Solar electricity inverters

Inverters are additional devices that a solar power system needs to generate electricity. The solar panels are the most important part of the system because they collect the day sunlight and convert it to electricity. They are the producer, the generator, but the inverter has its particular contribution.

The electricity produced by these panels is DC (Direct Current) and it is suitable for powering some small gadgets and devices you have in your home. However, almost all appliances you plug into wall outlet will operate on AC (Alternative Current) power, which may mean you will must use an inverter.

A power inverter converts DC power from your solar or wind charged battery into AC. To be sure that you won't have problems with your solar power system, the inverter must be a well made one and perfectly suited to your needs.

A well made power inverter should meet some criteria, as follows:

In order to pick out an inverter perfectly suited to your household needs, you will need to provide your local professional with some basic information related to phantom load. Phantom load is the electricity that a device consumes when it is turned off. To know all home phantom load, you must count the radio, television set, coffee maker, vacuum cleaner, fridge, lamps, transformer used to charge cell phones, and so on.

Make a little inventory with all appliances that are going to be powered with the system and the amount of power each consumes (amp/hours). Do not miss a thing. You will be surprised to find that cube shaped transformer used to charge cell phones is the worst offender because it is 60% to 80% inefficient and should be unplugged when it is not in use.