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  • Microinverter recommendation

    Hi, I'm about to install my solar panel and I need some recommendations. I have 400w panel do you guys know what's the best microinverter for that size? Thanks in advance

  • #2
    You may want to to give more details about your project and what you are trying to accomplish exactly...

    What is the panel (or panels?) used for exactly?
    Will it be connected to the grid (grid tied), charging a battery, powering something directly off grid.....

    For the record, the max wattage of the Enphase IQ7+ top of the line is 290Watts, so that will cause significant clipping on a 400W panel.

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    • #3
      Hi, Scrambler you are right I did not give enough info on the project, my bad. It's for my house solar panel and it's tie to the grid. Yes, I know the Enphase will not work that is why I'm on here asking for advice. It's 10000kw total and I'm looking for the right microinverter. Please I welcome any advice. thanks again

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      • #4
        Do you need microinverters? Seems like tying the panel(s) into a string inverter might be a simpler solution.

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        • #5
          I thought of that but after reading alot of reviews they break down so easily. That's why I going with microinverter.

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          • #6
            You need to do more research.

            Micro inverters break too, and when they do you have to pay someone to get on the roof, remove all the panels in the way to access the one that is dead and replace it.
            If your string inverter dies, yes all the array is down until repair, but it can be done easily from the ground.
            But because you have 10s of micro inverters, the risk of one breaking is 10s of time higher than the single string inverter to break.

            So what is worse, risking to lose a few days of production on very rare occasion, or having to pay someone to get on the roof desinstall and reinstall panels to repair a micro inverter much more frequently. Knowing that every time you uninstall and reinstall panels, you raise the risk of introducing more problems...

            To me the real question about micro inverters is whether you have shade issues or not. If you do not, then you really need to think twice about micros.

            Now on the next question, did you buy panels before deciding on a complete setup?
            Because if you did that was a risky move as you are now stuck with that choice trying to accommodate other aspects of the whole install.

            I do not know any other micro inverters than Enphase, more knowledgeable people may comment on that.

            If stuck with these panels, and having shade, you next solution is to use a sting inverter and Tigo Optimizers. Tigos are more reliable than Micro inverters as they have much less electronics given they only do the optimization. And if one goes down, it does not prevent the panel from producing, just from being optimized during shade.
            Last edited by scrambler; 04-13-2021, 08:49 PM.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by GoAllan
              It's for my house solar panel and it's tie to the grid. It's 10000kw total and I'm looking for the right microinverter. Please I welcome any advice. thanks again
              What is 10,000KW? 10,000KW is a really big field of panels. Bruce Roe
              Last edited by bcroe; 04-13-2021, 09:43 PM.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by GoAllan View Post
                Hi, Scrambler you are right I did not give enough info on the project, my bad. It's for my house solar panel and it's tie to the grid. Yes, I know the Enphase will not work that is why I'm on here asking for advice. It's 10000kw total and I'm looking for the right microinverter. Please I welcome any advice. thanks again
                For starters, lots of folks would agree with what Scrambler writes about failures and micros.

                You mean 10 kW, right ? 10,000 kW = 10,000,000 watts.
                Roof or ground mount ?
                How much shade do you have ?
                Why 400 W panels?
                How much do you know about residential PV ?

                If a roof mount and with little shade, micros might not be the best choice, particularly if labor is not part of the warranty if one fails. Then too, there's the intangible worry that the removed and replaced panels taken out/replaced to get at the offending panel will be properly replaced as well as the general wear/tear caused by the removal/replacement on otherwise good panels. Unless you've got a lot of shade (in which case maybe that's a bad location for the array) micros are often a poor choice over a well designed and assembled string inverter array.

                Micros usually violate the KISS principle. Too much to go wrong.
                Last edited by J.P.M.; 04-14-2021, 10:45 PM. Reason: Corrected spelling.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by GoAllan View Post
                  I thought of that but after reading alot of reviews they break down so easily. That's why I going with microinverter.
                  I suspect you have inverted the failure rates. A single 5kw string inverter on the ground floor, will last much longer than 20 micros baking on the roof.
                  Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                  || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                  || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                  solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                  gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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