I have had solar power on our house (ground mounted) for 22 years. You did a very good job of introducing each type of system. Good that you have chosen to deal with the high quality systems which have been proven. You are right the INVERTER is the key to any home solar power solution.

I have designed and installed 3 home systems myself and thought I knew it all, but I still learned from your excellent video. Liked and subscribed.

Studer for us. Two inverters. One from 2000. 1 from 2009. Both still working perfect. Fully updated as if bought yesterday. Off grid. With backup generator.

Mad props for this video. It had more information and presented more options than even most non-installers do on KZread. Very impressive to see this much information honestly presented by an installer rather than trying to sell a single solution because that is who they contracted with or because that is the easiest to install. I'm very impressed. Only one question: You guys being in DFW, how come no love for Sol-Ark? Their hybrid inverters are truly amazing for buyers looking for solar with whole house battery backup solution.

Great info & advice 👍Thx so much . 😘

There are also exist microinverters with input for 2 or 4 or 6 PV modules, (for example micro made by DEYE company). With them is easy to start adventure with PV system. You can start from 4 PV modules and one micro and later you can add another PV modules and another micros - it's really easy to extend that kind of PV system.

Good Video. I worked for Fronius and now working for Enphase. Fronius is the best company I have worked for, and the products are great if installed correctly, which means using a torque screwdriver to seal the cover of the inverter. Since the Fronius is rated to be Nema 4X, if water entered the inverter, the water did not come out, and you can imagine what would happen next. This was the most significant issue when I worked for the company and why many installers stay away from Fronius. The other problem with using a DC string inverter in California is that the NEC 2017 requires you to use a module-level shutdown. This requires you to use Tigo; everyone knows that Tigo does not pair well with DC String inverters. This is why many installers in California go with Enphase or SolarEdge. SolarEdge is also experiencing many quality issues that cost the installer a high O&M cost. No inverter brand is perfect, and replacements are destined to happen. The Key is customer service, and a company responds to issues.

Great video! Thank you!

Hi, thanks a lot, very informative! You may have also added 'hybrid' inverters. They are very relevant if you don't want to install batteries from the very beginning (like me ..)

very nice info, very impartial and honest sounding thankyou

thank you for your extensive explanation.!

Excelente video Martyna, muchos saludos

Love it! :) 🙏🙏🙏

After watching the presentation on ShadeFix, I think it blows the other solutions out of the water except in certain niche scenarios like heavy shading and quickly changing irradiance / temperature (probably because the sweep function takes a non-trivial amount of time to run).

Im in the solar industry, woman do a great job, Love it. Keep it up. You have my suppoet great.vid

Yes, Solar Inverter is very important for the home emergency, we have many kinds of solar inverter, and many of our customers have the same view as the autor

Absolutely brilliant. You clearly know your subject!

@solartimeusa

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for saying that :) I appreciate it!

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅

I am very impressed, this has been a concise and to the point presentation. This is the first time I have ever subscribed liked and signed up for all feature articles. One point though which is the best to have inverter or panels, It's like the chicken or the egg question. One bad or not as good component well inevitability cause a problem if not right now soon. Even if it is I only wish I had done it differently. You would be best buying the best and pairing it back with an eye to the feature. That way you have something to build on!

Thanks. Good job.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you too! ;) Martyna

Good design to this video 👍🏾

After all of the research I've done, your video has been spot on with accurate information unlike some of the other "unbiased professionals" out there. I really appreciate your fair view and honest explanation of these systems. I'm tired of hearing how optimization is always going to be best. You're always clear that optimization is only necessary under varied shading conditions. Great great job. Laying out the real pros and cons is the best way to help consumers decide what's ideal for their home before they get a salesman pushing their partner manufacturers as the best and only option.

@danielgmur6486

Жыл бұрын

Not bad, but the effect of optimizers is still viewed as too good, real world testing shows how small (if any) difference even in heavy shaded conditions is. kzread.info/dash/bejne/h4VttdyhnJTJlbQ.html

Martynka! 🧡

Solar edge is the best when pairing with battery and also best in super hot markets where it gets hot on the roof. Enphase rates for 149 F and solar edge optimizers 185 degrees F don’t forget that. When your roof gets as hot as 170 in some parts of the world in the summer that’s a huge thing to consider

Canadian installer and O&M technician throwing in my two cents; I'd highly recommend Fronius inverters for any Canadian watching this video due to the quick technical support and parts delivery in the event of component failure. SMA is a close second, but the Core1 variety presented in this video are quite bulky units and typically have no built in HMi (as opposed to the Fronius Symo and Primo units). I've dealt with MLPEs and would advise against them. Particularly in Canada after snow has accumulated under the module. If you're planning on multiple strings (modules are constructed in series called strings) MLPEs can prove troublesome since they can lead to back-feeding and potentially blown string fusing.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Andrew for the input! Really appreciate it ;)

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅

After doing a lot of my own research, for a home, I would only recommend a microinverter system based on the points below. 1) Redundancies - With all the other systems with one Inverter, you have one point of failure. Your inverter goes out, now it could be weeks for the part and installer to show up at your home to replace the inverter. Which means if you are still paying on your system, you will definitely have two bills that month. 2) Monitoring per panel - By setting an alert of threshold of each panel, you can be alerted of a failing panel or micro inverter without looking everyday to keep your system at peak performance. 3)Cost - In my research, depending on the setup, there is not a vastly huge difference in cost between micro inverters and a central inverter with a very good installer that is familiar with all tech.

You are so very intelligent and well informed. BTW you are also extremely easy on the eyes. Thanks for an entertaining and educational video.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, thank you! I hope to bring more videos soon! :)

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅

Great job. Thank you

Excellent video! Thanks a lot! Love the accent "ñeed" "underñeath" "engiñeered"

glad i came across this video. was not aware of the sma / tigo optimizer . much cheaper then micro inverters / or solar edge

@greg_takacs

Жыл бұрын

Indeed! Tigo Optimizers are dirt cheap when compared to micro inverters and work just as well and can be used on a premium hybrid string inverter for optimal DC coupled battery backup solutions.

Good tips! Definitely don't want to lose a lot of power from expensive solar panels due to having the wrong inverter(s). Just subscribed. :)

@fauxque5057

2 жыл бұрын

Why buy expensive panels? My first 10 were new 370w panels. My LV 6548 can handle 8000w. Being cheap I contacted Santan Solar and picked up a dozen 340w used panels for $65 each. Laid them out, plugged them in and I just about doubled my capability for under $800. Another thing you seldom see mentioned is that a shattered panel will usually still produce as if it was never shattered. I have one of the original panels that was shattered and 3 years later it still produces the same. A little bit about the used panels. You hear talk about degradation and panel output over time. While true, it really isn't any problem. I seldom produce 100% of what I am capable of producing. It takes the perfect sun to get them all going at maximum capacity. On normal days I only produce 3/4ish of the rated capacity. They also tell you that you will get about 5 good hours of sun a day. Lol. Today I started producing the load my house draws at 7:12am by noon my batteries were full and if it's like yesterday I will cover the typical draw until sometime after 7pm. Basically I produce my full load for 12 hours at this time of year. Summer longer, winter is tricky. Even overcast days I cover my usage fine. Sometimes it takes 2 days to charge the batteries to full. Batteries will kill you. Unless you are rich. Another thing I get a kick out of is the angle and precise alignment for maximum voltage. Again it's rare when the sun hits just right. You could invest in expensive sun tracking mounts. Or you could toss them flat on the grass, plug them together and produce all you need. I'm sure you hear to keep them clean? I thought that. I will log before and after cleaning, guess what I found? It's impossible to tell any difference because the sun moves over time, the clouds come and go, your voltage rises and lowers. I can tell you that I have never noticed any difference between clean and unclean panels after cleaning them. And again if I produce everything I need, and my batteries top off everyday I don't care if I produce extra power. If my panels degrade I can plug in a couple more to make up for the loss as long as I meet my voltage and watts limits on the all in one charge controller I'm good to go. Solar does not have to be expensive. I also intentionally went with an off grid system for a bunch of reasons but the main one is I live in Florida. I have had my power knocked out for up to two weeks. By law, grid tied systems are disabled to protect linemen from back feeding. So a grid tied system is worthless during a power outage. That's where 21.4kWh of expensive LiPo4 batteries comes in. Power goes out and I never know it's out.

@Electronzap

2 жыл бұрын

@@fauxque5057 Good times :)

@jamesshomesolarmore2223

2 жыл бұрын

The inverters she is talking about are expensive and not worth the money. Plus most of the expensive inverters are now made in China. If you want a system that can power your home and car their are much more dependable and safe products.

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅

First time solar customer in Australia. Took a while to find out whether string or micro inverter was the best option. Went with LG panels and a Fronius string inverter. Good installation company is absolutely a big part of a good reliable system. We had top quality. Didn't even know they had been but they had. Fronius has an active fan when it is working which is not very intrusive but barring a fan failure, should ensure much more stable temps in the inverter especially with 40C+ days we get here in Adelaide than a convective only one. I can monitor output and history remotely which is handy. Spend the good money for a troublefree system up front! Peak solar days I get 45kWh per day on a 6.6kW North facing system. Happy as!

Simple question. If I have no shade on my roof, what is the recommended inverter technology? Thanks for sharing your expertise!

Nice information, this seems to be one of the most accurate informations when it comes to inverter/solar panel & batteries.talking about solar inverter, I think I'm just hearing about this for the first time. Is there are difference b/w the traditional & solar inverter? I'm just starting up with installation of a small solar panels for home use.i'm already excited about the idea of generating energy through the use of sunlight! The traditional inverter suck, they seems ONLY work well with batteries with a very high voltage. Most of the traditional inverters, are not compatible with cheap batteries.so, I'm using the dc with addition of 12/24 volt car cigarette in combination with switchable 12/15...24 volt universal adapter for charging of notebook/Smartphones.... pls, let me know what are you opinion in regards to this.thanks

This is a wonderful presentation of high-end components. I definitely agree with your assessment of the need to buy high-quality inverters for your solar system. SMA and Fronius are my top two choices for grid-connected systems and we have witnessed extremely low failure rates with these two. As a professional of twenty years, why would I install anything but the best?

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Mauricio! Thank you for sharing your opinion. I am with you 100%! :) - Martyna

@kylealeyas973

Жыл бұрын

Hi there Mauricio, what state do you install in?

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅😅

For me I will use a MPP-Solar LV 6548 inverter for my system. It is a 6.5 KW inverter that runs about $1,700 each. If you use two of them, then you can run split phase power too. The PV input voltage is 250 volts which means lower current and higher voltage with smaller gage wire. There so much more to consider that just the things that you talk about. About 95% of peoples roofs do not have shading problems.

@Sanwizard1

Жыл бұрын

Yup. Had two of those on one house, then went to the LVX6048WPs to use with my SMA inverters in an AC coupled micro grid

Glad that you made a video on the Best Solar Inverters for 2022. I do see that there is no Chinese branded inverters in your list. Could you please do a review on those brands as well (Huawei, Sungrow, Growatt, Goodwe, Solis, Solplanet, SAJ, KSTAR. Thanks

@greg_takacs

Жыл бұрын

They appear to be a premium installer and more than likely don't have a lot of experience with those more budget minded solutions.

FYI,you can use solaredge optimisers with any system!,I use them in conjunction with mppt charge controllers.you do need the solaredge key tool to disengage the saftey DC function.

@dannyblast3392

2 жыл бұрын

I advise strongly against anything Solaredge they fail a crazy percentage of the time.

@mewky6245

2 жыл бұрын

We install on average 40 optimisers a week! Very rarely get problem!

Good Information

Thank you for this review. I was considering a SolarEdge Inverter, but given that it requires a micro-inverter on every panel, that's not really something I would want.

@solartimeusa

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Hope you got your system installed!! :)

Super ❤️❤️❤️

Starting in the 2017 code, string inverters require MLPE's for module level rapid shutdown when installing on building.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment, you are definitely right! Either microinverters or panel level devices like rapid shutdown or power optimizers which serve the purpose. :)

I found this a pretty well balanced review! I will state being in Australia we have seen a lot of high voltage DC fires from string inverters - generally when DC isolaters leak and fail or some other wiring component goes wrong. Now there were a lot of cowboys over the last 5 years - but you need a level 2 electrician to certify your system in Australia before it can be energised - so I wonder if there is more at play here. It definitely pays to do your research. The other thing I would posit for a USA based audience is that your grid seems a bit more flakely in certain states than in Australia - so the value of a battery and grid disconnect mode (islanding) is likely higher in the USA - for energy security purposes versus economic energy arbitrage reasons. With that in mind your choice of inverter and degree of home intelligence plays a more dominant factor too. I would reason that Enphase have the most seemless and well thought out design - in that the irinverters for panel and batteries seem to play together very nicely and allow you to have a smarter home if that is your desire and include generators into the control mix as well. Time will tell - great video! On a production point of view - excellent audio and lighting / framing - would suggest tweak the lighting on your right to be more consistent and softer - as it caused a funny dark shadow to keep jumping between your right eye and nose - that looked a bit like a moving spot that was weird at times. Overall very well done!

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Very interesting what you are saying about the fires. I do wonder if its a quality issue, because string inverters like SMA and Fronius are equipped with very sensitive software, anytime there is an arc fault detected system should protect itself and shut off. Often times we have to go out to the site to inspect everything before the system can be turn back on. Will definitely look into what you are suggesting for the back up and grid tied systems. Thank you for your feedback! We are just getting started so this is super helpful. I really appreciate it :) Martyna

@matthewkendall5235

2 жыл бұрын

@@solartimeusa a pleasure Martyna - I am interested in how a string inverter detecting an arc fault can "turn off" all the massive power coming to it if there is an arc fault. By the time the inverter sees it you have high voltage and high ampage power playing an arc welder on your roof - which gives our fire fighters the absolute shivers. Faulty DC isolater installs (and in the past there have been way too many in Australia) mean you can have a runaway energised system on your roof that can be exceedingly difficult to de-energise unless you can shade the affected arrays - like with a fire blanket to block the sunlight. At that point what the inverter chooses to do or not is kind of irrelevant - especially if your roof or walls above the inverter are alight - happened to a house 6 doors up from us. No one was injured - just a twelve year old kid who was rescued - but the house burnt down - and insurance rebuilt it a year later - but very scary. To me that is nothing to do with what panels or what inverter and all to do with was all the wiring safe. Mirco inverter solutions cost more - but being conversion at the panel means no high voltage DC anywhere - so I guess it means it would be a lot harder to cause an arc fault with low voltage AC.

@Janhalasz

2 жыл бұрын

The fires are caused by arc-fault which is only a characteristic of a high-DC wire architecture (string inverter or DC optimized system). Won’t happen with micros

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅

Brava! Mi Piace. Good solar energy.

@solartimeusa

11 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅😊

thank you for helping me, i install solar panels about 2 hours away from dallas and i try to get as much info from the owner of the company but he acts like he doesn't want to help me learn.

Excellent video!! Even though SMA does not have panel level monitoring, how useful and informative is its vanilla system level monitoring out of the box - without paying extra to add on Tigo optimizers? My potential SMA Solar installer says we can divide our 18 panels into three separate strings with an SMA inverter, so can easily tell which string might be underperforming if that were to happen. True? (We get very little shade on our roof and want an inverter that is highly reliable).

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Dan! If you don't have shading issues, you really don't need it, you do loose the option of viewing panel level monitoring. But your installer is right, your panels will be divided into strings and will have a certain voltage that can be measured. If it doesn't fit as it should they will know one of the panels is wrong. This happens very rarely that a panel break. VERY RARELY. If something will go wrong it will be the inverter that will be easily fixed at the ground level by a technician so much easier access than rooftop as far as mircos. You sma inverter will be monitored by you, SMA and probably your installer. SMA has an excellent customer service, so if the inverter fails and needs replacement they do it automatically, so they will ship it to your installer, and they will swap it for a new one. :) Is it a rooftop install? If so there will be a need for a rapid shutdown device if no optimizers ae installed. But I a sure they have that included. I hope that helps! If you haven't seen the panel video here is the link: kzread.info/dash/bejne/qa1pqpWlhLSZnLQ.html&lc=UgzrOGu15WkAloaSQrt4AaABAg

I have a good south facing roof with no shading. But I am still planning on putting Tigo optimizers with an SMA inverter. My reasoning is that I need some sort of Rapid Shutdown electronics on each module anyway, so I will spend a little more and get individual monitoring on each module. But to get monitoring and Rapid Shutdown I need to use the Tigo optimizer module. The monitoring is especially helpful since I am designing and maintaining the system myself. I want to be able to see which module is producing adequately. Plus it does produce a little more energy so it may pay for the extra cost.

@Chris-ie9os

2 жыл бұрын

Tigo makes a device that does rapid shutdown and monitoring but not optimization. Optimizers add ~$30 per panel and make no difference in performance if there's no shade.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Great idea Mark! I agree! Sometimes it’s worth paying extra to get more data for sure! Glad you’re going solar!

@markhastings9037

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chris-ie9os Thanks! I did not look at the Tigo offerings close enough so see that the TS4-A-S does both. The only issue is that I don't see it offered very many places for a decent price. So I have seen some data online that using optimizers on panels with no shade will compensate for slight differences between panels. But is it worth the extra money and the loss in efficiency? Any opinions?

@Chris-ie9os

2 жыл бұрын

@@markhastings9037 On one project I installed Ss and one O to see the difference. There wasn't one. The only benefit would be that if the panel is optimized and shaded you'll get a few watts instead of 0 since once the bypass diodes are triggered output of the shaded section is 0. Optimizers just aren't worth the added cost. Another factor to consider is you need additional equipment for the S and O but the F uses sunspec which is built into most string inverters. So the cost of module level monitoring is ~$200 + ~$20 per panel.

@ontheflylens

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly the system Martyna installed on our home in 2021, were hands on system owners ourselves, very pleased!🙂

Martina, great review, obviously you are a fan of string inverters which is fair. Few comments: 1. Micro and optimized systems can not be compared At the same level, they are completely different technologies with different value proposition. 2. Micro inverter benefit is not the mitigation of shading, but the simple fact that there is not a single point of failure in the system. If one micro goes down, the rest of the system will still work. 2. All other system but micro inverters will have a single point of failure. If A string inverter, including an optimized system goes down, You as a solar installer run around until it’s fixed because your customer will be screaming at you due to no solar production. 3. SMA and Fronius’ combined market share in the US is probably in the single digits, which tells you about what educated consumers want. 4. Safety- only micros can guarantee arc fault free operation due to no high-voltage DC. Installers are humans and mistakes will be made, if that happens on DC wiring that’s bad news. Obviously, I am a micro fan! :) Keep it up and Say hi to Pavel! ;)

@whattheschmidt

2 жыл бұрын

Keep in mind it's not a one size fits all though. I have one array (on my detached garage)with a string inverter (SMA) since there is just about no shade there at all. On my other array which is on my house, I have a chimney that hits up to 3 of the 8 panels depending on time of the year and have Enphase microinverters on them. Zero issues with any of my inverters so far but I'm only 3 years in.

@Janhalasz

2 жыл бұрын

@@whattheschmidt I agree, I just prefer the solution that offers maximum reliability for energy generation.

@whattheschmidt

2 жыл бұрын

@@Janhalasz another benefit of my SMA - failure is way less likely under the panels on the roof :). Would be easy to swap out the 5.1kW Inverter. I do like my Enphase mixroinverters though that I installed myself.

Thanks for this useful information, can you give us information about the best solar batterys in 2022

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

That video is coming next week! :) Stay tuned!

Fronius has the same feature with the optimization of the mppt durring partial shading. The feature is called Dynamic Peak Manager and it finds the global mppt.

@M.mierwa

2 жыл бұрын

We have to test it for both sma max fronius then! Thanks for letting me know ;)

Hi, excelent video, thanks. I recently bought an Sunnyboy and still in the box. For what I know is mandatory a rapid shot down sistem but for I understand from from your video it's not for string inverter like SMA. My SMA is a US-40, not a US-41. Iam from Puerto Rico and use NEC2017. Can you give me some information please?( excuse my English, isn't my primary language)

Very nice 👍👍👍👍

@solartimeusa

Жыл бұрын

Thank you ;)

@wasiftraderssolarenergy386

Жыл бұрын

@@solartimeusa hi

Inverters from my very first system back in 1999 have been and remains the weakest link in the system; also the wire connections are always to close and often undersized. So how does this one work for you ? How many armps and can it be hooked up in parallel to handle large loads like ac?

I came here for solar info, not social politics. Your last video was information packed. Very good video. That's what I'm looking for. I don't care if its a man, woman, dog, cat,.. I just want the best information so that I can make the best decision as to where and how to spend my money. By the way, I don't know any man who believes that a woman can not do a specific task. Now if you ask a person who usually does this type of work, they will accurately say that men usually perform this work. I enjoy you video and hope you keep the politics out of them. I'm here to figure out what products will best serve my family.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Armando, Thank you for sharing your opinion. Will definitely keep that in mind in future videos. My goal is to help you get the info! Did not mean it in any political way. Reason why I wanted to add that is because ever since I started in the industry it was mostly men. So wanted to throw a little joke. Thank you for sharing though. Feedback is always good! -Martyna

Hello Martyna, I'd love to learn more about solar. Apart from your channel of course, any suggestions for how to learn as much as possible about this industry? Thanks for your great videos, Tony

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Tony :) definitely recommend KZread! There are many different webinars that are available here. I would also try to use as many independent websites that are not fully affiliated or paid by certain manufacturers to be able to get unbiased opinion. Lots of Solar Facebook groups as well.

@TonyLopesjnr

2 жыл бұрын

@@solartimeusa Much appreciated and keep up the good work!

Excellent explanation, Can you make a video how install a system where I can get electric power from the grid as well from my solar system. To run Crypto mining machine, I want to used the power of the sun. Thanks.

Micro inverters at a certain temperature behind a dark panel on High Pressure Weather, Hot Sunny Days with little Wind will de-rate to save itself. This is loss of output. The String Inverters I have are in a room at 70 Deg. Much like a Server room. Now only the panels outside will do the de rating with heat. Am relaxing with Ice Tea knowing there is less Electronic failure over time. My system is a Hybrid Solar/Wind system since 2003. The County did not even know the permit process then.

Where space causes complex layouts and long cables to inverters in difficult sources, micro inverters are a good solution.

So the best option is panel with mivroinverter individualy?

Brains and beauty. Well spoken and thorough. A total wealth of knowledge. I really enjoy your videos.

@solartimeusa

Жыл бұрын

I appreciate that! Thank you again! Definitely more to come in 2023!

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅

Went with a Solar Edge 10KW system (with independent panel Optimizers) with QCELL+ panels. It's amazing how you can get independent monitoring of each panel with this setup. I'm also generating nearly 61.9KWh per day with the 10KW system. Love it. PS, the orientation of my panels are 33% face East, West, North, respectively.

@nelsonantony3077

Жыл бұрын

Did you install your self ?

@JDDD33

Жыл бұрын

@@nelsonantony3077 no way.. requires cutting into roof tiles

@jimlascody

Жыл бұрын

@JDDD33 How have things gone with Solar Edge? Any inverter issues as of yet? I understood that they had a run of bad capacitors in their inverters but that was around COVID start and I was hoping they've worked through that. However, still saw postings throughout 2022 showing homeowners with a lot of failed inverters, SolarEdge not being responsive or very slow in being able to get replacements, and replacement inverters failing.

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅😂😂😊

Nowadays it doesn't really matter which inverter you buy...you just have to be sure and have a local repair service. Even with the overpriced products from the USA and Europe, the components are all made in China... except that these manufacturers have to serve their shareholders and therefore sell them at very high prices.

Solaredge - so far so good even if it's just 4kW

I'm shocked you didn't cover SolArk. Their AIO string inverters are some of the best out there and have so many excellent built in features, many of which others don't have. Simple to install too with so much built in and prewired.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Hey! That will be a hybrid / batter inverter option. For those who just want to go solar without back up, the cost of a hybrid is not always ideal. But I will definitely cover Sol ark soon! I’m a big fan, especially since they are located 20 miles from us! 🤘🏻

@ssoffshore5111

2 жыл бұрын

@@solartimeusa Ahhhh, I didn't realize you were only talking about grid-tie inverters here! With today's crazy weather patterns and stressed grid systems, I can't imagine opting for a grid-tie only system, but I get their appeal, simplicity, and lower price-point. And nice job on these videos! I'm new to the channel and honestly clicked to see if the cutie had a clue, but I was impressed you're more than just a pretty face! Awesome!

@onthelake9554

2 жыл бұрын

She's not doing china inverters . Solark the company is in Texas but their equipment is manufactured by DYE Inverters in China.

@greg_takacs

Жыл бұрын

I wish I had seen this question, I asked the exact same question today. :-). And I 100% agree with your assessment, I would not install a simple grid-tied setup in 2022, the benefit of a hybrid inverter with battery is well worth the cost.

@Zoltan1996

4 ай бұрын

Deye buy deye is half the price on battery and dont pay extra subscription on your smart meter to show you data😅😅😂

So what is your thought on solark?

How do you calculate how many Solar Panels, Inverters and Batteries you need base on your annual consumption?

Wow! Are there some your store here in Brazil? 🇧🇷🇧🇷

My Christmas lights have their little solar panels of course it's connected to the Christmas lights I bought Christmas lights that has a solar panel attached to it it's a small little tiny thing and it lights up the Christmas tree or anything else I put the lights on or around I do not plug them into an inverter I do not plug them into the wall I just keep the little tiny solar panel right in front of a window even if it's on a North side of the house cuz it still makes power more so in the winter time because of the snow but that's besides the point.

From the months of reading about Solar, it seems your systems add extra expenses, ie micro inverters. Also, the brands you discuss seem to be quite different than mainstream.

@greg_takacs

Жыл бұрын

The brands presented are all Tier 1 brands, highly popular and premium all across the world. Your door-to-door sales folks probably try to sell lower tier brands and your DIY crowd also tends to gravitate towards more economic solutions, ones you consider "mainstream".

أنت جميله جدا ورائعه شكرا لك

3:24 Not just a brand that will stand behind the product, but an installation company that will stand behind the products they sell years from now! Many installers are out of business a few years after your system is installed. Find an installer that has been in business in your city for a long time.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

10000% agree! So So So true! Always look for a reputable long standing company that will take care of service. -Martyna

Great video, anyone watching this should realize this is as good as it gets in terms of information needed to go solar as far as inverters reliable very important and good guarantee , I have 10 year guarantee on mine

@khalilk6538

2 жыл бұрын

MR weir what brand of inverter you have ?

What’s your take on NEP micro inverter?

I want to ask if there is any one in America that can donate a solar inverter be it it new or old as long as it works for 12v or 24v system you will make my day im from South Africa

Cheapest inverter I found was 46 bucks 6,000 Watts 220 v otes and also I got a 4,000 watt converter and only take some couple weeks delivered to me and that one cost me 46 bucks as well but most infective that's most cost effective and if they don't work they take it back give you money back or replace it with one that does and yes I get a warranty with it too a three year one and all I need is a 30 day one you know if it's good or not of course the solar panels are pretty much caused the same and a 2 and 3 and 600 watts between 46 bucks and $52 some of them 80 bucks is going to look for the right ones just like you going to hurt her face it by 100 watt solar panel for $119 bucks or something like that or 129 dollars when you go look at 100 watt solar panel at Walmart for $81 or is it 88 bucks I say Walmart's cheaper and there's always guaranteed harbor freights they're guaranteed for a little bit not too long.

I'm an engineer with 14 years experience in PV and I agree with you about basically everything but in my opinion the best inverter on the market is Huawei. The reason is that one fits all. It has two MPPT but it's also compatible with its optimizers (from one to all the installed modules), it has AC and DC SPD, arc detection, optional backup box and DC switch, it's also hybrid (up to 30kWh of batteries)..... At the moment there isn't another inverter so versatile and with the same price/quality on the market.

@ssoffshore5111

2 жыл бұрын

Do they offer 240V split-phase? I haven't looked into them.

What is your opinion on Genrac inverter and PV Link optimizers? Thanks!

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

We will definitely be talking about it very soon! We did not include it in this video because it is a good battery/hybrid option. We will be talking about battery back up options in the coming weeks. One thing I would say about Generac is that it is a solid company that has been in business long, so I would not be too worried about them going out of business compared to some other young micro or string manufacturers. Hope it helps, Martyna

I found String Inverter + Optimizer ended up costing almost the same that microinverters, but the later have the advantage that if one goes bad, the rest of the system keep producing energy while if the string inverter fails, no production at all. Besides, Enphase come with 25 years of warranty (same as many known solar panels), while string inverters only 10 or 12 years.

@Chris-ie9os

2 жыл бұрын

The system would have to be down for several months to make up for the cost premium of micro inverters.

@malachimoser5741

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chris-ie9os with today's supply chain issues, some micro inverters are back logged nearly a year. Apsystems was back logged 9 months when I tried finding one last fall.

@federicov362

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chris-ie9os give me some examples, this is mine. A microinverter cost $150 (Enphase IQ7Plus), an optimizer cost $80, a 7.6kw String Inverter cost around $1.8~2k, let say you use 335w panels, so around 24 panels for a 7.6kw system, in this case you will need 24 optimizers ($1,920)+ the Inverter ($1,900), total should be $3,800 while a microinverter system could cost you $3,600 (24x150), plus around $220~400 in cables). As you can see, is practically the same, the microinverter comes with a 25 year warranty (vs 12 of an SI), can be expanded without limits and of course, you don't have to run high voltage over the roof.

@Chris-ie9os

2 жыл бұрын

@@federicov362 Why do you even need optimizers? The installs where they are useful are very rare in my experience. They add value in maybe ~10% of my installs... Here's an example. My last install was 9.49kW on a 7.6kW inverter using TIGO rapid shutdown for ~$20 per panel (26x365w). The 7.6kW SMA inverter was $1350. That's 520 + 1350 = $1870. For micros that would have been $3900 + $220 (cables) + $600 (Combiner) + $130 (monitoring). So that's ~$4800 for Enphase vs ~$1870 for SMA + Tigo vs $4100 for SolarEdge.

@federicov362

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chris-ie9os Did you read my post? I said String Inverter + optimizer ended up costing almost the same that microinverters, I never said it was cheaper vs a system without optimizers. Besides, thats a good price for a SMA, never saw it less that $1500. Not sure why you are making a $130 fee for monitoring, the Combiner comes with the Enphase Envoy. For a $2.5k difference (less after rebate), I still prefer Enphase, is more secure (less cable, lower voltage), I can find the issue if one panels goes down, it comes with 25 year warranty, easier to install, they release an update very often and I see as a more robust system (more installers going to microinverters only), but I understand besides the cost, a lot of installers don't want to switch because they are afraid of learning something new that is different what they have been doing in the last couple of years.

My lights, fridge, mini-split, cellphone & ham radio are DC powered, what do I need an inverter for?

Dcbel is the way of the future.

👍❤️

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

do i need batteries could i use the emersion heater on all the time

SOLIS 3.6 Hybride => Max. Production => 4Kw./h. - battery pack 2 * 5,12kw - PV 13 * 370 Wp => 5070W'piek' !!! /h ) Setup = ~slope , ~orientation, and surroundings => ~90% off Wp in best options => 4563 Watt/h. For me "the best N°1 = SOLIS 3.6 Hybride"

Fronius/Enphase all the way! Our experience with SMA Tech Support at least in Mexico.... is well, to put bluntly, TERRIBLE. We do not install them anymore.

It would be good if you can make some reference to the Huawei system since it is the leader in this respect. TQ

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Will definitely want to review this product! Thank you for sharing!

I would like to have a all in one inverter that I can plug my 24v 3100w solararray in and not use the Ac hookup. Can you tell me what I need?

In Europe the best and most popular are 1.Huawei 2,Growat 3.Fronius 4.Solis 5.Sungrow😇

What wasn't mentioned was the life expectancy of each type, and what happens when a replacement is necessary. For string inverters it's roughly ten years, so for a 25 year warranty panel expect to buy three sets of string inverters. They are also a single point of failure so you get no power until it is replaced. For a home owner finding a company to do the replacement can be a problem.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Hi John, I just posted a video regarding what you said: kzread.info/dash/bejne/Zn-T05mhd6mypdI.html Hope you will give it a try. :) Let me know your opinion...

Do these systems need to be grounded

Generac is definitely a top 5 most common choice in Texas right now

@M.mierwa

2 жыл бұрын

That will definitely be part of our battery inverters video! Coming soon 👍🏼🤘🏻

@singerkgreen

2 жыл бұрын

Their Snap RS problems and still no generator compatibility is my big problem with generac right now

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

It definitely is a newer product, so I would personally wait for a bit so that they can actually test them. Anything new can always come with small glitches that they will have to address as users test their products. Generac as a company/manufacturer will be a solid pick in my opinion because they probably will not sink in the near future, however, they are trying to get their peace of a solar pie, so not all their decisions are going to be right form the get go. Test of time will show.

@singerkgreen

2 жыл бұрын

@@solartimeusa 100% generac isn't going anywhere. They've bought up a bunch of solar biz, so they have to homogenize them into one biz

Make sure the micro inverter you like supports your panels size in terms of watts. Some are limited to what is considered an average size panel my todays standards. In other words, panel sizes have outpaced micro inverters technology. String Inverters are not limited to panel size and are sized per total system size. Also, the failure rate of solar panels is 5 in 10,000, .05%. imho - no need to monitor and spend extra money doing so.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

yes!!!! Super important to properly size it, and mostly what you see in the market is pairing 400 watt panels with IQ8+ which have an output of little under 300 watts! Maybe you will like the video i posted like 6 minutes ago... talking about micro vs. string... kzread.info/dash/bejne/Zn-T05mhd6mypdI.html Martyna

Should I be concern with power optimizer on how munch DC energy is stored on a roof if the panels would be by my kids rooms?

@greg_takacs

Жыл бұрын

You shouldn't. There is no "DC energy" stored on the roof. You will have DC strings with high DC string voltage running into your string inverter, this can be 200-300V of DC voltage per string, depending on number of panels and inverter specification. If installers follow NEC code and guidelines, you should be fine and this DC wiring is no more dangerous than AC wiring running on the roof.

Why do string inverters not work like xmas lights anymore?

I have a sunon inverter

Are you in new york? I need someone to help me get my "solar edge" system working better.... not sure what is going wrong with it

For most homes Enphase is the superior product. Thanks for the video.

Microinverters and Optimisers mean too many sensitive electronic components at very high temperature over the roof… apart from a much higher CAPEX and not better yield than string inverters in 95% of the cases. The simpler, the better. Always string inverters!

I have had an ongoing issue with my SMA Sunny Boy 6.0 since initial install in Dec 21. Immediately I started getting 4301 error indicating "Serial el.arc in String A detected by AFCI mod.". Inverter was replaced in Jan 22 and still gives error over 60 times. Every other component has been checked for good connections and all RSD's were replaced. No evidence of actual arcing issue. I now have asked installer to replace it with Fronius Primo 6.0 and I'm waiting to hear back. SMA has not been able to find issue and fix it so I'm not SMA fan. Thoughts

@solartimeusa

Жыл бұрын

Thank YOU for sharing. I am surprised that you could not find the issue on the roof. Unfortunately those sunny boys are super sensitive so if the issue repeated even after replacing it with a new sunny boy, then issue must be elsewhere. Please let me know if / when they replace to fronius ( which is a phenomenal product) if the issue persists.

@mikemorehouse4641

Жыл бұрын

@@solartimeusa SMA asked my permission to monitor and make changes to y system remotely which I granted. I thought they thought the Shade Fix feature was the culprit but other than upgrading firmware I never heard anything from them on the issue nor did the installer. Not at all pleased with their responsiveness to the issue considering it could have been a safety issue. No where did any connection show evidence of arcing.

I’m looking for a video on the best hybrid system. I have enphase micro and want to add batteries and generator

@rkemper2337

2 жыл бұрын

Then your going from DC (panel) to AC (inverter) back to DC (battery), then back to AC (household use)...

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely working on it very soon!:)

Why don't you talk also about varying efficiencies between string & micro inverters, and including optimizers relative to using a battery? For example, it's my understanding that for micro inverters the DC current generated by the panels is converted to AC at each inverter/panel and is fed into the system; and if using a battery, in then converts needs to convert it from AC to DC for storage, etc. - not the most efficient, I'd say.

@solartimeusa

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the idea :) I am working on a video about batteries now, there will be a few coming soon!

@greg_takacs

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. Microinverters are pretty bad idea if you want to add batteries and have the ability to run the system in island mode. Now Enphase does have solutions to this problem but it's clunky and lossy and most importantly expensive! There are much better alternatives if your goal is battery backup.

@n8sabill

Жыл бұрын

You do this if you DO NOT wish to mess with batteries at all, which in my case I do not. I just want to reduce my electric demand as it is on a two tier level depending on amount used. I can save 25% just by avoiding the upper tier. I also install my own systems and am qualified.

@greg_takacs

Жыл бұрын

@@n8sabill That's all fine, but here in TX, the land of open electricity market and no net metering, anyone installing solar in 2022 without battery backup is doing it wrong.