As the mercury climbs and solar yields improve around the Summer solstice, spare a thought for your inverter, steadfastly sweating away on the wall. High temperatures aren’t just an inconvenience, they’re an electronic health hazard, shortening the lifespan of your inverter. Read on while I explain how heat saps your inverter’s efficiency—and your wallet. [Read more…]

3 phase wiring diagram for full home backup from Sungrow

So you have a 3-phase supply to your place, and you’d like solar with battery backup?

[Read more…]

Important Clarification;

The ACCC has issued an urgent recall for some Growatt hybrid inverters. When badly installed, these units can expose the user to a live, hazardous voltage while operating.

GoodWe grid connect inverters have also been recalled for a non compliant plug assembly, exposing the user to a live, hazardous voltage; if the grid supply cable is disconnected.

More details below.
[Read more…]

Solar newbies are often bemused as to why their rooftop solar shuts down during a grid outage. It seems counterintuitive, given that the idea of an alternative power supply is to generate electricity separately from the grid. [Read more…]

As we enter 2024, Australia’s solar capacity is so high that curtailment is sometimes necessary. [Read more…]

Solar panel technology has made incredible strides in recent years, significantly boosting rooftop energy production. Solar panel manufacturers have achieved this mostly by optimising their panels to push out more current than ever before. [Read more…]

You may have seen inverter companies promoting “battery-less backup” – a feature that lets you power lights and appliances with your solar panels during grid outages and without the need for batteries.
[Read more…]

Thanks for the image, Matt Hines

Certain products earn a loyal following for a reason, and Enphase, the world’s biggest microinverter maker, is no exception.

[Read more…]

Image: SMA (modified)

Got an old red SMA solar inverter that’s still kicking? These tough-as-nails units are a testament to when SMA ruled the roost in grid-connected solar tech in Australia. [Read more…]

Rooftop solar and battery owners often use monitoring apps to track energy, yet many neglect the apps’ full capabilities. Beyond mere tracking, these apps can be crucial for setting up fault alarms and alerts. [Read more…]