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Grid Tie Micro Inverter

jasonhc73

Cat herder, and dog toy tosser.
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Messages
1,921
Location
Wichita, Kansas
This is about as simple as it gets.

Panel, inverter, plug.

I have four, for the panels I have.

I'll be putting one on, most likely today.

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Amazon
Aliexpress
 
This seems more simple to me:


Handle up to 1000W of panels for the cost of 750W of the one you linked on Amazon. Simply plugs into an outlet. I've had one for a few years.
 
This seems more simple to me:


Handle up to 1000W of panels for the cost of 750W of the one you linked on Amazon. Simply plugs into an outlet. I've had one for a few years.
I didn't like the voltage range of the blue one, but it's pretty simple also.

This little direct panel micro inverter is 18-50 VDC. :)
 
18-50VDC is pretty meaningless. If the goal is to extract MPPT performance, you still need to stay within the 24-40V MPPT range. Operating outside of that range means you will not get MPPT function, and you will get lower performance.

Both are clearly designed to work with 60 and 72 cell panels. Use of anything else will result in significantly reduced performance well below panel rating.

As an example, I have a 12V version as well. Operating it at 14.7V vs. the MPPT minimum of 15.5V, the inverter output is under 400W when the power source is capable of vastly more than the 1000W rating.
 
18-50VDC is pretty meaningless. If the goal is to extract MPPT performance, you still need to stay within the 24-40V MPPT range. Operating outside of that range means you will not get MPPT function, and you will get lower performance.

Both are clearly designed to work with 60 and 72 cell panels. Use of anything else will result in significantly reduced performance well below panel rating.

As an example, I have a 12V version as well. Operating it at 14.7V vs. the MPPT minimum of 15.5V, the inverter output is under 400W when the power source is capable of vastly more than the 1000W rating.
If I have panels that are not Voc36-46V, then it's not meaningless.

Have you ever tried to use the blue one on an off-grid setup? IE Power the stuff with an off-grid inverter, then use the blue one also?
 
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if you don't have a net metering meter will these still work ?
what happens to the excess power if you don't have a net metering meter ?
 
if you don't have a net metering meter will these still work ?
what happens to the excess power if you don't have a net metering meter ?
If you don't have a net meter and you put energy into the the grid, you will be double billed.

The regular meter only measures current flow, it does not measure direction.
 
If you don't have a net meter and you put energy into the the grid, you will be double billed.

The regular meter only measures current flow, it does not measure direction.
really, so i get screwed twice by the utility company .
i do have a small grid tied system running on micro inverters now ,so your saying i could be paying the utility company when they are working ?
 
really, so i get screwed twice by the utility company .
i do have a small grid tied system running on micro inverters now ,so your saying i could be paying the utility company when they are working ?
Yuuup. (not could be, you literally are).

Take a picture of your meter, older mechanical gear-driven meters are one way only. Newer digital ones might be bi-directional, but not for net metering, but to find out if you are putting power to the grid, and then tattle tale to the power provider that you are being naughty.

The key is to offset your load from the grid if you don't have a net meter.

Get a few kill-a-watt meters or smart outlets so you can find out which circuits in your house have "vampire" loads. Then put the micro-inverter on that circuit.


I really like these smart switches, they have meters built-in. I even use them to measure my micro-inverter output.
 
This seems more simple to me:


Handle up to 1000W of panels for the cost of 750W of the one you linked on Amazon. Simply plugs into an outlet. I've had one for a few years.
Have you got <that> model? Can you recommend it?
To pay off at our grid prices and latitudes it should run at least 10 years without failure..
Is that realistic?
That is not a gorgeous ROI, but if this chinese device fails, it gets even worse!
 
i am a confused solar power dummy ,even though i have spent several days literally tring to understand micro inverters i have watched several videos on fooling grid tied inverters (including the one above) into running a solar powered critical load panel without running the smart meter backwards or forwards (being either way)and being billed both ways. i have thought about a transfer switch in-between the critical loads panel and the main panel (so i wouldn't feed the grid) then i am told i need the grid for my grid tied inverters to work and to make them work i would simply supply the critical loads panel with 110v on both legs via separate source of power like a inverter powered from my batteries (or my growatt).
then i am told i need some kind of way to control the micro inverters (don't they control themselfs ?) otherwise they will have nowhere to put the power made by the inverters, due to design of grid tie inverters to continue feeding the grid.
Before i purchased my AIMS PIGRID250,s (7) i was told by aimscorp sales person alls i have to do is wire them to their own breaker (basically) in the main breaker box to offset my power bill upto 85 percent.that all sounded so easy i could even do it even with my little electrical experience.
Now after going through so many threads ,posts and and a thread of my own including all the videos
I AM STILL CLUELESS
 
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