Your inverter only needs to be replaced at the point of failure. Doing so before that point is unnecessary and costly. Inverters typically last between 5-10 years, with the average lifespan of an inverter being 7 years. If you are worried about your inverter, check for the following things:
If your inverter is old and showing signs of fault, you can choose to optimise your panels through Solar Edge. Solar Edge is a remote monitoring platform which allows you to see how well your system is performing. Optimisation is done by placing small black boxes like these on the underside of the panels, which then regulate the charge along your panels. So if one of your panels is partially shaded, the efficiency of your array won’t be compromised, as the charge is regulated between all the panels.
This also allows you to monitor your entire solar system, and easily report any faults with your inverter, optimisers or panels.
We have been getting a lot of reports from our customers about companies and individuals targeting homes with solar arrays, and suggesting that their inverters should be replaced when they are not faulty. We have also heard they recommend monitoring systems such as Solar Edge where they are not needed. If you are concerned, or have questions about somebody turning up at your house unannounced to check your solar system, be wary and call us if you are unsure what to do.
Many of these companies will ask you to pay a deposit for the suggested works: we urge you not to do this unless you are certain the company and their claims are legitimate.
