With any electrical installation, safety is always the highest priority. Our Enphase Microinverter AC Solar System comes with a range of advantages over other approaches to solar, and improved safety is one of them. On this page, we look at the two main ways that this is achieved.
A fundamental difference between AC solar and DC solar is how they transform DC to AC:
DC solar: transforms DC to AC at a single inverter, inside the house
AC solar: transforms DC to AC at each panel
You can read more about this process here. What’s important is that with AC solar, it does away with two disadvantages of the DC string system:
- No high voltage DC on the rooftop
- No need for a DC isolator switch
AC Solar – A Low Voltage Solution
In a DC solar series circuit, each panel added to the system increases the voltage of the circuit. AC solar works differently. Instead of carrying high-voltage DC to a central inverter, AC solar microinverters work on a per-panel basis, producing a low individual voltage of between 48-60V, even less than the voltage of an electrical fan. With no high voltages on the rooftop, a safer solution is created. (SRC: Enphase)
DC Isolator Switch Failure
In Australia, in a DC installation, a DC isolator switch has the purpose to switch off DC current if necessary for safety reasons. Unfortunately, the DC isolator switch is a common point of failure. Failure of this component may result in DC arcing, which may cause injury or fire.
In an AC Solar system, there is no need for a DC isolator switch. By removing the need for this switch, a simpler, safer solar solution is created.
Would You Like to Know More?
If you’re interested in learning more about a solar solution or getting a quote, please contact our team. We service Noosa and surrounding suburbs.
