From Guest-Blogger Faith: Micro Inverters – Why They Simply Are Not Suitable for Australian Conditions

If a solar company has advised you to switch to a micro inverter and you live in Australia, you should think twice. The fact of the matter is that micro inverters simply aren’t suitable for harsh Australian conditions. Whatever advantages they may have are completely cancelled out by a long list of drawbacks. In some environments, the right micro inverter might make a major difference. That’s simply not the case in Australia. Find out why that is below.

Not Rated for Excessive Heat

Let’s face it: Temperatures can really soar in Australia. The average micro inverter is only rated to function properly to 65 degrees. When the sun beats down on solar panels all day, temperatures easily soar above that. This isn’t the type of thing that you should disregard. Micro inverters are rated to 65 degrees for good reason. If they are exposed to temperatures that are higher than that, their functionality can be severely compromised. It’s even riskier when a micro inverter is exposed to excessive heat year after year. After investing so much money in a micro inverter, you’re going to want it to last. In Australia, it won’t.

Costly Repairs

Solar power systems have many failure points as it is. They are exacerbated by Australia’s extreme conditions. When something goes wrong, making repairs can be prohibitively expensive. If you choose to use a micro inverter in Australia, you can expect to spend a lot of money on repairs. In addition to spending a huge amount of money to buy the micro inverter in the first place, your ongoing expenses will be considerable. That’s one thing that most solar companies won’t tell you.

Insufficient Voltage

When trying to sell you a micro inverter, a solar power company will extol its virtues. The salesperson will conveniently ignore the fact that the MPPT voltage range on a micro inverter is extremely high when compared to that of a single solar panel. What this means is that the panel probably won’t be able to supply enough voltage, so the effectiveness of your solar power system will be seriously compromised.

No On-Site Warranties

Micro inverters come with warranties, but there’s a major catch: They can’t be performed on site. Unlike SMA inverters, which are installed at ground level and can be swapped out with ease, a malfunctioning micro inverter must be diagnosed while it’s on the roof. You will have to pay to have someone come out and look at it. If a problem is found, you will have to remove the micro inverter and ship it back to the manufacturer. When the replacement arrives, you will have to install it.

Unproven Technology

As of right now, the technology behind micro inverters is largely unproven. In harsh environments like those found in Australia, it’s even less clear how well the technology works. Investing in a micro inverter in Australia is a major gamble. You could easily waste a huge amount of money and have nothing to show for it.

Exorbitant Prices

If micro inverters were affordable, it might be reasonable to give them a try. However, the opposite is true. Micro inverters are very expensive. It doesn’t make sense to spend so much money on something that just isn’t suitable for Australian conditions.

Finally, the top benefits of micro inverters can be found in other, more reliable components. Systems by Tigo and Solar Edge, for instance, offer key advantages like reduced DC voltage, increased energy harvesting, shade minimisation and arc protection. It’s far better to invest in something that can stand up to Australia’s harsh conditions, so don’t waste your money or time on a micro inverter.

This article was written by the team at Infinite Energy who have installed more than 3000 solar power systems across Western Australia.