Choosing the right type of inverter for your home or business may seem confusing. Considering the amount of options available, it’s understandable that it can be a daunting decision. However, we at Protégé Power have extensive knowledge on solar equipment. Keep reading if you want to make an informed decision.

The first type of inverter we are going to discuss is the Hybrid inverter:

How does a Hybrid Inverter work?

A hybrid inverter is basically a mix between an on-grid and off-grid inverter. Giving you the advantages offered by both of these systems. During normal operation, the hybrid inverter synchronizes with the grid using solar power to supplement your power needs during the day. While during the evening hours the inverter will use battery power to supplement the load.

Solar panels feed DC energy to the inverter, which then converts the DC energy to AC in order to power appliances, or uses the DC energy to charge batteries.

Let’s use the GoodWe ES range of hybrid inverters as an example. With its intelligent management system, the inverter allows you to set many different parameters in order to get the optimal use for your unique situation. We generally set it up to prioritise the solar energy generated by your PV panels. Should you need more power than the panels can generate at any given time, the inverter will use mains power to supplement. However, should your panels generate more energy than you need, the excess energy will be used to charge the battery bank. Once your battery-bank is fully charged, the inverter will feed excess energy back into the grid. However, not all municipalities in South Africa allow this, so this function can easily be disabled.

The GoodWe ES series offers you a back-up function as well. Meaning that should you experience load shedding at night, the battery power will carry most of your basic load requirements. Upon installation, we split your distribution board between essential, and non-essential loads. Ensuring that you have enough power to use the things you need.

Hybrid inverters offer a great value for money alternative to off-grid systems. By saving you money on expensive power bills and offering you a cost effective battery back-up solution.