Solis Inverters – In Brief:
Solis are a reliable brand of mid-budget solar power inverters suitable for residential use. The company is very active in manufacturing components and control systems for the small-scale renewable industry.
The company has a worldwide network of distributors and has been a major player in the sector for over 18 years. As they developed in the global market, Solis inverters have gained a reputation for being a reliable and efficient product, with decent after-sales service, able to provide the customer with good value for money. Solis offer a five-year warranty on their inverters, extendable to ten years.
Solis Company Overview:
Solis is a brand of Ginlong. The company was established in Ningbo, China in 2005, specialising in the production and sales of small wind turbine systems and components for renewables including off-grid inverters, grid-connected inverters, smart controllers, permanent magnet generators and several other mechanical parts for wind turbines. Solis currently has 20GW annual inverter production capacity.
In 2016, the company received the China solar industry’s Most Innovative Enterprises Awards in various categories for their advanced and effective inverters. Their notable selling point is that all their inverters go through a particularly-rigorous testing process to ensure the highest level of quality control for their products.
Solis Inverter Specifications
Solis Residential Energy Storage Inverters
RHI-(3-6)K-48ES-5G
This range of five models of hybrid inverter can accept maximum power of 7-8 KW DC input from the solar panels at a maximum efficiency of over 97.5%.
- Uninterrupted power supply, 20ms reaction
- 5kW backup power to support greater loads
- Multiple working modes to make maximise flexibility
- Higher charge-discharge efficiency, improving the economic benefits
- AFCI protection, proactively reduces fire risk
- Fanless design, long lifespan
- Dual MPPT – for more flexible installation
- Compatible with both lithium and lead-acid batteries, giving users more choice
- Intelligent EMS function, improving battery’s reliability
- With high-frequency isolation technology, ensuring the system safety and increasing
- Lifespan
- 24-hour fully intelligent energy management, real-time monitoring of solar power
- system status
- Remote control and upgrade function, enabling easy system maintenance
The unit is rated at IP 65: this is an international standard for weatherproofing and means it is sealed from ingress of dust and liquids (that is, rainwater), so it can be sited outside, although it is usually best to ensure the inverter is protected from the weather where possible.
Solis is rapidly becoming a homeowner’s favourite inverter. The Solis inverter price point is good value for the quality of its build. As batteries come down in price, they are ideal to pair with solar panels/inverters. So by adding energy storage to the system, users can pull the maximum amount of power from their array.
Even if you don’t have or can’t currently afford battery storage, if you have a Solis hybrid inverter, then the system can be easily upgraded in the future.
Solis Inverter Pros and Cons
Pros
- Solis inverters are amongst the best value in the marketplace
- Their rigorous testing regime means only the best products reach the sales force
- Wi-Fi or GPRS monitoring and control is user-friendly
Cons
- A shorter warranty than some comparable products
Advantages of Hybrid Inverters
- They increase generated power usage from 30% to 70%
- Solar and storage systems confer independence from ever-increasing energy prices
- They ensure protection from power outages
- These systems reduce stress on the grid and cut emissions
- Solis inverters offer remote monitoring with simple data reading
Some consumers have noted that Solis inverters outperform their competitors by a few percent during low-light conditions and in the winter months. This suggests that Solis products might well be a good fit with the inclement British weather.
These Solis power inverter units use a system of Dual Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) which enables the inverter to optimise the match between the solar panels, and the battery bank or the grid connection. To put it simply, they ensure a better match between higher voltage DC output from solar panels down to the lower voltage needed to charge batteries or feed into the grid, under a wide variety of weather conditions. This means a higher, more stable power output.
As with all inverters, they are best installed under cover, preferably in an attic, garage or utility room. Inverters can be placed outside (they are weatherproof to IP65 standard) but being exposed to the weather could reduce their lifespan and make them more vulnerable to maintenance issues. If outside, it is best to buy a cover to place over the inverter.
The Benefits of Buying from ESE Group – A Comprehensive Annual Health Check
ESE group offers a yearly health check of your solar power system. This gives you peace of mind, ensures maximum lifespan for the components, and can pick up potential problems at an early stage.
The maintenance package offers unlimited call-outs, Parts & Labour on all repairs, Unlimited Telephone & Technical Support, and also covers lost energy generation due to a fault within the system.
What’s covered by the Annual Comprehensive Health Check?
- Visual inspection of all panels
- Solar inverters
- Inspect all inverters, ensuring fully operational
- Check generation readings
- Check all cable connections
- Voltage and current check
- Photovoltaic module string test
- Junction box, isolator, distribution board and
- Cabling inspection
- Meter check
- Labelling/schematic check
- Energy production analysis
- Roof condition alert
- Check all cabling and connections from Solar
- PV system to mains supply
Homeowners have saved over £5 million in servicing and repair costs over the last 12 months alone because of this health check system.
FAQs
Q: Can the solar panels be sited on roofs facing different directions?
A: Yes, with the Dual MPPT system, the siting of the panels can be optimised and the inverter will compensate for this.
Q: How long will they last?
A: Most inverters can be expected to have ten years of continuous operation before a major failure. This is less than solar panels (25 years) because inverters are complex and have more components to go wrong.
Q: What happens if something fails or the display shows ‘fault’?
A: The best thing is to call ESE technicians and read the error message from the inverter so they can remedy the problem.
Q: What is an IP 65 Rating ?
A: It is an international standard for the safety of enclosures containing electrical equipment. Essentially it means that the electrical equipment is weatherproof and can be sited outside.
Solis Inverter Summary
Solis inverters are a very good solution for most residential solar arrays. They are robust and reliable, and perform very well in winter and low-light conditions, helping users to squeeze every last KW out of their panels. They are compatible with all battery systems on the market. Over recent years the company has received praise for their rigorous quality control, ensuring their products meet the highest standards in the industry. Overall, Solis hybrid inverters represent very good value for money in a home power generation setup.
