Solar inverters convert the DC power produced by your panels into the AC power your home actually uses. The two dominant architectures are string inverters, where an array of panels feeds a single centralized inverter, and micro inverters, where each panel gets its own small inverter mounted directly at the module.
String inverters are typically less expensive up front and are a solid fit for unshaded, uniformly-oriented arrays. Their weakness is that the whole string performs at the level of its weakest panel — shading, soiling, or a single underperforming module drags the entire string down.
Micro inverters remove that constraint by operating each panel independently. If one module is shaded or dirty, the rest of the array keeps producing at full output. They also make per-panel monitoring straightforward, which is useful for diagnosing issues years into the system's life.
For most residential rooftops we install today — with mixed orientations, chimneys, dormers, or partial afternoon shade — micro inverters usually deliver the better long-term energy harvest and the simpler service story.
