TL;DR
A string inverter is a single wall-mounted unit that converts the combined DC output of series-connected solar panel groups, the strings, into household AC power. It costs less than microinverter systems and concentrates maintenance at one accessible box, but each string performs at the level of its weakest panel, so shade on one module drags down its whole string unless DC optimizers are added.
What it means
A string inverter is a single wall-mounted unit that converts the combined DC output of series-connected solar panel groups, the strings, into household AC power. It costs less than microinverter systems and concentrates maintenance at one accessible box, but each string performs at the level of its weakest panel, so shade on one module drags down its whole string unless DC optimizers are added. Typical residential units last 10 to 15 years, meaning one replacement during the panels' lifetime is built into honest financial projections.
Where it sits in the glossary
String inverter is part of the Trade jargon group inside the ProFix Directory glossary. Browse every term in this category from the glossary index.
Why Ohio homeowners should know it
This is a term Ohio homeowners encounter when reading contractor quotes, hiring paperwork, or inspection reports. Understanding it well enough to ask one good follow-up question is usually all the protection a homeowner needs.
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See also
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