There are three main types of grid tied solar panel kits, microinverter solar panel kits, optimizer solar panel kits and string inverter solar panel kits. This article will briefly go into detail about these three types of solar panel kits, explaining their benefits and shortcomings.
Microinverter Solar Panel kits are ideal if you have some shading throughout the day. They are also easy to expand in the future. The next few paragraphs will explain why this is and what the other benefits microinverter solar panel kits have to offer.
The microinverters are attached on the solar panel racking right behind each solar panel, so you will have one microinverter for every solar panel. Each microinverter converts the DC energy the panel produces to AC energy right at the panel. In a regular string inverter system the energy output is kept in DC until it hits the main inverter for the system. The string inverter style keeps the energy in DC and this makes it so if one of the panels is shaded the rest of the panels’ output will be lowered to the lowest panel output. This is because the watts all have to be the same on an DC electrical system and are dropped to the lowest watt generation on the system. By converting DC energy to AC energy right at the solar panel, one panel can be shaded and not affect the other panels. The shaded panel will still produce 240 volts AC like the rest of the panels, but just have a lower amperage than the other panels. The amperage doesn’t need to be the same and is added up from one panel to the next and then is combined with the other branches of solar panels at the combiner. After the combiner, the power then goes to the main power box.
Microinverter solar panel kits also give you the option to expand your solar system easily in the future. If you don't have all the money available right now to pay for the solar panel kit that will power all your energy needs, you can buy the microinverter solar panel kit you can afford now and when you do have the money to expand your solar panel system you can easily do so by adding more solar panels and microinverters in the future.
We recommend and sell with each of our grid tied microinverter kits the Enphase IQ8+ microinverters coupled with the Enphase Combiner 4 because this Enphase setup allows for many options and is the starting foundation if you want to go the route of having sunlight backup and also allows you the ability to integrate with the Enphase's IQ Battery series giving you the ability of battery backup.
If you think you may want to go the route of sunlight backup you will need to get some more accessories for your setup. Adding the Enphase IQ Systems Controller and the IQ Load Controller will allow the system to detect when the grid is off line and switch to the sunlight back up mode and drop the non-critical loads from the system. This allows the solar system to give power to the items you need most, like the refrigerator and other essential electrical items.
Optimizer Solar Panel kits are great if you have some shading throughout the day and they are a bit less expensive than going with the microinverter solar kit option. However they are similar to microinverters in that they allow you to monitor the output of each solar panel on your array. The optimizers' inverter connects to wifi and then can send your phone information about your solar array, like how many watts each panel is producing throughout the day.
String Inverter Solar Panel Kits require full sun through the day with no shading. They are the least expensive option out of the three. They work great on flat roof and on ground mounts where there is going to be no shading. Also, if you have a pitched roof where there is no shading throughout the day.
These do it yourself solar panel kits will get you on your way to reducing or eliminating your power bill.
