The Enphase microinverter takes the power from the solar panels (the DC electricity collected from the sun) and converts it into the AC power that can be used in your home. It also enables each panel to act independently of the entire system so there can be no single point of failure throughout the system.
There are many microinverter options available on the market. Prospective customers need to make sure every piece of equipment in their solar system is high quality to maximum the amount of energy captured from the sun.
Choosing to install low quality solar panels can lead to a reduction in energy capture over time. Investing in top-of-the-line equipment from the outset is the ideal option.
When it comes to your home, it’s never a good idea to use budget or inferior equipment. If you do, you run the risk of diminished energy collection from your solar panels. In addition, you run the risk of poor warranties and the risk that the company may go out of business.
Enphase has been in business since 2006 and is the first company to successfully commercialize the solar micro inverter. Over 48 million micro inverters have been shipped by Enphase to 2.5 million systems in more than 140 countries.
Even under Maui’s harsh environmental conditions, Maui solar installations utilizing the Enphase microinverter are among the highest performing solar installations and are known for their exceptional reliability and durability.
Enphase offers strong reliable panel level monitoring; each solar panel has its own micro inverter to allow individual panel level monitoring and system optimization. You can monitor the system in real time and see how much energy each individual panel is producing throughout the day via the Enphase Enlighten app..
Panel level monitoring allows for easier trouble shooting of the system in the event that a panel or micro inverter has issues that need to be corrected. The Enphase system ensures that there is no single point of failure within the entire system. For example, if three panels are shaded on a 12 panel string, the other 9 modules are not affected in loss of performance. With a centralized string inverter system, all panels would be affected.
Enphase microinverter systems also have both advanced grid function and bidirectional power capable. This allows the microinverter to produce power in the DC-AC direction for solar applications and in the DC-AC and AC-DC directions for battery use.
The M175 was the first product released from Enphase in 2008, designed to output 175 watts of AC power. In 2009 the M190 was released with a slightly higher power rating of 190 watts. In 2017, Enphase launched its IQ series with a refined labeling system going from four cables to two cables eliminating the need for a neutral line.
In 2020, Enphase introduced the Enphase Encharge storage system (the IQ battery) offered in two sizes 10.08 KW and 3.36KW size. While good, neither can match the storage size and continuous throughput of start up load demand of the Tesla Powerwall.
For more information about the Enphase Encharge IQ battery
For more information about the company Enphase
For more information about Enphase micro inverters contact us at Maui Sun Solar.
