I'm curious about micro inverters for solar panels. Do you really need one for every single panel? Or are they essential at all? I've heard mixed things, and I'd love to get some clear insights.
3 Answers
I'm no expert, but I did a lot of homework for my solar setup and decided against using micro inverters. They’re definitely a great choice if your panels experience different shading, since they prevent the lowest-powered panel from dragging down the rest. But, they tend to be pricier than regular string inverters. So, if you don’t face shading issues (like I didn't), a string inverter might be just fine and can save you some cash!
Micro inverters can be really useful when shading is a problem, but remember you trade one issue for another. While they keep your system running if one inverter fails (you only lose part of the output), they generally have more frequent failures, which can be costly up on the roof.
If you're going with micro inverters, usually you do need one for each panel, but some models can take 2-3 panels. Typically, genuine micro inverters are cranky about having just a few panels (like less than 4) connected to keep things efficient. Just watch out for those larger models — they might not be worth the trouble, especially if they require expensive wiring or are from dodgy brands.