Micro vs String Inverters

There has been a lot of talk lately about microinverters.  Microinverters are small inverters that mount on the racking system directly under each solar module.  There is a one to one correlation between microinverters and solar modules.  For example, if you have 20, Kyocera KD230GX-LPU modules on your roof, you would have 20 microinverters.  Microinverters have been gaining in popularity lately due to the advance of one manufacturer in particular: Enphase. Enphase recently came out with a new microinverter.  It's the model M215.  The biggest change is that this new inverter comes with a 25 year warranty. For the first time, the inverter warranty last as long as the module warranty.   This could be a game changer for the solar industry.

Some of the benefits of installing microinverters:
-Each module/inverter works independently, so shade affecting one module does not affect the whole system.
- No central point of failure, if one microinverter stops working, the rest of the system still functions
- Truly advanced data logging showing power output at the module level
- No high voltage DC wires to run.  DC-AC conversion takes place at each module on the roof and each microinverter is connected with an AC trunk cable.  This cable is then run down and connected in your main AC panel.

For more info on the M215, visit http://enphase.com/

Call the Earthsponse Solar Solutions Center at 866-94EARTH and ask for a system quote using microinverters, you may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

-Andy Young