Choosing to use solar power to generate electricity for your home has many advantages. It’s a clean source of electricity that causes no pollution and reduces the demand for electricity generated by burning fossil fuel. In the long run, it minimizes your monthly electricity bill and thus helps you save money. That said, the solar inverter price is not something you can pay on a whim. You need to put down a considerable sum to buy the solar panels, solar inverter and battery and then have them installed. Like everything else, you’ll find a wide range of prices for solar inverters. So, how do you choose the ideal system for your home?
Understand your power requirements
One of the biggest factors influencing the solar inverter price is the size or capacity of the inverter. As the size increases, so does the price. Usually, we look at the price as an indicator of quality and assume that the higher the price, the better the product. But, the most expensive solar inverter isn’t necessarily the best choice for your home. At the same time, basing your decision solely on price and choosing the cheapest inverter isn’t a good idea either. If the inverter capacity is lower than your requirements, it won’t be able to supply enough electricity to run all your appliances.
So, you need to start your search for a solar inverter by understanding your power requirements.
To do so, you need to sum up the individual power needs of every light, fan and appliance in the house that needs to be run simultaneously. Understand the difference between an appliance’s starting power and running power. For example, the starting power for a CFL is 25 watts while the running power is 18 watts. Appliances like a washing machine or a refrigerator can take double the running power to start.
Think of long term costs
When you budget for a solar inverter, don’t just look at the price tag on the inverter. Think about how the inverter influences your long term costs. If you buy a poor quality inverter, it will have a shorter lifespan and may not give your appliances steady power thus affecting their lifespan too. On the other hand, spending a little more on the right solar inverter for your home will ensure that it lasts longer and provides steady power to your appliances so that they can operate for their full lifespan too.
Solar inverters can be categorized in two main types – pure sine wave inverters and modified sine wave inverters. The difference between the two lies in how they convert power saved in the battery to usable power. A pure sine wave inverter makes this conversion in the form of smooth waves without any distortion. Thus, it can be used for a variety of appliances including delicate appliances and the power provided does not fluctuate. They are slightly more expensive but have a much longer lifespan.
Modified sine wave inverters convert power stored in the battery to usable power in wave with a series of steps. There is a certain amount of distortion at every step of the way. Thus, it is not suitable for delicate appliances. Even the appliances that can be run on power supplied by such an inverter may have shorter lifespans as the power will fluctuate from time to time.
Always choose a reliable brand
As with the technology used in an inverter, the brand also determines the lifespan and value for money offered by a solar inverter. A locally manufactured unbranded inverter may have a cheaper price tag but the quality of materials used could be questionable. Thus, it may have operational issues from time to time and require frequent repairs. This could make the inverter more expensive in the long run. You may also have to replace it with another model before it’s full lifetime.
On the other hand, though a branded inverter may have a higher price tag, you are assured of the quality of material used and the lifespan of the product. Brands value their reputation and will be more careful about maintaining high quality standards. It’s also important to note that when you buy a solar inverter from a reliable brand, the brand will assure you of after sales services and when you do eventually need to replace the inverter with a newer model, they will offer a good exchange price.
Once you know the solar inverter price that offers the most value for your money, you can be assured that you will be able to appreciate all the benefits a solar power system can offer for your home. You’ll be able to harness solar energy to light up your home and lower your carbon footprint without compromising on the comfort provided by modern conveniences. So, are you ready to run your home on clean, green electricity?
