Why are there micro and string inverters instead of just wiring PV from the panels to the main inverter?

[zanydroid]

I was thinking of that + half cut cells which only started being produced ~10 years ago.

But half cut is more about giving an alternate 50% current path for certain shading conditions.

Some pictures of shingling also shows more parallel path options.

 

[wattmatters]

But half cut is more about giving an alternate 50% current path for certain shading conditions.

Some pictures of shingling also shows more parallel path options.

Any way you cut it (pardon the pun), modern quality string inverter systems are not hampered anywhere nearly as much by shading as micro inverter marketing would have us believe.

 

[SunDave]

Any way you cut it (pardon the pun), modern quality string inverter systems are not hampered anywhere nearly as much by shading as micro inverter marketing would have us believe.

I agree. I wasn't cheer leading for micro-inverters. Just trying to explain the basics, and state that they work well for shading, without getting lost in details.

I don't use micro-inverters myself, but I know they have a use case.

 

[mciholas]

In a grid attached, net metering, no battery system, microinverters on the roof can then basically feed directly into the breaker panel and you have to do minimal rewiring of the house to get it up and running. This is why they exist, for quick retrofit of a house without having to install an inverter inside the house. They also shutdown with loss of grid, so meet the rapid shutdown rules without needing extra controls buttons, etc. Another aspect is that the panels system can be any number of panels, no balancing required, just add panels with microinverters.

The partial shading benefit and redundancy if a panel breaks do exist, but I don't think that's the primary reason.