The difference between small inverter and microinverter?

02 Jan

Small inverterIt is a general term referring to inverters with relatively low power, without a strict upper power limit, usually ranging from several hundred watts to several kilowatts.Designed to adapt to small-capacity DC power sources, such as small off-grid solar panels, portable energy storage batteries, and backup power supplies for RVs/yachts.Common types include off-grid pure sine wave inverters and small grid-tied inverters.
Micro inverterIt is a specialized term, specifically referring to inverters with extremely low power (generally tens of watts to several hundred watts) that are directly installed on the back of a single photovoltaic module.Its core function is to directly convert the direct current of a single solar panel into alternating current. As a core component of distributed grid-tied photovoltaic systems, it is only applicable to grid-tied photovoltaic scenarios.

Feature	Small inverter	Micro inverter
Connection Method	Can be connected to strings of multiple series/parallel solar panels, or directly connected to energy storage batteries	One-to-one adaptation to a single photovoltaic module, installed on the back of the module
System Structure	A simplified version of "centralized" or "string-type" inverters, where one inverter corresponds to multiple panels or one energy storage unit	A "distributed" structure, with independent inversion for each solar panel and no single point of failure in the system
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)	Usually equipped with 1 or 2 MPPT channels to track the maximum power of the entire string	Each micro inverter is equipped with an independent MPPT to accurately track the maximum power of a single solar panel without being affected by shading

Small inverter
- Core Scenarios: Off-grid photovoltaic systems (e.g., household backup power supplies, outdoor camping power supply), portable energy storage, and small grid-tied systems (adapted to low-power photovoltaic arrays).
- Advantages: High flexibility, compatible with various DC sources such as solar panels and batteries; low cost and easy installation; support for switching between off-grid and grid-tied modes.
Micro inverter
- Core Scenarios: Residential distributed grid-tied photovoltaic systems and commercial rooftop photovoltaics (especially for scenarios with complex roof orientations and high shading risks).
- Advantages: Failure of a single solar panel will not affect the entire system; strong anti-shading capability, resulting in higher power generation efficiency than string-type inverters; no need for high-voltage DC wiring, ensuring higher safety; plug-and-play support for convenient later maintenance.

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