Articles

Is it better to install solar inverters indoors or outdoors?

install solar inverters indoors
5/5 - (1 vote)

Your inverter is a crucial part of your solar system, and many people wonder if they should install solar inverters indoors or outdoors. It is extremely important to choose a good product and also to have it installed correctly, at the best spot possible. There are advantages and disadvantages of all the major brands of inverters to consider before choosing the right one for you.

Most solar inverters can be installed outside, but it is recommended to install them inside if possible. If it is not possible to have them inside, they should be out of the elements.

There are many other things to consider besides weather exposure when choosing where to install your solar inverter. If you’re, to don’t know if you should install a solar inverter indoor or outdoor, we recommend that you read this article to the end.

 pas-solar advice

Can solar inverters be installed outside?

It is not recommended to install your solar inverter outside. As mentioned above, you should ideally have your solar inverter installed somewhere safe. For homes, indoor solar inverter installation in modern homes usually means installing them in the garage.

 

Can solar inverters be used indoors?

Can-solar-inverters-be-used-indoors

Ideally, it is best to install solar inverters indoors. But if you cannot install the solar inverter indoors, we would look for an area close to the solar panel for sale in uae that is not exposed to the weather. Most inverters are rated at least IP56, which means they can technically be anywhere outdoors, and you generally won’t void your solar inverter’s warranty by installing it outside, fully exposed to the elements.

However, significant sunlight falling on the inverter housing will wear away the materials over the years. Also, if your inverter is in the sun, and it is very hot, it will run less efficiently than a cold inverter. Also, constant rain falling on your inverter during heavy rain is certainly not a good thing.

 

What other considerations are there for the location of my solar inverter?

There are a few other things to consider besides exposure to the weather.

The solar inverter needs to be in the Wi-Fi range

For homes, a key consideration is where there is Wi-Fi coverage. Connecting your solar inverter to your home Wi-Fi will mean you can monitor the performance of the solar system remotely from your smart device or PC. With a remotely monitored solar array, you can always know if your solar power is working as it should.

If there is ever a problem with poor performance and a failure with a product, it can often be diagnosed remotely, saving time and money by sending someone out to the property.

A simple method to check the strength of your Wi-Fi connection is to stand at the chosen inverter location with your smartphone and get connected to the Wi-Fi network. You can then use your phone to see what the signal strength is. Your inverter will require a fairly strong signal to ensure a constant stream of data. But if you don’t want to risk having a poor Wi-Fi connection, you need to install solar inverters indoors.

Distance from the switchboard

The further away from the main switchboard or sub-panel, your inverter is located, the less efficient it can be. There are a lot of variables here, and you can often easily increase the size of the wire going back to the board to solve the efficiency issue. However, longer and larger cables mean a higher cost, so it’s always best to install solar inverters indoors if possible.

 

Aesthetics: what does a solar inverter look like, and where should I place it?

For most designers, their main job is to design the most efficient solar system possible. With this in mind, the aesthetic side of inverters and where the inverters and solar panels like the Canadian Solar Panels are located is not a priority. Even the best solar inverters can sometimes be unpleasant to look at.

However, we also understand that your home is where you live, and you want to make sure your inverter does not turn into an eyesore where all your neighbors can see it day after day. That’s why it’s ideal to install solar inverters indoors.

 

Will there be an external conduit if my inverter is installed outside?

Will-there-be-an-external-conduit-if-my-inverter-is-installed-outside

We will always try to avoid running external conduit (conduit is the case around cables) whenever possible. However, especially with two-story houses, this is not always possible. If aesthetics are important to you, and you don’t like the look of the outside conduit running through the wall of the house, be sure to check with your solar installer. While this can be minimized, sometimes it is necessary to create an efficient solar array.

You may have been wondering “Can solar inverters be installed inside”? But now, hopefully, you’ve got the answer. As we mentioned above, it’s always better to install solar inverters indoors, but there may be situations where that’s not possible, in which case we’d advise you to contact a solar inverter supplier in uae.

pas-solar advice

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *