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Inverters & monitoring

The inverter connects generation to the home.

It is rarely the part anyone looks at, but every unit of solar electricity a home uses passes through it. Here is what an inverter does, in homeowner terms.

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Conceptual image

Inverter · Role

Input
Direct current
Output
Alternating current
Matched to
The array
Monitoring
Where applicable

01 Conversion

From the roof, through the inverter, into the home.

The straight golden line is direct current from the array. The wave is alternating current leaving the inverter for the consumer unit and the household circuits.

Conceptual — not an installation layout

How the inverter connects generation to the home Direct current travels from the roof array down to the inverter. The inverter converts it to alternating current, which travels on to the consumer unit and the household circuits. A monitoring display shows the shape of the day's generation without figures. TODAY · SHAPE ONLY ARRAY · DC INVERTER CONSUMER UNIT · AC HOME CIRCUITS MONITORING*

* Monitoring where applicable. The display shows a shape only, not figures.

Diagram key

  1. 01 Array · DC Modules on the roof produce direct current, carried by cable to the inverter.
  2. 02 Inverter Converts direct current into alternating current.
  3. 03 Consumer unit · AC Alternating current joins the household circuits.
  4. 04 Monitoring Where available, shows the shape of generation over the day.

02 In homeowner terms

Six things worth understanding.

No electrical knowledge needed. These are the questions a homeowner can reasonably expect a proposal to answer about the inverter.

  1. 01 CONVERSION

    Conversion

    Solar modules produce direct current. The inverter converts it into the alternating current household circuits use. Without it, the electricity cannot be used in the home.

  2. 02 COMPATIBILITY

    System compatibility

    The inverter has to suit the modules: their number, their output and how they are wired together. Inverter and modules are chosen as a pair.

  3. 03 CAPACITY

    Capacity

    Inverters are rated for how much power they can convert. The capacity is matched to the array as part of the system design.

  4. 04 MONITORING

    Monitoring

    Many inverters can show what the system is generating — on a display, a web page or an app. What is available depends on the equipment.

  5. 05 PLACEMENT

    Placement considerations

    Inverters are often in a loft, garage or utility area. Ventilation, access, cable routes and noise are considered when deciding where one goes.

  6. 06 ARCHITECTURE

    System architecture

    Some systems use one central inverter; others use electronics at each module. Each approach has trade-offs for shading, monitoring detail and cost.

03 Placement

Where it goes is part of the design.

An inverter needs a sensible location: ventilated, accessible for maintenance, and close enough to keep cable routes practical. In many homes that is the loft or a garage — but every home is different.

Next: generation estimates

Conceptual image of a warm, sunlit domestic interior Conceptual image
Conceptual interior Generated imagery, not a real property or installation

Questions

Inverter questions

Where is the inverter usually installed?

Often in a loft, garage or utility area, but it depends on the home, the equipment and practical considerations such as ventilation, access and cable routes. Placement is confirmed for the individual installation.

Can I see what my system generates?

Many inverters include monitoring through a display or an app. A proposal should say what monitoring, if any, is included with the equipment proposed.

What is the difference between a string inverter and micro-inverters?

A string inverter converts the output of a group of modules in one place. Micro-inverters or module-level electronics work at each module. The choice affects how shading is handled, how detailed monitoring is, and cost.

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