point out that this is one of the only split-phase inverters on the market that doesn''t cost a fortune. This means the inverter is able to connect to inputs with two different voltages – for example, your solar panel array and the electrical grid.
This small but capable solar power inverter from Outback Power is designed for modular solar systems or for use as a microinverter. In three-phase mode, when the grid isn''t connected, you can combine up to nine of these inverters to increase your total power output. With a grid tie-in, you can combine up to 10 modules. VFXR3648A inverters are stackable on top of one another, making it convenient to expand your system as new power demands arise.
If you are interested in combining multiple inverters, efficiency will be extremely important since any losses multiply. Thankfully, the VFXR3648A has a nominal efficiency of around 93% – that''s not as high as some of the larger inverters we''ve seen, but it''s pretty good. When you consider how small and lightweight these inverters are, the efficiency is downright impressive.
It''s important to note, though, that this unit isn''t designed for user-friendliness on its own. It doesn''t include a built-in inverter controller – you have to purchase that separately from Outback Power – so you can easily turn the unit on or off or program it for charging modes. In fact, without a controller, you''ll need wire in an on/off switch yourself to have the option to stop the flow of power. With the MATE3S controller that Outback Power makes, however, you''re able to customize this inverter between seven different modes and hook it up to auto-start a generator when your power runs low.
This flexible solar power inverter from Fronius is designed to let you set up your solar system any way you like while offering unparalleled monitoring capabilities. The inverter is built with WLAN and Ethernet ports so that you can monitor the performance of your solar system from inside your home or anywhere in the world. That includes monitoring the input voltage from your panels, the output voltage from the inverter, and any strain being placed on the battery.
One of the neat things about this inverter is its so-called Superflex Design. Every DC input is able to handle the entire 370-volt input of the unit. That means that you can spread your inputs across multiple solar panels, or connect a single large array that''s hard-wired together. This flexibility is particularly nice for larger roof systems where you might have several clusters of panels, each with its own power optimizers.
Users also appreciate that the Fronius inverter is ready for use with smart grid systems. The inverter can be programmed with feed-in limits imposed by your utility, as well as easily balance loads between home power consumption and returning electricity to the grid. Importantly, it comes with arc fault circuit interruption integration, which ensures that the inverter is up to the most stringent regulatory standards in effect in some US power districts.
This compact and relatively inexpensive inverter from Samlex America can''t compete with the other inverters we reviewed on wattage. However, for low-wattage solar systems, you simply can''t beat the reliability of this unit. The 2,000 continuous wattage and 3,500 surge wattage ratings are very conservative based on user tests, meaning you can be confident that you won''t experience any issues when running this inverter at full load.
The 12-volt input rating is also a plus for smaller solar systems or off-grid solar installations. That''s the wattage that most individual solar panels and small, consumer-friendly batteries are running at after all. So, it should come as little surprise that this inverter is widely praised among RV and boat owners who need a system that can operate seamlessly away from the electrical grid. It certainly doesn''t hurt that the inverter has a built-in panel containing two 120-volt AC outlets so that you can easily connect appliances directly into the inverter.
The only other thing we''d like to see from this inverter is slightly higher efficiency. When you''re only working with one or two solar panels, every watt matters. Unfortunately, this inverter loses around 15% of your available power during conversion. Some of this is to run the built-in fan, but that''s still a notable power loss. However, given the budget-friendly cost of this inverter, most users didn''t mind the less than stellar efficiency.
This budget power inverter from WZRELB is one of the best inverters for off-grid solar systems. It''s cheap, compact, and lightweight. Plus, it''s designed to take a 12-volt input voltage – the voltage that installations with just one or two small solar panels produces.
An LCD display and simple on/off switch make this inverter extremely easy to use and help conserve battery power when you don''t need electricity. The display lets you monitor the input and output voltages, which helps ensure that the system isn''t being overloaded or overdrawn. There''s also a low-voltage alarm, which sounds as 11.2 volts, and a low-voltage shutoff that kicks in when your solar panels deliver less than 10 volts.
For how inexpensive this inverter is, users were also impressed with its efficiency. The unit is rated to convert up to 90% of available power when running close to its 3,000-watt capacity. Plus, it''s capable of surging up to 6,000 watts when needed, which is more than enough power for most refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning systems. Importantly, the inverter puts out a pure sign wave with relatively little harmonic distortion, so it''s safe to use with your laptop and other sensitive electronic devices.
Depending on how you want to use your power, you can balance the load between the 120-volt and 240-volt outputs. You can even stagger your energy delivery to the grid around peak demand to get the most money for the electricity your panels are producing.
The maximum efficiency of this inverter is also mind-blowing. When running at its rated 5,000 watts, the inverter turns fully 97% of the incoming power into usable AC electricity. That''s an efficiency that few other inverters we''ve seen can rival. It''s also worth noting that this inverter is compatible with a wide variety of battery types, including lithium-ion batteries.
Of course, this utility comes at a steep cost. The Outback Power inverter is one of the more expensive models available for home and small commercial solar installations. But, when you put that cost in perspective with the five-year warranty and the ability to generate revenue from your electricity utility, it''s far from outrageous.
SMA is a renowned German solar company popular for its reliable inverters. The brand has been superior for quite a while as it is one of the pioneers in the inverter market. The Sunny Boy 3.0 is one of their top-selling residential single-phase inverters lines. It is incredibly lightweight, sleek, and efficient. It is a perfect option for solar power generation in private homes as it is easy to install and commission.
The Sunny Boy 3.0 is our best solar grid tie inverter because of its convenient and future-proof design. With the inverter, all PV operators and installers remain updated. Plus, the current communication standards allow the addition of intelligent energy management and SMA storage solutions at any time. Moreover, SMA offers free and automatic inverter monitoring to help you, the installer, provide quick, targeted service to your customers. Should the inverter fail, you will get information regarding the downtime from SMA and a replacement device free of charge if necessary.
The Sunny Boy 3.0 grid-tie inverter compares favorably with other inverters on this list regarding easy installation and commissioning. As it is a secure plug-n-play unit, you can quickly install it without opening it. The inverter is also relatively compact and lightweight, coming in at 57 pounds.
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