Tesla’s New Solar Panel Micro Inverter

As most solar enthusiasts know, Tesla has taken to bringing more and more of their products in house. They produce their own cars, Powerwalls and now they’ve added another component to the mix: the solar panel micro inverter.

A solar panel micro inverter is the hardware that sits between your panels and the electricity grid, converting DC power from your solar array to AC power for use in your home. It’s also what allows your solar system to continue working during a blackout, or in island mode as it’s known.

The new inverter comes in two different sizes, 3.8 kW and 7.6 kW, and is designed to match with each of Tesla’s standard system size options: small, medium and large. It also has four maximum power point trackers, or MPPTs, to allow you to connect up to four separate strings of solar panels.

One of the big things that sets this inverter apart is that it can be updated over the air. In the same way that your phone or car gets software updates over wifi, you can do the same with your Tesla inverter to keep it up to date and optimised for performance.

Another unique feature is that the inverter will comply with rapid shutdown requirements, allowing your entire system to switch off automatically from the grid under certain conditions. This will make it far easier for customers to get their solar systems connected to the electricity grid, and should mean fewer site visits by installers as well.