Everything You Need to Know About a Hybrid 3 phase Solar Inverter

If you are considering buying a solar inverter, you must have come across hybrid 3 phase solar inverters. So let us tell you exactly what a hybrid 3 phase solar inverter is in the simplest way possible.

The PV modules of your solar system produce direct current (DC), which is incompatible with household appliances. So, a solar inverter turns the DC power into usable AC (alternating current) power. 

A hybrid 3 phase solar inverter performs this function while simultaneously charging the solar batteries, saving the excess energy produced during the day. A much smarter device, these hybrid 3 phase inverters can execute various additional functions and have been established as an essential part of the future of solar systems. 

Read on to know more about how these solar inverters operate. 

How Does a Hybrid 3 phase Solar Inverter work?

Solar inverters take the direct current input voltage and give an alternating current power supply. These inverters could be a 3 phase solar inverter or a 1-phase output AC supply. A 3 phase solar inverter helps power large appliances at once, like an air conditioner, an electric car charger, a sauna, etc.

Next, let’s take a look at the different types of solar inverters.

Different Types of Solar Inverters

The three types of solar inverters that are most popular are string inverters, microinverters, and SolarEdge Optimiser. 

• String Inverters: These types of inverters are connected to a string of solar panels on the rooftop, also called a solar array.  
• Micro Inverters: Micro-inverters are smaller units directly connected to individual solar panels to convert the generated DC energy to AC electricity. To explain it simply, if your rooftop solar system has ten solar panels, you will have to attach ten microinverters to each of the panels. Micro inverters are marginally more expensive than string inverters. However, their high efficiency makes them worth it. 
• SolarEdge Optimiser: This solar inverter is actually a patent of the SolarEdge brand. It uses the maximum power point tracking technology to enhance the power of solar power systems. It is attached to all the solar panels in an array.

Technology Used by Solar Inverters

All solar inverters use either of the two different types of technologies to function. 

• Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Solar Inverter Technology – This technology provides a constant voltage output regardless of the load. However, now it’s an obsolete technology that’s no longer used. It used to be a favourite in the 90s.
• Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Solar Inverter Technology – The inverters that use MPPT technology are called MPPT solar inverters. They provide maximum efficiency, ranging from 95% to 97%, and are considered the best solar inverters. 

Now, let’s move on to the features of a hybrid 3 phase solar inverter.

Features of a hybrid 3 phase Solar Inverter

Here are some of the basic features.

• They do not require a transformer. Therefore, most hybrid solar inverters are transformerless.

• These types of inverters provide the highest percentage of efficiency – more than 98.3%-. They also have an extremely wide voltage range, reducing the chances of a voltage surge or overload. 

• The MPPT technology used by these inverters uses a maximum power point tracking design and an MPPT algorithm. 

• These inverters come with a safety monitoring app and are mostly Wi-Fi enabled, allowing users to check on the inverter remotely. 

• Hybrid 3 phase solar inverters come with a standard warranty of 5 years which can be extended up to 10 years.

3 phase Hybrid Solar Inverter: Product Specifications

Here are some common product specifications for all 3 phase solar inverters:

• Operating technology: All 3 phase solar inverters, nowadays, use the maximum power point tracking technology. 

• Types: Three types of solar inverters are available, as discussed above – string, microinverter, and SolarEdge optimiser. 

• Battery required: The battery support for each solar inverter varies depending on the energy requirements. You can opt for a 12V, 24V, 48V, 96V, or 120V capacity battery.

• Additional features: A 3 phase inverter typically has different features, including Wi-Fi, overcharging protection, GPRS, digital display, etc. In addition, it contains multiple switches which perform navigation control and the basic on and off switch. 
  
• Safety features: three phase solar inverters have over-current, short-circuit, DC reverse polarity, and output over-voltage protection. In addition, they offer grid monitoring, insulation resistance monitoring, and more. 

3 phase Hybrid Solar Inverter VS Normal Inverter

If you are wondering what the main differences between the two types of inverters are, then allow us to decode them for you:

• A 3 phase inverter can function with or without a battery, while a regular inverter cannot function without a battery. 
• A regular inverter can supply 230 V AC energy to the house through a solar battery when the power fails. Still, a three phase solar inverter can supply the same amount from the battery as well as solar panels.
• A 3 phase inverter can charge the battery from the solar modules and the grid power, giving it a dual charge facility. A normal inverter does not have this functionality.

Advantages and Disadvantages of 3 phase hybrid inverters

Here are the advantages of having 3 phase hybrid solar inverters:

• Environment friendly: It contributes as an important part of a renewable energy system, positively impacting the environment. 
• Great for small spaces: It requires minimum space for installation.
• No load restrictions: It does not have a load restriction. As for on-grid inverters, any extra energy is exported to the grid.

There is one limitation as well. A 3-phase hybrid inverter is expensive. It contributes 25% – 30% of the expenses incurred while setting up a solar power system. But the price is justified due to the warranty and increased efficiency of the power plant. 

Conclusion

All in all, hybrid 3 phase inverters are a superpower in the world of solar systems. They convert DC to AC like any regular solar inverter while simultaneously charging the solar batteries. 

All good things come at a price, so it shouldn’t be surprising that 3 phase inverters are slightly expensive too. However, take heart that if you decide to invest in one, its multifaceted usage, user-friendly specs, green energy, and compact body, amongst others, will never fail to serve you!

FAQs

Q. What should I keep in mind while buying a 3 phase solar inverter?

You should pay attention to the key specifications of the device. Some of them are – the type of inverter, the technology used, the warranty period, capacity, and so on.

Q2. How to install a 3-phase inverter?

You just need to connect the positive and negative terminals of the inverter with the battery. Besides, it’s always a wise decision to leave such delicate work in the hands of experts. 

Q3. How many modules should I install with the 3-phase solar inverter?

Divide the total wattage required by the wattage of the module you have. For example,

1000 watts/300 watts = 3.33 

In this case, you need 3 PV modules.