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The purpose of this article is to explain the role of a solar power inverter in the home solar system, along with issues pertaining to different types of inverters, and solutions to common problems associated with them.

In the majority of home solar systems, power is initially produced by solar panels before being used to charge batteries. The solar power battery then supplies electricity to fixtures in the home. The purpose of this arrangement is to ensure that power is available even in the dark, when the solar panels aren’t actually generating power. Solar panels and batteries both work with Direct Current (DC) electricity. This has to be converted to Alternating Current (AC), which is used by appliances in the home. The conversion from DC to AC is handled by the inverter.

When it comes to inverters, there are two main types: Modified Sine Wave (MSW) and True Sine Wave (TSW). MSW inverters are the more bare-bones of the two, as they simply convert DC electricity into rough, 120v 60 cycle AC. Some types of appliances are incompatible with MSW inverters. For example, when used in conjunction with an MSW inverter, stereo equipment will often produce a noticeable hum. TSW inverters, on the other hand, have no problems in a home setting.

Maintaining an inverter requires a few precautions. Avoid putting the inverter in the same box as the batteries, but make sure it’s otherwise as close to them as possible. The wire connecting the batteries to the inverter needs to be of sufficient size. The correct size will probably be given in the inverter instructions. It’s good to have a fuse on all wires to and from the inverter. Make sure the inverter is in a place where it will not be exposed to wetness or high temperatures.

Solar power inverters are known to encounter a couple of common issues. First, there’s RF interference. Inverters produce radio noise while they’re active. Radio receivers should be placed as far away from the inverter as possible. Using a battery powered radio will also solve this problem, and the batteries can then be recharged with the solar power system.

The other issue is that of phantom loads. A phantom load is the electricity drawn by a device while it’s turned off, which is a common issue among many new TVs and other devices that use “standby” modes. Since they’re always using power, these devices keep inverters from going to sleep. The inverters then begin contributing to the problem of wasted energy, as they’re constantly in active mode. Usually, this problem can be addressed through the use of a power strip with an on/off switch. Turning the power strip off will keep the devices from drawing power, so the inverter can then go into its low power mode.

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