Important Things About Inverter Sizing: With the passing years, renewable sources of energy are getting popular due to their positive impact on the environment and people are switching to solar energy gradually. The best part is, now the government is providing certain incentives to the people who are purchasing solar power systems. And due to this people want to install bigger sizes of solar systems as they are getting support from the government. Previously, most people had a 3kw solar power system along with 12 panels. But now, the most common size of the solar power system has become 6.6kw and it is the most commonly used solar power system and is requested by the customer who wants to replace their old systems.
There are few considered reasons behind the increase in system size which also results in decreasing the manufacturing cost of solar systems. This is also the main reason that made solar panels much more affordable for people than they were earlier.
Since the cost of solar power systems are decreasing due to which people are switching or going for bigger size solar power systems as it has become more affordable now. The government has introduced rebates for STCs which means more panels resulting in more STCs for the customers. This will help in getting bigger discounts on the sale of solar systems.
A 6.6kw system along with a battery is a great size system providing better value and output. A 6.6kw system means 6.6kw of solar panels that are installed on the rooftop along with a 5kw inverter. It is considered the most efficient and commonly used size of the solar panel system.
The efficiency of the battery storage system matters the most as it converts the Direct current produced by the solar panels into an Alternating current that is used by the grid to provide power to your house. The question may arise in your mind that how does the size of an inverter affect the system’s efficiency. So, let’s discuss this issue briefly so that you can make the right decision regarding future solar installation.
Inverter under-sizing
It has actually become a common and widely accepted practice in Australia and is sometimes referred to as the term “overclocking’.
There might be confusion regarding the combination of panels and the inverter that has been set. So, according to the Clean Energy Council guidelines and the network distributors that own the poles and lines, it is stated that the panel to inverter ratio should be completely legitimate. The rule is that you are allowed to get an inverter with 5kW capacity and add 6.6kW of solar panels as system size should be by 133%.
Benefits of having a solar system of 6.6kW
The main reason behind the massive growth in demand for a 6.6kw solar power system size is that it provides you with the benefit of maximizing the STC and that too without upgrading your system inverter size. So eventually it helps the customer to save more if we look from the perspective for money value. It also lowers the purchasing cost of the solar power system as the 5kw inverter cost is less than the 6kw of inverters. There are a variety of ranges present in the market for 5kw single-phase inverters that pave the way for competition in the market for prices. Some of the renowned network distributors do not allow for more than 5kw inverter but they usually approve the panels oversized up to 133% of the total inverter’s capacity. So the equation will be: 5kw x 133% = 6.6kw.
The solar system of 6.6kw will provide you with more efficient results. Nowadays it has become very ordinary in Australia to practice inverter under-sizing or solar panels over-sizing so as to get the best solar power system along with maximum output range.
A solar inverter functions ideally along with its operating window that further includes the inverter’s specifications. As the power input coming from the solar panels fluctuates up and down, the inverter’s ability to convert it from DC electricity to AC electricity efficiently may differ. As far as the power input coming out from the solar panels falls within the range of the window, the inverter is often considered to be operating effectively.
Sometimes your installer suggests you get an undersized inverter with your system. This is because they might have observed less sunlight is coming on your solar panels than it was expected. It may be due to a change in location & climate, the orientation of your panels, or any other factors. Therefore the best solution to this is to add more panels by installing them along with a small-sized inverter. This will lead to the better overall performance of the solar power system.
Inverters are designed in such a way that they can handle lower power inputs than their defined capacity but there are limitations to this as well. If you think of installing an inverter that has a maximum capacity greater than the nominal capacity of the panel array, then it might be suitable for expanding your solar panel array but it is not usually recommended. This is because the overall energy coming from your solar system may be lower than from the system with the under-sized inverter. So, it is very important to ask your installer about how your system will perform if you add an oversized inverter to your system in future. Always check the balance between the systems configurations before making any decision.