Solar panels are expected to be the future for many households, from devices and appliances to your car and driveway everything can be powered by the sun. But to make the most when harnessing solar power panels an inverter charger is what you need. These devices are used in order to convert the DC power from the panel to AC so that appliances can make use of it. Also when a solar power system isn’t able to provide enough energy you then need an AC generator to help with that.
The inverter, in this case, helps convert that AC power coming from the generator into DC so it can be stored in a solar battery. One manufacturer of inverter chargers is Victron a power conversion equipment manufacturer which has been on the market since 1975. The Netherlands based company has become well known for producing off-grid inverter chargers and a wide range of other solar equipment too with a popular product being their 2000 W inverter charger.
What to Look for in a Victron 2000 W Inverter Charger
Waveform
The waveform or the way solar power is converted from AC to DC and vice versa a Victron solar inverter relies on can determine how compatible and efficient it will be. A pure sine wave Victron 2000w inverter for example will be able to provide power for all your appliances and devices. These Victron inverter chargers are going to help appliances run better too which is why they are the most preferred option. If you go with a modified sine wave Victron inverter then you will have a device that will work with a less consistent waveform. While a more cost-effective solution, modified sine wave inverters are better when you need to power devices that run plugged on batteries.
Corrosion Protection
No matter where you’ll use your inverter, on land or sea, it can never hurt to go for one with corrosion protection. Even if you have your Victron solar inverter installed in a household environment you never know when moisture can get to it. You might not even be wary of the fact that your inverter has been exposed to rust. Corrosion-resistant Victron inverter chargers will last you for many years especially if you take proper care of them.
Mounting Requirements
Depending on where you’ll want to place your Victron 2000W inverter you’ll need to consider its mounting requirements. It’s best to install a standard fixed-mount inverter no more than 3 meters away from the battery. This will ensure that the inverter doesn’t experience any voltage drops.
Types of Inverter Chargers
String
When solar panels are installed in rows each one is on what is known as a string. This is where string inverters are used when you have one or more strings of solar panels. Each string of panels carries the total DC power generated to the inverter which then converts it to AC. What is interesting here is that string inverters are largely affected by shading issues. This means if one panel is shaded by a tree, a building, or a cloud the whole string of panels is affected by it. This then affects the performance of the whole solar panel system. But if you are in a need of an installation smaller than 1 MW then string inverters are a good option.
Central
If you want your inverter to support a larger network of panels but still want to work with strings of panels then go for central inverters. These inverters work similarly to string inverters but instead of having the strings running to the inverter, they are connected in a combiner box. This box runs the DC to AC conversion to the central inverter which is why there are fewer connected components. If you have a large array of panels that outputs consistently then central inverters are your best option.
Micro
A popular choice for both commercial and residential installations are microinverters. They act more like power optimisers but are still able to provide the exact same operation as a regular inverter. Microinverters are made for smaller fleets of panels since you need to attach one microinverter to one panel. The number of panels you have will need to equal the number of microinverters you need to get. But because of this no amount of shading can affect the whole system of panels as only the panel that is shaded will be affected.
Battery Based
With battery-based inverters, you get a 2 in 1 solution. This solution includes getting an inverter and a battery. This makes battery-based inverters bi-directional meaning they can convert current and charge the battery at the same time. Battery based inverters are a more cost-effective solution that can provide a continuous operation even when critical loads are present. You need to keep in mind though that battery-based inverters aren’t able to convert current and charge the battery at the same time when there is shading.
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