3 phase inverters in solar power aren’t always required depending on your situation. However, it can definitely be beneficial to have one, and sometimes it can be required depending on your power needs and your solar set up. There are many benefits to owning a 3 phase inverter, but they come at much higher cost than just going with a single phase inverter for your home. Today we will be talking about whether you need to get a 3 phase inverter, the benefits of doing so, and if you could just go with a single phase inverter and save yourself some money.
Benefits
The biggest benefit to having one is the fact that the power is spread evenly across all three phases. With larger solar inverter systems, you can’t always have a large amount of power going through just a single phase, as that can be just too much of a load for a single phase. Typically for systems that produce less than 5kW of power, you won’t run into any issues relating to that, but if you decide that you need a larger system that produces more than 5kW of power, then going for a three phase is definitely a good recommendation.
In a single phase inverter, you have all of the power effectively going through one cable. This can be problematic in cables that require a lot of energy, and since solar panels aren’t always running at 100% efficiency, thanks to clouds and night time, then the cable shouldn’t need to run at that high of power all the time. But on days where it is sunnier than usual, your cables will be pushing more power through them and they will need to work harder. With a 3 phase inverter, you spread the power out evenly across the three cables, and you can effectively run 3 times as much power as you would in just one cable.
Distance is also an issue when it comes to pushing power through these cables. If your only concern is powering your home, then your need for a 3 phase inverter isn’t as large. However, if you plan on selling your power back to the grid, then those cables will need to be longer, and they will require a higher AC voltage running through them. Once AC voltage gets too high, the inverters will automatically shut down in order to keep everything running within the safe operating parameters. This isn’t a good thing, as it pushes the most power through at the most optimal part of the day. If you want to get the highest return on investment that you possibly can get out of your solar system, then going with a 3 phase inverter is your best option.
Do you need one for less than 5kW of power?
If you are normally producing less than 5kW of power, then pushing this power through the cables probably isn’t going to be an issue. However, due to how variable solar panels can be in terms of power generation, you can exceed your 5kW limit relatively easily if one day is particularly super sunny. It would be incredibly annoying to have your power shut off in the middle of a nice sunny day simply because your inverter couldn’t handle the power that you are producing.
In conclusion, going with a 3 phase inverter is the safest option that you have if you are trying to sell power back to the grid and keep the power that you produce. Yes, it is more expensive up front, but being able to handle more power will keep you running for longer.