There are many home inverters, such as solar cell inverters, solar power inverters, solar micro Inverters, and string inverters. Among them, string inverters and micro inverters have one thing in common, whether they are grid-tied or off-grid. They both convert DC power to AC power and then send the available AC power to your equipment. Both of these inverters are perfect for residential use. Next, I’ll write about each of the pros and cons based on what I know.
Micro Inverter vs String Inverter
| Factors | Micro inverter | String inverter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Very expensive | Not much expensive |
| Longevity | 25 years | 5-12 years |
| Installation | Easy to install (plug and play) | Quite complicated |
| Performance | Very high | High, low under non-ideal conditions |
| System Expansion Capacity | Excellent doesn’t need any other source | Not good, may need another inverter |
| Troubleshooting Steps | Very simple and convenient | Moderately difficult to troubleshoot |
| Monitoring (Remote/Smart Home) | Yes, remote monitoring is applicable | No, remote monitoring is not applicable |
| Safety | The Rapid Emergency shutdown is available even at lower voltages | No rapid emergency shutdown is available |
| Battery | The battery is expensive but efficient | The battery is not expensive and moderately efficient |
| Functions | Excellent under any conditions | High under specific conditions |
| Reliability | Very reliable and long last lasting | Reliable but not for a long time |
| External Conditions Adaptation | Great adaptation to external conditions | Very limited response to external conditions |
| Maintenance | Mostly easy to maintain | Easy to maintain |
Benefits of micro inverters
High conversion rate
Roof shadows have a significant impact on most inverters. Individual panels, on the other hand, have little effect on micro inverters. Micro inverters have a 5-15 percent higher yield than string inverters since each panel may work independently.
Safety
The conversion from DC to AC occurs at the solar panel level with a single micro inverter. This maintains the low voltage of the energy on the roof. On the other hand, string inverters combine high-voltage DC currents and flow across your top, increasing the risk of an electrical fire.
Easy to install
New electrical rules mandate that solar systems be turned off quickly to safeguard first responders and firefighters from excessive voltage while on the roof or fixing power lines. Micro inverters have this functionality integrated into each module to meet these speedy shutdown criteria. At the same time, even if the installation area has a large chimney or trees, the microinverter’s efficiency is unaffected.
Plenty of power
The main benefit of employing micro inverters is theoretically creating more solar power. This is because the current flowing between solar panels changes slightly. When solar panels are connected in strings, the current is decreased to that of the string’s lowest yielding panel.
Long life span
Micro inverters typically have a 25-year warranty, while regular inverters typically have a 10 to 20-year warranty.
Panel-level monitoring
Can track each panel’s production using micro inverters and different optimizes. You can only follow the output of the complete system with a normal inverter.
Easy system expansion
It’s simple to add one micro inverter at a time if you want to expand your system in the future. Each panel and micro inverter pair can easily be added to your existing solar array without buying, installing, or maintaining additional string inverters.
Disadvantages of solar micro inverters
Expensive
Solar micro inverters are extremely costly to buy and maintain. These inverters are manufactured with high-end metal machinery. They have a high per-watt cost.
High maintenance
When a micro inverter fails, determining the problematic component can be challenging. Because the installation is modular, micro inverters are extremely difficult to maintain.
Advantages of string inverters
The most cost-effective solution is string inverters. They are suitable for both residential and commercial sites, do not cause shadowing, and can be used in conjunction with a power optimizer.
Disadvantages of string inverters
The output of the string inverter is affected by each panel. When the work of one panel in the string is reduced, each panel drops to that reduced output. For example, you may have 400W of panels, but if the production of a single panel in the string drops to 150W, each panel in the string will produce 250W of power.
The following are some factors that can cause a drop in output：
Shading
When your panels are darkened, they create less energy, and shadows on one panel effect the entire string.
Panel placement
When panels are looking straight toward the sun, they create the greatest energy. For best results in the United States, panels should face south. If you split a row of roof panels in half, half facing south and half facing east, the south-facing panels will produce less energy than the east-facing panels.
Failure of equipment
If one of your panels fails, the entire string will stop working until the defective panel is repaired or replaced.
If your system receives full sunlight all year and all panels face the same direction, these are the best options. String inverters should only be used in conjunction with micro inverters or optimizers. This is the ideal option when you have adequate room on your property and can create a fixed ground mount without any obstacles.
String inverters are a good solution for helping you save money on your solar installation if you meet these parameters.
Micro inverters vs string inverters: Which is best for your home?
Although most micro inverter manufacturers claim to have a low failure rate, this cannot be guaranteed. If you don’t have a lot of money saved away and don’t want to invest too much in the future, this is a good option. Then string inverters are an excellent option.
The ability to monitor each panel is marketed as a benefit by micro inverter manufacturers. However, they do not feature customer-controlled monitoring. Unless you agree to purchase a higher level of monitoring as an upgrade, they only allow the installer to see the panel-level data in your system, not you as a client.
However, if you have the financial means, you can choose the best inverter for your home based on our research.