A comprehensive guide to inverter voltage
Input voltage selection: The DC input voltage of the inverter should match the output voltage of your batteries or solar panels. For example, if you are using a 12V battery
Choose an inverter that has a surge watt rating equal to or greater than this value. As for voltage drop, check the wire length between your solar panels and the batteries. If the wire length is long, you may need to choose a lower voltage system (12V, 24V, or 48V) to minimize voltage drop.
To do this, you need to connect an inverter to the battery bank. It is important to match the battery bank voltage with an inverter that can handle that same voltage. Simply put, if you have a 12V system, you need a 12V inverter; a 48V system requires a 48V inverter. Standard Pure Sine Wave inverters simply change DC power to AC power.
First up—your solar panel output. If your panels produce 6kW, your inverter should match that or come close. You don't need a perfect 1:1 ratio, but don't underpower it either. That's like putting cheap tyres on a Ferrari.
Previously, with 12V systems, that meant adding more panels, larger capacity charge controllers, and huge battery banks, plus all that beefy wiring. Now, many solar consumers with higher energy demands are moving away from 12V and toward 24V and 48V systems for overall cost-space-benefit.
PDF includes complete article with source references for printing and offline reading.
Download detailed specifications for our distributed PV energy storage systems and liquid cooled ESS containers.
Calle de la Energía 24
Madrid 28045, Spain
+34 911 224 722
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM CET