You are the first professional that I’ve encountered, that has dared to say DC optimizers are better then micro-inverters. And I could not agree with you more. If you go with a hybrid inverter like SolArk 15k or EG4 18k, you can add more batteries yourself (plug and play) for battery storage and you are not losing 10% of power going from DC-AC-DC-AC like you would if you have micro-inverters and battery storages because batteries take DC power. I’m a fan of Tigo optimizers which are rated for 700 watts, so no clipping. For my all electric home with minimal roof space, I’m going with DC optimizers and a hybrid inverter for the best bang for you buck and like you said, easy of adding panels or batteries later down the road. Thanks for sticking you neck out and making such an informal video knowing you are going to be chastised. Totally respect your bravery to go against the grain and to be open to criticism. Shows that you care about your customers

Lot’s of good points. I have a 13 year old 4K, roof mounted Enphase system. I do have some shading issues and sometimes snow shading. I have been very happy with that advantage of micros. And I do like the rapid shutdown feature built into micros. When my system was installed, Enphase was selling the 2nd generation, D-380 micro. It was a short lived, 2 panel input, with 2 internal 190 watt micro in one box. They had a 15 year warranty. At that time everyone got per panel monitoring software free. So over the 12 yerars, I was able to see all but one D-380 micro fail. Enphase was great at sending out replacements with required cable adapters, and I am was able to replace the failed inverters myself. At the last failed D-380, they even set a replacement for the last still working D-380, which I thought was pretty good service. The latest replacements, look like the M-7 case, but have software that is compatible with my older “Envoy” monitor device. So all and all, I’ve had very little downtime, but my constant monitoring of my system, caught the failure’s right away. I can’t help but wonder how many systems have failed micros, that no one is noticing, especially since per panel monitoring became an option for the end user later on. Today, if I were to do it again and had the money and space, I would definitely go with a ground mount, hopefully in a place where shading would be limited, and a hybrid inverter like SolArk. With a hybrid, and even a small battery, you can use the power from the solar panels when grid down, which isn’t happening with micros like I have. Just my thoughts, and 13 years of experience.

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so so much for sharing, thats so great that those D-380 have been doing so great. I love seeing good stories like this. And yes, I also like sol-ark as a hybrid option for you in the future. So glad you're happy with your system... :)

@odd13579

8 күн бұрын

it's a long time coming, but it looks like mq8 series support grid down operation.

It's good to hear you (someone) talk about the long term considerations. My top concerns are how solar will last and what problems we, or my wife if I'm gone before her, will have to deal with in the future. So thank you for raising these things.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

You are very welcome, thank you for leaving a comment, I really appreciate that. :) -Martyna

@robertburns3559

9 ай бұрын

A good man, I will treat my wife well like you

@user-hg2tk3xj9y

5 ай бұрын

This a concern of mine as well, went for a smaller off grid home backup 3kw system that is all portable and can be simply loaded in a u-haul in about a half hour. She really just needs a switch after unplugging that generator system and she is fully on the Grid.

As a maintenance engineer, i entirely agree. A 25 year warranty on electronics in a rooftop environment is optimistic, and ultimately commercially meaningless if the company changes name every 5 or 10 years to duck their obligations.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!!

@jay-em

Ай бұрын

Elec eng here, totally agree.

Thanks for being honest, transparent and putting customers 1st and not what other people think.

My wife is going to start asking questions as to why I keep having coffee with Martyna. I appreciate the explanation and the recommendation. We should all 100% take this as fact, as you are a professional solar installer and deal with this every day, for years now. I am in IT Security and if someone asked me to setup a security posture for their home/business, I would hope they would take my recommendation as well, as I do this every day. I am not a professional solar installer, so when SolarTime recommended string inverters rather than micro inverters, I said yes please. One of the reasons I felt I didn't need to come back with my opinion or an extra explanation from them is they already showed me they weren't in it for the money, but in it for the quality and service to back up their warranty. If it's easier to service, easier to maintain, when things go wrong...I'm all for it. Keep fighting the good fight, you have an great argument!

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for your comment! :) I appreciate the support really!!!

Great video and review on the type of DC converter units and types. I have IQ8+ on my system and have had 2 fail and one replacement by my installer which filled bankruptcy "Solar is Freedom " and left their customers out in the cold!! I dealt with Enphase directly on the second unit and replaced it myself and Enphase did exactly what they said over the warranty and just plug and play and they did the reset through the app and working perfectly again 😊

About 6 years ago now, I was part of a "Solarize" campaign in the town. We found an installer, signed people up, and based on the total installed wattage got everyone discounts on the install. Part of my involvement was the technical side. I was solidly in the SolarEdge optimizer/string inverter camp. Another person on the board was sold on the microinverter. We both had our systems before the "solarize" program started, so none of the opinions mattered to us overall. Just so happened the installer offered both solutions. People chose which one based on which of us they liked it seemed. And then 85 homes were installed over about a year. The other guy had a microinverter on his system fail. What did he care, it was under warranty. All fixed. About 5% of the microinverter systems have had warranty work now. NOT ONE of the SolarEdge systems I know of has had any component failure. We did have one installer failure where a junction box wasn't properly set to drain and it corroded the cables inside. None of the inverter or optimizers failed. Just a couple cables due to the standing water in the junction box. My inverter is fed a steady voltage maintained by the optimizers. It's very efficient and lives in a climate controlled basement. The other thing I like by having DC to the basement is that if I want to add a battery pack, I'm not converting from DC to AC and then back to DC in the battery and then back to AC yet again to use it. DC charges the battery and I only get the AC loss when the power is converted. DC to DC conversion is FAR more efficient. In my mind, it's not only simpler, but single point of failure is in a very controlled environment and my options to expand later are FAR better served. Good on you for thinking about what happens down the road. People I sat with who heard my arguments understood the case I was making. Those that sat with the other guy never heard them. My understanding is that the microinverter solutions were also generally more expensive overall by a little bit. The only time a SolarEdge install cost more was when there were a lot of different roof facings and thus many more strings to manage.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Hi Chris, thank you so much for sharing! Its very interesting to see our market being so heavily marketed, and we really are not really thinking for ourselves much anymore... I am so happy you are happy and yes! Having the heart of the system in the climate controlled area is key to keeping it work long term. Again, Thank you sharing! I really appreciate it. And HOW COOL of a project you were part of! Martyna

On string inverter system, it is also VERY usefull to have a ARC fault detection that isolate the load. THIS is what avoid fires due to numberous serie HV connections that each can fail. Breakers fail, fuse fail, MC4 fail, and bad connection from unthightened screw , all can lead to fire on HV. Where Micro Inverter DONT have any problem with that safety issue as these are all below 50V DC and the AC side is crossing zero every 8 milisecond to extinguish the arc. If a micro inverter fail.. it will very rarely cause fire, It just stop working. however, if a serie connection fail on one panel of a string setup during load without any ARC fault detection, it can become way more complicated and dangerous.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Very good point! Thats also why I would not install just ANY string inverter. I do trust the good brands like SMA or Fronius. They are HYPER sensitive and if they sense an acr they shut down to protect themselves. Thats a good subject for a more technical video. Is not every inverter whether micro or string is equal... Thank you for sharing your thoughts! :) I love any feedback and opinions!

@sparadonja

6 ай бұрын

Correct! Arcs on defected solar DC components are causing fires. This video proves your point: kzread.info/dash/bejne/jJmulNRqgrPWh7w.html

Probably the best microinverter video online. You've clearly been doing this for a long time and found lots of problems. Fantastic. Subscribed.

@solartimeusa

3 ай бұрын

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!!

Great advice. I recently installed a Solar PV system with a hybrid string inverter. Yes it is a single point of failure, but if it fails it is a simple job to replace it. Keep up the good work. I am really impressed with your risk analysis. I wish you and your dad continued success with your business. I love your honesty delivered so clearly with such integrity.

@solartimeusa

6 ай бұрын

Thank you so so much for the feedback and comment. Appreciate the support so much sir!

@Hansen710

4 ай бұрын

its only a single point falure if you have 1 inverter i just move the plugs to another inverter, if 1 fails.. so it can also be a point of rescue if expanded im glad i did not get 1 inverter to run all the panels, i have 3. the cost was also cheaper using 3 small inverters then 1 big in my case

Fantastic video! All of the points you speak to are the reasons I went with string inverters on my 14.2 kW system just installed 6 weeks ago. The SMA Sunny Boy inverters with Shade Fix provide an excellent solution to shading.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

I am so glad! :) Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it! Martyna

@webshark4163

9 ай бұрын

This is great! Especially the Bypass-Diodes info, yours is the first site that even mentioned this technology and in my mind does negate the need for micro inverters. Hope to see more as I am doing research and thinking of installing a system in Houston. Some things I would like to see are 1. Texas & Federal tax incentives 2. Net metering? 3. Battery Systems that will work in my very hot humid garage without having to do garage modifications. 4. Why Solar water heating is not a thing in Texas. Hope to see more from you!!!!

@solartimeusa

9 ай бұрын

@@webshark4163 Yes Yes Yes!! Solar Water Heating is huge in Europe! Growing up in Poland we always had solar water heating! And yes all your concerns are very valid and I cannot wait to post something addressing all of them! Net metering is causing some concerns that’s when eventually battery will play a big role by helping with self consumption. Texas is a whole another can of worms because of our temperatures. So hot in summer and our winters lately have caused some concerns too.

Fantastic video, this is one of the few "large picture" forward thinking conversations that isn't just a sales pitch. 😍 I appreciate your honesty and transparency. There are some excellent long-term concepts for homeowners to consider prior to investing in solar. ☀

@solartimeusa

6 ай бұрын

Thank you so so much for the kind words John, I appreciate you!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas. Very interesting perspective. I’ve been watching and thinking about the various systems but found your perspective on this well thought out and thoughtful from the installation perspective. Wishing you and your family the best.

That was a very good presentation. After reading the comments your viewer brought up some other concerns about battery storage as part of the system and the conversion losses. Thanks for putting out you view and thoughts.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for commenting, I really appreciate it. I am sure there will be quite a lot of people that have a different view, but I just hope we can all stay open minded and have a respectful conversation. :) Thank you again. Martyna

I'm old enough to remember when folks were hooking their panels up to forklift batteries and using 12v to run their cabin. This discussion is quite valuable. Thank you for getting brave.

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Thank you for leaving a comment, I do appreciate it!

I thought this was super helpful. I’m still so early in the process, like a year or more before I’m ready to install solar, and I’m still trying to sort through all the options and variants, that I don’t know the trade offs at all. Thank you for this! Most helpful.

@solartimeusa

6 ай бұрын

I am so so glad it was helpful. Good luck with your research.

Point 1 - I don't think Enphase is going anywhere. They have a huge segment of the market and are profitable. And you could apply this logic to optimizers as well. If SolarEdge went out of business, I don't think you'd want your SolarEdge optimizers attached to another brand's inverter. Point 2 - Micro Inverters are not phones, they're rated for use at up to 140 degrees, again, you can say the same thing about optimizers, but those too are built to remain outside. Failure rates are incredibly low. Point 3 - This would depend on if each string has reached capacity. That capacity is based on which micro inverter was used. The combiner boxes that they attach to allow up to 4 generations of micro inverters from what I'm reading. Worst case scenario, you'd run a new string to a new combiner box, which is about $700. Enphase will still sell you the Enphase IQ7 generation which is ~5 years old now. Point 5 - I think customers would rather have more redundancy by losing just a single panel of production, rather than losing a central DC inverter, putting their entire system out of service until it's replaced

@sparadonja

6 ай бұрын

I like your points of view. To add a Martyna's preference on Point 5: for installer it's much easier to replace defected string inverter in a garage than a single microinverter on the roof. (I have been in electronics business before so I agree it is not fair to compare smart phones with roof elekctronics. If they would use same grade components smart phone would cost probably more than 5000€ ).

This video is useful and made me think differently, thanks for the effort and it's always nice to see a different point of view.

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for being open-minded!

This is great insight! Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts! This is very valuable for one is still doing homework on moving towards power resiliency for the long term.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the comment! :) I really appreciate it.

Interesting viewpoint! I designed and built my own 7.8kw system and decided on a SMA string inverter with Tigo optimizers. The biggest reason is because it was less expensive but it still gave me many of the benefits of microinverters. I also like not being so reliant on one manufacturer. With Tigo, even if one fails and I can't replace it, I can just remove it and it will still operate but without the monitoring and optimization. Also I have designed electronics that will work at 350 degrees F. It just depends on how much money you want to spend on higher quality parts and additional testing. The quality vs. cost tradeoffs are always a battle.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

1000%! AGREE! Yes! That's the benefit of Tigo, if they are out of the business, you just remove the optimizer and panel works great! There is this big talk in solar industry that microinverters are there to tell you if a panel stops working, when in reality panels RARELY stop working, its there to show you that the micro or optimizer is down lol. :) I'm so glad you have a great system! :) -Martyna

@DeCSSData

Ай бұрын

@@solartimeusa Shouldn't it be possible to identify a non-working panel just with a thermal imager?

As a homeowner who opted for the LG branded solar panels with their microinverters in 2017. And found they have walked away from the business i can see your point! So far only 3 failed panels which were replaced a few years ago.... Time will tell!

I was thinking of going the microinverters route when I go solar in a few years but you made some very excellent points about replacing a single central string inverter vs multiple points of failure in a microinverters system. Also the fact that what happens if enphase goes belly up within their 25 year warranty period whereas a string inverter is more easily replaced from a different manufacturer. Thanks to your thought provoking video I am converted to going with string inverter.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I do see lots of cool benefits of micros, but just the future is whats worrisome. Its good your open minded and consider different options :) Good luck when you go solar! :) The more of us the merrier! -Martyna

@TurreTuntematon

9 ай бұрын

Yeah right. What happens if Apple goes bankupt 😂😂😂

@drfootankle

8 ай бұрын

Nem 3.0 is making solar not worth the ROI which will put solar installers and solar manufacturers out of business if it gets worst. The electric vs solar is a casino house vs player and house always wins

@ghz24

6 ай бұрын

​@@drfootankleGet a battery and quit playing the game. The grid tied no battery systems were a failed bussiness model. Forcing a seller to buy at retail from anyone is not rational and obviously doomed to failure.

@drfootankle

6 ай бұрын

@@ghz24 indeed you bring up critical points regarding the challenges of integrating batteries into solar setups, particularly the hurdles related to costs and programming complexities. The expense of batteries and the need for precise programming based on seasonal and time-of-use variations present significant considerations, especially for individuals seeking personal energy independence. In light of these challenges, it's crucial to recognize the broader implications for the solar industry. With policy changes like Nem 3.0, we're witnessing a shifting landscape that directly affects solar companies. The evolving policies and uncertainties have contributed to a challenging business environment, leading to reports of layoffs within the solar sector. This highlights the urgency of finding solutions that not only address individual energy needs but also contribute to the resilience and sustainability of the solar industry. Your insights into the failed business model of grid-tied systems without batteries underscore the need for adaptable and sustainable solutions. As we navigate these changes, it's essential to consider the broader economic impact on the solar sector and explore how innovations can not only address personal energy goals but also contribute to the industry's stability during these transformative times.

Very enlightening ! Thankyou. Longevity was one subject that I had not considered because I took for granted that a 25 year warrantee would be valid for that length of time. The reality is only maybe! Yes you have changed my mind!

@solartimeusa

6 ай бұрын

Oh wow! Thanks for letting me know! I respect all opinions, but was curious for sure if someone got on my side of the darkness :D

I watched the video 3x. Wow, it's got me thinking now. Gr8 vid.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you so so much. Just my perspective, and I am fully aware not everyone will agree. Thanks again!

Great video and well reasoned. I very much like that the discussion was based on reliability and practicality of service

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving a comment :)

I totally agree with you on string inverters. All inverters fail sooner or later and working at ground level is much simpler. I've had a string inverter system for 24 years. It was upgraded 8 years ago and I'm currently working to replace the SMA inverter with a Powerwall 3. The current inverter is maxed out so I hope to be able to add panels with the Powerwall.

As an engineer who did some electrical engineering at University, I wholeheartedly agree with your views. I just came across your videos today: micro vs optimiser video. Love your work. I am now hooked.

@solartimeusa

5 ай бұрын

I am so so grateful for your comment. Thank you!

Which would you go with? Estimated $3k difference going from Tesla String inverters (2) to a single SolarEdge with optimizers. Pretty decent sun exposure in ATX but some trees on the perimeter panels in the morning and evening. I'm leaning toward just string inverter but also like the panel level monitoring of the optimizer system.

This was an outstandingly interesting talk - with only a little repetition. Congratulations and thank you Martyna. You have made me pause from implementing what I THOUGHT was going to be my solution - but it leaves me stuck for an alternative! I'm trying to work out a solution for a complicated small array that will have at least 3 strings (two - with different orientations - of thin film CdTe solar glass with 87Vmpp 116Voc & 0.78Aoc) and one of ~5 conventional roof-mounted panels. All strings subject to intermittent shade and with up to 25m cable run to battery/inverter. BUT: No hybrid inverters are available in UK with more than 2 channel MPPT tracking (no Powerwall 2+ here) so.......... ......I'd therefore been thinking about a microinverter system and arranging the solar glass modules into groups of 3 parallel or 4 in two series-parallel pairs to match the microinverter inputs. When I look at DC optimisers I see the same multiple points of potential failure as with microinverters and same potential future backwards-compatibility problems that you point to. I also see concerns about Tigo optimisers from an authoritative source (www.mcelectrical.com.au/tigo-optimiser-recall/) and that SolarEdge is excluded by our installation's short strings. What I really need - I am beginning to think - is a 6-MPPT Powerwall3 - but that's just vapour at the moment, and it may - like their glass tiles - never come over the horizon, trumpets sounding. So maybe what I will HAVE to make do with is two small hybrid inverters, though I don't yet know if their outputs and interaction with a single battery can be successfully managed in a domestic setting. See! I AM coming round to your way of thinking. What do you make of this slightly unusual dilemma?

Thank you for this video and sharing your extensive experience. Micro v string has been my dilemma for 6 months on a simple E/W arrangement with no shading whatsoever. I concluded that spending more money on REC Pure R panels was the better choice and letting them do their thing whilst coupled to a simple Growatt 2 MPPT string inverter at ground level is the best solution. K.I.S.S still applies.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

YES!!! So agree and so glad you are doing REC pure R! Those panels are so good!

You bring up some good points but question, i was told that optimizers medels are have compatability lists and would not work with all string inverters? Also do optimizers suffer from the heat as well?

Thanks for the great video and wealth of information. Is the cost of an extra inverter if the customer wants a larger system more than if having a micro inverter system, if so is it difficult to to sell due to higher cost? Do you install smart home panels like SPAN if so how do you warranty it?

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Hey Garyd, So it all depends how much you want to add to the system. If we are adding for example 2 or 3 panels, then you just tie those panels to an existing string inverter. Similar for microinverters but the problem I have encountered over the years is that if a homeowner adds panels to a system from 3 or 4 years ago, the new micros are not compatible with old ones, so you cannot just add a few panels at this point. You have to build a minimum system size with a new envoy and a new combiner box that will communicate with the new microinverters. Thats the biggest thing for me is they just make it unnecessarily complicated. Now if you want to add 4 kw to you existing system, cost should be relatively similar for either option. I am not a huge fan of the new smart panels. Same thinking they make it very reliable on the internet connection, and its not yet sized properly for my market here in Texas. Most homeowners who want it have money to spend on it... but those homes are also rather big and have 2 x 200 amp panel service. I think it will be an awesome addition to systems in the next few years after they clear out some of the limitations that currently we see. I do wait for it to be better and tested before I offer it to homeowners. Martyna

I think all systems need to be looked at under different circumstances. There are some areas and specific systems that micro inverters work better. There are also many systems that a string system is better. The problem I have seen in the solar industry is solar companies that get fixated on one type of system, or one brand of components used. To really be a consumer advocate, different products for different situations or customer preferences should be explored. Some solar companies don't push a different type or brand because they simply learned with that one type/brand and they don't know anything about other options. This makes them limited in my opinion. That's one thing I really admire about Solartime. You really can be assured that RIGHT type of system is being offered to the customer because they know about all types and brands of systems and can install many different types. I totally understand Martyna's preference on string systems because I share those preferences on most systems. (But of course, not ALL systems)

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Very very true! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject. I feel like lots of companies like to go an easy route and just teach their installers one product, and when they try something new, its the installers that complain since as humans we dont like the change... Again thank you for sharing ! :) -Martyna

Good day Martyna. This is my first time watching 1 of your videos & I'm very impressed. In South Africa we have power failures daily - sometimes multiple times throughout the day. Our appliances & smart home devices have & continue to suffer greatly. We've finally decided to get Solar but the info available out there is really overwhelming with so many opinions that takes you from pillar to post. It's not easy to swim against the current, but all i can say is keep on being bold & courageous & may God be the centre of your business always. Keep making challenging & thought provoking videos! kind regards Ian

Totally agree. Especially for the future and durability. A basic string has less electronics and connectors so less can break. Also adding a battery is more efficient ( dc to dc ). Great video.

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Hey! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and leaving a comment. ( I am sorry for missing to respond to it sooner! )

Great info. Love the channel and learned a lot from you

@solartimeusa

9 ай бұрын

I am so so glad, thank you for leaving a comment! Martyna

Thanks for the perspective. I've yet to make the choice which way to go.

@solartimeusa

6 ай бұрын

I hope it was helpful, and no matter what you decide just go with your gut! :)

Looking into solar now. We physically built our house, not subbed out or paid a general contractor. We made it handicap accessible for our future. Would like to do my own install. Just retired now and have done many different types of construction. The sales person started off with micro inverters are the way togo. Thank you for your time and assistance. I will be watching your other videos. Thank you Martin

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

They you for your comment and info. I could highly highly recommend WIll Prowse ( fellow youtuber) who does DIY videos :) I also hope to make those soon as well. Martyna

Electrical Engineer here ... Micro-inverters use electrolytic capacitors and these are particularly sensitive to heat, so there is NO WAY they will survive 25 years in the constant heat of summer, spring and autumn.

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Very interesting point. Thank you for sharing that!

@Roy-cz3vo

8 ай бұрын

What’s your opinion on the inverters lasting 15+ yrs ? I know the fan is one of the first things to go before it overheats.

@whoguy4231

8 ай бұрын

@@Roy-cz3vo I've got an SMA sunny boy 1500watt inverter that is 14 years old and still works like the day it was installed. It's got no fans and is passively cooled with a heatsink. My parents had an eversolar inverter that crapped out after 3 years. Being an engineer, the lower the parts count, the simpler elegant and well thought out the design... The better the reliability.

@disneyjoe7

8 ай бұрын

Not an electrical engineer here but thinking a micro inverter being under the solar panel the heat isn’t that intense.

@markmmm1737

7 ай бұрын

Living in the UK summer heat isn't an issue. Lack of sun however, is a massive problem.

Im an installer in Puerto Rico and I am 100% with you . Great info

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing and leaving a comment I truly appreciate it! 🩷

I'm planning a new solar installation for our home next year and considering the Mango Power M storage solution. Question: Since the Power M comes with its own hybrid inverter that will handle up to 18 kW of DC input, will I still need a separate string inverter? We plan to install 10-12kW of solar panels on both the east facing and west facing roof (5-6kW on each side). I'm hoping to use just the inverter that comes with the Power M since it also allows a generator connection and will simplify the installation process. Am I heading in the right or wrong direction with my thinking?

From a solar company perspective, all of your salient points are spot on. However, from a customer perspective, I don't agree. I'd rather have 32 potential problems on the roof that will only knock out 1 32nd of our system's power, rather than a single source of failure. Yes, you don't need to up on the roof to replace a string converter, but I've seen a lot of systems that were down for long periods because the solar company was initially paid and just doesn't care anymore. That's the biggest problem with the solar industry right now...

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Very true regarding solar companies just getting paid and not worrying about the warranty. That is truly what is wrong with our industry... People make promises they done even plan to keep, just to get rich quick... Thanks for sharing your point! I respect all opinions :) -Martyna

Great video and I am convinced when I am ready and I will definitely call you for my project which will be all home solar. And request strings

Martyna, I believe you are right on the mark recommending string inverters over micro-inverters, and for all the reasons you have expressed. I've been using a string inverter for over 7 years with no issues. My system is broken into 4 separate strings of 2500 watt arrays, making a 10KwH system. If I lose a panel within one of the strings, I still have 75 percent left generating while awaiting repairs. Best of both worlds! One more thing: In my experience, over-sizing the string inverter -just a little- guarantees the longest life of the entire system. I find that a lot of folks who under-rate their string inverter (to their panels) causes clipping and excessive heat at the inverter. Bad idea in my opinion. Thank you for your continued valuable advice!

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you! That's an excellent point! :) Lots of people dont realize even if they have a 7 kW system that faces east and west, their system may hit 5 KW of one moment... but they tent to ask for a bigger inverter... That's a big misconception for sure! :) I am so glad you have a 7 year old string! Way to go!!! :) Martyna

I'm with you Martyna. I think a big iron central inverter is the way to go. Get a good brand name inverter, keep it in the shade and out of the weather, and it should last 10+ years. If / when it fails, an installer can swap in a new inverter in no time.

@solartimeusa

5 ай бұрын

YES EXACTLY! Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)

Hi Ma'am you sound very responsible Business Executive in this era. 🙂 This is brilliant presentation. Thanks for giving and insight to Micro-Inverter vs DC Optimizers

I like the way you explained bypass diodes - very clear 🙂

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thanks Gary! I love your channel! You are definitely an inspiration! Martyna

@GaryDoesSolar

10 ай бұрын

@@solartimeusa thanks - you’re too kind

@ltvtech

Ай бұрын

Yes watched your video as well, excellent explanation. AE Solar have Hotspot free panels now. With a few diodes, but not in the market yet. Diodes are super small and testing. Avoid shading is key

heating issue is everywhere with solar technology especially inverters, what r your thoughts or experience about the IP65+ rated inverters?

Thank you for this great video! As someone who spends a lot of time in Europe, I've never understood where the hype for microinverters in the US comes from and why it is different than anywhere else in the world! String is much cheaper & hussle free for maintenance. I have a system with bypass diodes and a SMA Sunny Boy inverter (that has Shade Fix). It's perfect!

@solartimeusa

7 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing. I am originally from Poland, and totally grew up in that culture with similar mindset. I personally have a sunny boy in my home too here in Dallas TX :)

beautiful formed arguements , thank you for that little diode !!

@solartimeusa

9 ай бұрын

You are welcome! Thank you for leaving the comment :)

Excellent, thought-provoking presentation! Here's my question - What's the Mean Time To Failure (MTTF) of a high-quality micro-inverter compared to a bypass diode? In other words, what is the statistical probability that a system with high-quality micro-inverters will fail within the 25 year warranty period compared to the probability that a system with a high-quality, properly sized string inverter will fail? If both kinds of solar arrays are very likely to last 25 years without failure, then the entire system will probably have paid for itself by then, and after 25 years there's a good chance that new, more efficient technology will make it cost-effective to replace the whole system.

REALLY NICE NOTES AND VIDEO! BRAVO!

@solartimeusa

7 ай бұрын

Thank you so so much 👍🏼🙌🏼

Very enlightening, thank you. I'm still on the fence because we have only small roof area that remains unshaded and storage is expensive

Great video, it makes it so much easier to understand the differences. Can you also make a video of home storage systems?

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Definitely working on it !!! :) Stay tuned :) Martyna

Really great content and the arguement I mulled over before going with micros. In reality if I had gone string with 440W panels I would be producing a about 60w more per panel with some losses but it is so cool to see production per panel, AC to the powerwall, inverter redundancy and blackout protection (iQ8 or powerwall). You do make a solid argument and it has sound logic. No need to apologise for saying the truth. I'm not sure iQ8 replacements will be around in 5 to 10 years as enphase will have moved on. Even installers say that you will most likely replace the whole system in 10 years and you can sell the old one on FB market place. Now that's confidence in a 25 year warranty......... :)

@solartimeusa

9 ай бұрын

Hey, thank you so much for sharing, and being so cool about it. There are quite a lot of people that will not even listen because it contradicts their opinion so I really appreciate your thoughts here. Martyna

Nice to have someone realize the value of bypass diodes. Going with a simple string myself though having to bodge together RSD for parallel arc fault as there don't seem to be many options for 600Vdc AF breakers.

You do a great job of explaining this. Glad I listened before buying!

@solartimeusa

Ай бұрын

I am so glad it was helpful! Thank you so much for the comment!

Congrats on a well balanced explanation of your view on string vs. Micro-Inverters, the long term lifetime of a solar panel system for the customers and the installers. I agree with you. Better to focus on modularity vs. compatibility.

@solartimeusa

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and share your thoughts. I appreciate it :)

I'm from the UK. On my roof fitted in 2012, is a standard 9 string panels wired up in a snail configuration so I have both plugs coming back under the tiles in the same place. Keeping the wiring to the minimum. And on my solar carport, I had built last year I tried the solar optimization units. I can get to these units easy, as the solar panels are the roofing material and if cat's decided to sleep on a panel it won't effect the rest! LoL. All items are good and like you say, you don't want to much sensitive products on a roof to replace if fails.

@solartimeusa

9 ай бұрын

Thanks Cam for sharing your story. So cool you were such an early solar adapter! :) Martyna

Thank you for speaking the truth. Too many people today seem to go with what they are told and don't really think about it. I have always liked the concept of micro-inverters but wondered about the reliability in an outdoor environment and the heat cycling they go through. Also, I wondered about the energy loss when they are used in a battery storage system going from DC to AC and then back to DC at the battery, then back to AC again. I'm wanting to build an off-grid system with grid charging as a supplement/backup. I want to slowly transition my house over to off-grid where the battery bank is kept at some minimum SOC by a charger off the grid and anything over that mark is supplied by solar. As I expand my solar array I will depend less and less on the grid. I also want a system that can be totally managed locally with no internet access required. Internet access should be an option, not a requirement. Thank you for your videos. I wish you great success in business.

Realistic and unbiased comparison. THank you!

@solartimeusa

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much again for your support and leaving a comment :)

I was leaning towards micro inverters because i wanted to have the possibility to add more panels at a later date but it doesnt seem thats easy going by your video. I saw other videos suggesting that its not easy adding panels to a string inverter. So im confused. I didnt want to have two inverters on the property if thats possible. Could i buy one large kw inverter so that i can add extra panels at a later date?

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

You can definitely get one larger inverter with some room to grow in the future. I totally understand your frustration as far as which way to go... Especially since majority of US market would sell you a microinverter, but the majority of the world market would sell you a string. I think in your situation best thing to do is choose the best installer with years of good track record. In this situation whatever option you go with you have a good and a solid installer backing you and helping you in case something goes wrong. I hope that helps at least a tiny bit. Good luck, Martyna

I had already come to the same conclusion myself. It makes no sense to me to have the most likely to fail devices up where I have a much higher risk of damaging my roof or being injured trying to replace it. Instead I invested in redundant hybrid inverters, will be less likely to be completely down if I do have a failure, that isn't also down when the grid is down. I completely agree with your conclusion.

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Hey Troy! Thank you for sharing your opinion as well and leaving a comment!

Very educative , I use a string inverter Growatt in lagos Nigeria & had been thinking of either getting optimisers or micro inverters but some of your concerns have occurred to me as i mostly do the installation DIY . Thank you

@solartimeusa

4 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing the thoughts and I hope your DIY projects goes well! GROWATT is a huge player in the world market :)

Good to hear information that I have believed for years. Electronics that are subject to extreme heat will always fail over a period of time.. Way before the whole PV system needs to be replaced.

@sparadonja

6 ай бұрын

True, high temperature are accelerating aging of electronic components. But as proven throughout my carreer in electronics industry choice of component grade can make a huge difference in a life expectancy of the electronics. 25years under roof conditions is not that extreme, -40 to +80 Celsius. Just imagine space station... Well, it explains why microinverters are much more expensive.

Having separate system independent parts are what I have already decided to do. But you have nailed the coffin shut for me. Intendant units are the way to go.

You explained to me why vendors go with one vs the other and where they charge, because we are in a business of making money. Before this solution I did not know what an inverter was. As an ecoflow customer Now I know if they would sell me inverters I would know what to choose. In which I would choose the String Inverter. Exchange it and peace of mind.

Good information. Unfortunately many people don't care if their demands bankrupts a company. Some people even want a new system every 5 years for free just because they know the warranty covers it and they will never have to pay to replace it.

@solartimeusa

2 ай бұрын

So upsetting./.. I hate how greedy people are these days. Business is what makes America such a great country, but we also need to stay profitable to keep providing jobs and pay our employees.

I own a cheap Growatt and it works more than fine its a 1200 dollar Hybrid and happy with the string inverter .Regards from Holland

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Hi! Cheers from USA :) I am very glad you are happy and yes Growatt is a Huge international inverter producer!

Hi, a question about the micro inverter story you have at 8:30 ... if a company goes bankrupt... even a micro inverter company... I've talked to installers on this point on this very topic... you can use any other micro to continue producing AC to the home (and also you have only lost 1 or 2 out of 20-30 micros which is insignificant)... that's the benefit... the decentralized nature of the system. Yes app level detail may be gone if the company is bankrupt but the micros still work and produce energy since its AC energy... and they don't stop because they can't communicate... that's not how they work. And imo - you don't need to replace them all if only 1 or 2 failed. Unlike if for example - if a power optimizer goes bad from Solaredge or if they go Bankrupt (doubtful i admit) then we are left with a system that won't function since that's where they all talk together to the main inverter... the power optimizers need one working system... not the micros. Would like to know what you think on this. thanks for the video.

I'm facing this same issue now. I had my original installer upgrade my system. From 19 to 24 panels. What they didn't do was upgrade my inverter so I have serious clipping. Now that I have raised a stink about the work and design and that my string inverter wasn't upsized, I may get some relief. I agree with your point on the string vs micro battle and I'm thinking that they'll want to replace my current set up (Sunpower panels, SMA 6K inverter) with a micro inverter system (IQ8+). All I have asked was to upgrade my string inverter because I think they're seeing a sales potential of installing 24 micro inverters. What caused the whole issue was that I wasn't getting any production due to an arc fault issue. Upon discovery (nov 2022) of this issue, I was instructed to reset the faults until someone came out to fix it...that was July 27 2023. Long time, no? POOR POOR Service. So now I'm in limbo waiting for some decision whether Sunpower or the original installer, Photon Brothers, will fix the workmanship and design oversight. It seems like a long time to have this resolved but I think the majority of the problem could be quickly remediated with an upgraded string inverter, not the installation of 24 micro inverters. Also, when the arc fault issue was addressed, the 3rd party repair company sent out by Sunpower didn't reinstall my critter guard and now there are gaps that will need to be addressed as well.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing! Yes you should be 100% okay to just swap the inverter for a 7 or 7.7 KW system! Those inverters can be bought for less than 2k + A few hours of labor for an electrician.... Someone who only sells enphase will obviously want to sell you on an enphase upgrade, but that can get really expensive. I mean they will have to take panels off, add micros and rewire the whole thing. I cannot image cost being less than 7-15k... Let us know what you end up doing! :) Martyna

The single point of failure vs. multiple points decision is easy to decide. If you are in a plane flying across the ocean, and you have an engine failure, isnt it better to have four engines with one failing? You can still fly home on three engines. With a single large engine, when it fails, so do you. If one microinverter fails, I still have >90% of my power generation, and I can take my time replacing the failed unit. Yes, it is more difficult to replace a unit on the roof, but it is also not a major project. Finally, I would agree that if your plans are to expand your system in the future, it might be better to go the string inverter route.

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Hey Mark! Thank you for the analogy! And I do agree with your points. The only problem I see is the fact that if one panel fails it does not affect the whole string. Of course if the string inverter fails your system is down. Fair points. I do think there are benefits to bothy for sure. Thank you again for your input! :) Martyna

@sparadonja

6 ай бұрын

For preference just try to imagine who you are: a passenger on a plane, or an engineer who is doing the maintenance 😉

my degree is in IMET specializing in solar/wind (hate wind). i have done a few installs. one, the only one that was a failure is where the customer went with what the salesman told her and not with the math i showed her from a storage/use/available hours and such. her salesman told her 400W would be enough to run 800 watt reefer and an icemachine and fan. you can do the math on the reefer and know she did not have the charge power during sun to run the thing, never mind that night. all my installs have been to industry (commerical) standard, soldiering points where that is the standard, and torque standard on panels and such. the point is i'm a professional as you are. the trackers only add 25% more power and ROI usually is not worth it. you are correct on the fail points. industry standard is to have as few as possible, and to have check points to isolate specific areas just for the points you state that you may have to pull 30 panels to find one bad inverter. you are doing it right. as for the install i spoke of, she later called the school i was in, and talked to the dean and asked if what i had stated was correct and he said yes, the salesman had not sold her the correct system as she did not have the power required for an uncooled home with a reefer pulling 800 watts an hour. she continued to bad mouth me for a long time which actually was a good thing as people would call and i was able to educate them to get the right system. good video i like you a lot for being such a strait forward honest person

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Hey! Thank you so much for sharing the story... You know what they say... All Publicity is Good Publicity! :) Also very agree on the trackers as well! Much easier to just add a few more panels to bring the production up than dealing with a tracker that can break as well. I appreciate the feedback as well :) Martyna

I think you are right when you say that customers come to installers with micro-inverters as the solution - that is what I did originally and my installer was surprised and asked why that configuration. I saw this video and your points made me rethink. I eventually went with TIGO (mostly from a safety point of view for rapid shutdown). So thank you for this - it saved me a lot of money. BTW I'm UK based and I think the micro inverter is gaining traction here.

@solartimeusa

Ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing! :) I am so glad to hear it and Happy producing!

What's your thoughts on a micro inverter for a ground mount system? I have a bad roof orientation and space for a ground mount system. If I went with a string inverter at the house I would possibly lose quite a bit of power on a dc system. For reference the ground mount would be approximately 1 acre away from the house.

@solartimeusa

4 ай бұрын

When we talk ground mount I would highly go for String. Especially if no shading. This might be a good test to watch for you. kzread.info/dash/bejne/fXqDr5SMgcLXfrA.html But also if you have 1 acre distance or over 200 feet you can run AC. If you place string inverters on the ground mount you can run AC if you're worried about losses during transport, but I have had customers do both DC and AC runs and those losses are so minimal most people don't even know if they are related to shading, or weather or actaul current.

Thank you for this. Most informative. I did not know that microinverters are not interchangeable. I always wanted a DIY kit or something close to that because as you've answered/stated who know who will be around in 5 years. My question for you or anyone else is....would I need optimizers if I'm using the Ecoflow Delta Pro Ultra? I plan on running the solar paneld in series and plugging it straight into the Ecoflow unit. My understanding is I would not need anything else? Thank you.

Martyna thanks for making this video; it was a game changer. Sadly it also sent me back to the drawing board. Sure wished you worked in Virginia instead of Texas (although I have lots of family in Texas, so I forgive you :) ) Two years ago I started looking into solar for our new “forever house” and as you said everything I read or saw on KZread pointed me to microinverters. While I loved the integrated system that Enphase offers, I hated the DC to AC to DC to AC inefficiency. Eventually, I discovered Solar Edge's string inverters, but backed away from them when I learned about their maintenance reputation. Your video introduced me to other string inverter options. I’m looking for a 8Kw PV system with two inverters and probably 10K battery backup. You correctly pointed out that micro inverters have 20 or 30 points of failure, on the other hand, the Army taught me to limit single points of failure. Failure = 2 is 1 and 1 is none; so a single inverter doesn’t work for me. Any recommendations?

@solartimeusa

7 ай бұрын

What is your timeline? IF you want to wait just a few months to 1. Learn and understand your new home energy consumption for proper system and battery sizing. 2. SMA is coming out with A hybrid inverter. I cannot say its any good, YET. But it could be. Tell me more of what your goals are for the battery? IS it self consumption? Daily usage of battery power for avoidance of net metering? Or is it for emergency situations, or both? Howdy from Texas! :)

@andypaine7489

7 ай бұрын

@@solartimeusa Martyna thanks for the reply! I’ve got a full year’s worth of usage data with 11,200Kw annual usage and 860Kw monthly. It appears that we are well below the state average and below the average for northwestern Virginia where we live too; but it’s just the two of us. While, I’d like it done yesterday, I’m on my own time and I don’t have any true “deadlines.” My rationale for getting solar is in part to “fix” my electrical bill; our current bill is so low, I’ll be lucky if I ever “save” money. The primary driver is I want a plan B. I’m not a preper, but I am an old soldier and I do want something for the next bad ice storm or the zombies come :).

I love your videos , I am Solaredge lover with storedge inverters !

@solartimeusa

9 ай бұрын

I am so glad you like them! happy producing! :)

micro-inverters were created before the battery revolution that has happened past couple years( Powerwall like batteries & lifepo3). Not sure it makes sense anymore to take DC from the solar panels, convert to AC, then convert again to DC to charge the local battery backup system. Power companies are paying less and less every year for individual homeowners to feed the grid with their solar power. Just get a whole home backup battery and a ford lightning to charge up, and keep all the power you generate for an emergency.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Very true! Now that the batteries are so pupular and much more powerful, we can start see some benefits for the self consumption usage, and of course back up option. I love the Ford Lighting!

In conjuction with a battery ESS (Energy Storage System), the micro-inverter systems seem to be more specifically ideal in medium-to-heavily shaded areas with a ground-mounted solar array system with easy access to the back of the solar panels and micro-inverters. For most other conditions and situations, the string-inverter + power optimizer combo would be the better solution, especially long-term, as you explained very well in your video.

@solartimeusa

5 ай бұрын

Thank you Dan for sharing your thoughts. I share similar views like you.

i am from malaysia ..n installing solarpanel...according to your speach ...string inverter if the instaler was very high place ...

I use string inverters because I can easily attach any amount of battery storage, and we can live off-grid if necessary. Microinverter systems shut down if the grid goes down, unless you have some additional equipment installed to handle it - and that puts the system cost up a lot, and processing AC is just more inefficient than DC.

I love love love that you are thinking long term.

@solartimeusa

2 ай бұрын

Thank you for leaving a positive comment!

Hi, i 100% agree with you. My oldest PV system is 24 years old. Its build with a single inverter from SMA with two strings. Once after 14 years the inverter was broken and after a phone-call to SMA they sent a refurbished one for 300€. I only had to send back my broken inverter. That was so easy, i dont want to think, what happend, if i had to search for a defect on my roof. By the way, the Panels are from the no longer existing company SIEMENS-Solar and running for 24 years now, with an output of 90% from the beginning! Warranty was 20years in those early days of solar industry 🙂

@solartimeusa

Ай бұрын

OH MY GOSH! Thank you so much for sharing this. 1. I am so glad you had such a good experience with SMA, 2. Love the degradation on the panels! Lots of people worry, but i think we should focus on choosing the best inverter rather than the best panel. So happy for you, I just love comments like this!

@solartimeusa

Ай бұрын

OH MY GOSH! Thank you so much for sharing this. 1. I am so glad you had such a good experience with SMA, 2. Love the degradation on the panels! Lots of people worry, but i think we should focus on choosing the best inverter rather than the best panel. So happy for you, I just love comments like this!

I prefer Victron, Dc coupled, dc mppt 150, 250 or 450 vdc from the roof, transformed down to 48vdc which goes to either into a 48vdc inverter or storage batteries. Nice video btw.

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Thank you Jeff! I do like Victron as a brand a lot and have much respect for their product. I hope they will be more popular in USA! Martyna

You have changed my mind towards the string inverter option.

@solartimeusa

Ай бұрын

Thank you for leaving a comment!

I think your absolutely rite about string inverters. My only hope is that they increase the warranty period for them so that they can be more competitive with micro inverters. And you are absolutely rite, if the company that installed the system in the first place is not in business anymore, it will be very difficult to get the micro inverters replaced with someone else. I'll love to hear you talk more about warranties in future videos. GOD bless you. 🥰

@solartimeusa

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this. :) I am glad the video was helpful!

That was brilliant. Thank you for helping me understand the differences and make a decision as a customer. I don't rule out a possible bias coming from the fact that I see things exactly as you do, trying to control problems in the long run. And judging by the rate at which the technology seems to be evolving, it's at least questionable if 25 years of warranty is a real expectation or just some sales tactics for a product that started to be used on a large scale less than 25 years ago.

@solartimeusa

3 ай бұрын

Thank you for leaving a comment and sharing. I do agree with you 100%. But if you look at the new solar systems being offered, majority will come by battery back up. And with that its all hybrid, even the Tesla Powerwall 3 is a hybrid on a 10 year warranty. So I do think that the new standard for systems will be a 10 year warranty on inverters. Obviously with panels lasting ;longer, you can just get something newer in 10 or 15 years. Imagine having a 10 year old system and this newest awesome battery is out, and you still have 15 years on your warranty lol. Again, thank you!!!!

I've had a 4.35 system installed recently with a solis hybrid inverter. One question on my mind: how would you check a string system to make sure that all panels are actually working? People say check generation, but generation can be affected by many factors like weather. How do you troubleshoot to find which panel is dead?

Great video. In considering the effect of reliability on the useful life of the system, it's worth keeping in mind the electrical connections - one of the most common causes of failure in electrical systems in harsh environments. That means both cable connectors and joints between components. There are obviously far more of the latter, but they should be protected from the environment by the housings. Cable connectors are exposed. A good system is designed to have as few cable connectors as possible that cause the whole system to stop when they fail. Therefore serially connected systems are always suspicious from a reliability point of view, and warrant special consideration. I note that serial connection is often used in solar systems of both types. This is just a point of view of a chartered engineer specialising in forensic analysis of high-risk systems. Best wishes from England.

I truly appreciate your commitment to string inverters and I had a very difficult time getting a contractor to install my panels with optimizers and 1 string inverter. I would like to add storage in the future and feel that I would get more efficiency charging batteries with dc than the ac/dc dc/ac conversion.

@solartimeusa

2 ай бұрын

I know... so many just do enphase because its easy for them! Its AC so they don't need same electrical experience as they would with DC strings. They also don't need to properly calculate voltages. They just go easy rout, and created this false narrative that you need panel level monitoring... to push their product. Thank you for being open minded!

Hi and Thank You for your KZread channel. I'm learning. I want to do something most people don't do, but the smart folks have figured it out. I want to run my 100% Off Grid house window A/C off of JUST my solar panels and micro Inverters. I am hearing most micro inverters due to their "Islanding" protection because they are normally grid tied do not work in Off Grid situations especially if like mine with no batteries. I will not be getting batteries and I run my house at night of a quiet and efficient generator which I don't plan to change. What are the best and affordable micro inverters to use the way I want to? I just see an inverter for each panel of one inverter for four panels and that inverter(s) output going direct to an extension cord that my window A/C is plugged into. Can I get some guidance here?

very well explained. thank you.

@solartimeusa

4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing! I truly appreciate you leaving a comment!

Very smart! Thanks a lot. Too good to be true, big marketing for enphase

@solartimeusa

Ай бұрын

Thank you for leaving a positive comment!

Thank you for the video. It's very true fear is used a lot in the electical systems. It definitely must be respected. Thank you also for putting it in simple terms. Even if they do last 25 years, year 26 your on your own and it would be much easier to replace a ground mount inverter at the customers expense. Both are good solutions for different situations. Definitely best to know al the facts and use the best system for the customers needs.

@solartimeusa

7 ай бұрын

Yes, exactly!!! :) Thank you for sharing your thoughts

So if you were designing a ground installed system would you still choose a string inverter?

@michakot3498

10 ай бұрын

Microinverters or systems with optimizers installed on the ground do not bring anything. Such installations are usually installed in the optimal inclination and azimuth and without shading. In this case, which Martyna may not have mentioned, these additional devices are also an absorber of some of the energy from photovoltaic modules. Remember that the higher the temperature of the semiconductors, the efficiency and lifetime is definitely lower. When comparing one central inverter with, say, 98% efficiency, compare 30 such with a maximum efficiency of 96% at a temperature of 20-30 degrees Celsius. So in the morning after sunrise and just before sunset...

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Yes agreeing with what @michakot3498 said above. There is Absolutely no reason to install microinverters on a ground mount system with no shading issues. Extra cost that's not needed. There is also no rapid shutdown law required for ground mounted systems, only rooftops, so there is no need for power optimizers or rapid shutdown devices either. -Martyna

@solartimeusa

10 ай бұрын

Yes agreeing with what @michakot3498 said above. There is Absolutely no reason to install microinverters on a ground mount system with no shading issues. Extra cost that's not needed. There is also no rapid shutdown law required for ground mounted systems, only rooftops, so there is no need for power optimizers or rapid shutdown devices either. -Martyna

@brushridge1

10 ай бұрын

Thanks…Makes perfect sense…😎

I 💯 agree but what about the optimizer is it the same situation ?

@solartimeusa

3 ай бұрын

You could say that, but the difference I see is that the optimizer is optional and not required for the system to work. So if in 10 years all your manufacturers are belly up and one of your optimizers is dead, you just take it off your panel, reconnect the wires and the panel works. It’s not optimized and you can’t see it but it works. That’s my opinion of course ;) just sharing my thoughts. Thank you for leaving a comment and a question.

What experience do people have when lightning strikes nearby? How difficult is each system type to repair with some lightning damage?

@solartimeusa

Ай бұрын

That is a very good questions. The system should be properly grounded. I personally have not had many instances where the lighting caused damage. I have a 20,000 panels either with microinverters or mainly power optimizers installed.

I like most of your arguments and you are probably on the right path as an installer - KISS. Regarding the panel based electronics - surely the panel based optimisers and panel based microinverters are likely to succumb similarly to the elements so that consideration is probably moot. I hope I haven't made a mistake getting the more expensive and complex microinverter setup - but I felt happy buying a BMW over a Ford and I wanted to see how it behaved. FWIW, I installed a cheap string of panels and a bargain basement inverter on my old house and it was still running fine after 12 years.