I've got a small off-grid system that includes a 2 kW solar array and a 4 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery bank. Recently, I've been paying closer attention to my setup and noticed that my inverter is drawing 40 watts even when there's no load connected overnight. That adds up to about 1 kWh per day! Is this standby draw normal for budget inverters, or should I consider upgrading? Do better brands have lower idle consumption, and do hybrid inverters tend to use more power in sleep mode?
3 Answers
Sounds pretty typical for budget inverters, to be honest. The standby draw can be around 1-2% of the total power output. So, for a lower-end unit, 40W isn't unusual.
It's pretty standard for many inverters, especially budget ones. While some higher-end models have auto on/off features, they can be tricky with modern electronics. If you're concerned about efficiency, it might be worth exploring more efficient models.
Yeah, 40W is a bit on the heavier side for a small setup. Newer models tend to use less when idle, sometimes half that. Upgrading could save you some battery life if you're trying to maximize efficiency.