Inverters, like all semiconductor-based equipment, are sensitive to overheating and, in general, operate best at cooler temperatures, while suffering power losses and damage at higher internal temperatures.
Sun & Heat: Too Much of a Good Thing
It’s well understood that heat affects PV modules – they are tested and rated at 25 degrees Celsius and every degree above that causes power output to drop by up to .5% per degree, depending on the type of semiconductor used.
The temperature of the module is directly affecting voltage and the two critical things to consider are the highest voltage at the lowest local temperature and the lowest voltage at the highest possible local temperature.
At the lowest temperature, string voltage cannot exceed the maximum input voltage of the inverter (typically 1000Vdc) and at the highest temperature, string voltage needs to be above the minimum startup voltage of the inverter’s MPPT algorithm (usually around 200Vdc, but ranges widely).
There is plenty of information available on the PV modue and temperature subject, including another Greentech Renewables tech article.
So How Does Heat Affect Inverters?
What is not as well understood is that heat also affects solar inverters. The reasons are not the same – although the solar inverter has semiconductor parts in it which loose efficiency as they heat up, the semiconductors themselves are pretty sturdy and can tolerate high heat without breaking down (to a point).
Thermal Gain & Runaway Heat: Death to Components & Sub-Assemblies
As the inverter works to convert DC power to AC power, it generates heat. This heat is added to the ambient temperature of the inverter enclosure, and the inverter dissipates the heat through fans and / or heat sinks. The heat needs to stay below a certain level at which the materials in the inverter will start to degrade. Insulation will become brittle, solder can expand and crack and metal components in capacitors can fatigue.
In order to keep the heat low, the inverter will stop generating power or reduce the amount of power it generates by “derating” as it passes programmed temperature milestones. Figure 1, below, from SMA, shows how an SMA inverter handles temperature derating. At about 45 degrees C. it starts to ramp down power.
This ramp-down of power can be prevented with six key system design considerations:
- Install inverters in cool locations (shaded wall rather than the roof).
- Choose locations with sufficient air exchange. Ensure additional ventilation when necessary.
- Do not expose inverters to direct sunlight. For outdoor installations, use existing shadows or covers for inverters.
- Maintain the minimum clearance to neighboring inverters or other objects given in the installation guide.
- Increase the clearance when it is foreseeable that higher temperatures could occur at the installation location.
- Arrange multiple inverters so that they do not draw in the warm air of other inverters. Offset passively cooled inverters to allow the heat from the heat sinks to escape upward.
Most inverters will derate at around 45 – 50 Degrees C. In the inhabited places of Planet Earth, temperature will rarely climb above 45 degrees C (113 Degrees F). So, simply putting the inverter in a shaded area with good airflow will almost always result in an inverter that doesn’t derate.
Comments
Hi, I live in Brisbane Australia where summer temperatures are frequently in high 30, low 40 degree C. I installed a simple 12V fan at the side of my inverter and have it on a time switch which kicks in at around 0930hrs and off again at 1500hrs. Internal temperature of Inverter dropped from 66*C to around 53/54*C on hot days. Still high, but got to help. See photos for details. Cheers.
That's great. Any air movement will increase heat transfer.
We are investigating an 8-9kwA system for our home. The space I'd like to use for the inverter is an outside closet/utility room of roughly 400 sq ft, or 4'd x 10'w x 10'h. I will have an 80 gal hybrid heat-pump water heater in the same space with the hopes that any heat produced by the inverter is transferred into the water through the heat-pump water. Now, the heat pump water heater also puts out chilled air once the heat is removed which I'd like to direct towards the inverter's fans to keep the operating temp in line. During cooler weather I would use a damper to redirect the cool output air from the water heater to the outside. In addition, for time when the inverter is not creating much heat I'll have an in-wall ventalator to bring warm air from inside the house into this utility room space.
Do inverters typically have a therms value associated with their heat production? Has anyone seen a similar set up and if not, does it seem like a reasonable set up to pursue?
Inverters can be very efficient (98%) at optimal voltage, so they don't produce "useful" heat - however, in this case it's a fantastic way to take advantage of the waste product of the two systems!
I was wondering why inverters typically don’t work in high elevation, like 10,000 ft plus. Do you know why?
Rachel,
This is actually a very interesting heat related question - because we often associate higher elevations with cooler temperatures. Inverters will work at any elevation, but they are only 'rated' for use below a specific elevation. This is because as elevatio increases, air density decreases - so the mass of the air flowing over the inverter becomes too low to effectively absorb and remove heat from the cooling surfaces of the inverter.
I had an 8kw Growatt inverter installed with my solar system, it worked for 7 months and then stopped, it’s showing an error code 102. Can you explain to me what this error code means and what I should do about it. My system has not been productive for the last 4 months. I am having so many issues with the company that I purchased it from. They are trying to palm off the faulty onto the energy provider
Thank you for you comment. Here is the Growatt 8 kW install manual. See page 65 for error code 12. Best of luck and thanks again.
Hello. I’d like to ask about use an air conditioning on a solar plant with more than 1 inverters. Our city usually reach 40 C around 12:00, using a thermal camera we can find temperature around 65-70C on the inverter. Do you think that using a ar conditioning on a solar plant with more than 2 inverter worth it?
Good morning, I have a Growat inverter in a 15.6Kwp system. Recently I observed a sudden drop in the power of the system and it did not return to the same level. Do you think that de-rating could be the cause of my problem?
I did not identify problems in the network, in the modules or faults registered in the inverter.
My AC on rv shut off due to the inverter shutting off due to excessive heat in my power barn. I don't like opening the door allowing other campers seeing all the money invested in my solar power barn especially if we run out to eat. Is there a slam door that is vented or a way to cool it off in there on days over 100 degrees?
My converter is located in my garage. When the temperature outside gets to 105° plus degrees, my garage gets yup to 125 ° plus. Any suggestions on how to cool down my inverter. My APS bills are $500 plus a month and I have 32 panels..