Solar Power

Unless your house is completely battery powered, any solar power you generate will need to be modified for use. That's because solar panels produce energy in DC, or Direct Current form. Your house uses AC, or Alternating Current. These two different types of power have a very adversarial relationship with each other.

In fact, if you plug an AC appliance into DC current, it will burn up in no time flat, unless it's designed to run on either source of power. So, unless you want every appliance in your house overheating, that DC power from your solar panels needs to be converted to the AC power. And that's where an inverter comes into play.

An inverter takes the power generated by your solar array and converts it into AC power. Then it feeds that power into your house, stores it in batteries, and/or sends it back to the grid as a salable commodity.

It also matches the rate of the AC current in voltage and hertz to that of your local power company. In most places that will be 120 volts at 60 Hertz. Especially for systems that feed power back to the grid, it's critical that the current from your home match that of the system.

The inverter then sends the converted power to the circuit breaker panel in your house, and from there it's available for use. Another very important job that your inverter does is monitor the electricity levels coming from or going to the grid. In the event of a power outage on the grid, the inverter will shut down so no electricity from your solar panels is sent through the utility wires, potentially endangering workers trying to restore power.

The inverter may very well be the most expensive component in your home energy system, so choosing carefully is a must. Especially if you're starting small with the number of panels in your array, buy an inverter large enough to handle the output from your estimated final array size.

While saving installation money is tempting, purchasing a larger or second inverter because the current one can't handle the, well, current, will make you distinctly unhappy. Plan ahead and look on this as an investment.

Many utility companies now charge different rates for power based on demand. For instance, afternoon power is in highest demand. Some inverters are designed just to offset the most expensive daytime energy and do not involve a tie-in with a battery or battery bank. Because of this they are less expensive and may be a good option if your power rates peak with usage.

If your inverter will feed power into your house, be sure it has an overload feature. Overload protection will stop a power spike that can result from starting a large electrical appliance, like a washing machine or well pump, from damaging or destroying your battery bank and/or inverter itself.

The time you invest in researching and understanding the inverter for your solar power system will pay off in a safe and efficient system that will save you power for years to come.