Solar Panel & Inverter Compatibility Checker

A general rule is to size your inverter at 80–100% of your total panel wattage. A 2,000W string inverter works well with 2,000–2,500W of panels. Oversizing the array slightly (up to 120–130%) is called "DC clipping" and is acceptable — the inverter limits output at its rated power. Going too small (below 75% of panel wattage) wastes significant production during peak sun hours.

In a string inverter system, mixing different wattages or brands in the same string is problematic — the lowest-performing panel in the string limits output for all panels in that string (the "Christmas light effect"). Microinverters or DC optimisers (like Enphase IQ or SolarEdge Power Optimisers) solve this: each panel gets its own electronics, so panel mismatch has no effect on neighbouring panels.

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is the algorithm an inverter uses to continuously adjust its input impedance to extract maximum power from the panels regardless of temperature, shading, or cloud cover changes. Nearly all modern grid-tied and hybrid inverters include MPPT. For compatibility, what matters is the inverter's MPPT input voltage window (e.g., 150–600V) and the number of MPPT inputs — your panel string voltage must fall within that window at all temperatures to avoid under-voltage or over-voltage errors.

A string inverter is a single unit that converts DC from multiple panels connected in series. It's cheaper per watt but vulnerable to shading — any shaded panel reduces the entire string's output. A microinverter is mounted on each individual panel and converts DC to AC at the panel level. Microinverters cost more but allow panel-level monitoring, handle shading gracefully, and eliminate single-point-of-failure risk. Enphase dominates the microinverter market; SMA, SolarEdge, and Fronius lead in string inverters.