Depending on your home, electricity is transmitted with either a single-phase inverter or a 3-phase inverter. Read more about solar inverter here.
With a single-phase connection, all your appliances are all on the same phase (imagine a phase as a circuit). With a 3-phase connection and a 3 phase inverter, the electricity entering your home is divided into 3. The lights, for example, work on one phase while your dishware, fridge and bigger appliances are on the other two phases.
If you don’t have solar you may not even know the number of phase of your inverter, but it matters if you are looking at solar as your meter and inverter must be replaced.
If your inverter is a single-phase, a single phase solar will be installed.
For a 3-phase connection, different options are possible to connect your solar system to the grid:
- In most cases, the best option is to get a 3-phase solar inverter and connect the solar system to the 3 phases. For example, a 6kW system will be installed with a 3-phase inverter and the electricity will be fed evenly into each supply phase: 2kW per phase (circuit).
- Another option is to connect your solar system to only one of your supply phases with a single-phase inverter. Make sure your run an assessment to determine which of the phase has the heaviest load to connect your solar system. The main idea is to use as much solar power for self-consumption and not “waste” and send it to the grid.
- The last option is to install three single-phase inverter, one on each phase. This could be a more expensive option than a 3-phase inverter but all options are to consider.
If you have the choice of one single phase or a 3 phase inverter, the choice is up to you. A single-phase inverter will be cheaper but a 3-phase inverter is more robust because of the balanced phases and lower voltages on each phase.
Note that for systems under 5kW, you are looking at a single-phase inverter as 3-phase inverter usually starts at 5kW. Learn more about the best solar inverters in Australia.
If you are considering a solar power system or need some advice on which solar inverter would be the most suitable for your installation, call Energis on 1300 782 217.
