Fronius Inverter Solar Systems

1 of 4

The Solar Panel

The module itself — glass, cells and an aluminium frame. The part everybody pictures when they think “solar,” and the part that fails least often.

Specs & why they matter

Typically 400–500 W per module on a residential roof today
Tempered glass over crystalline-silicon cells in an anodised aluminium frame
Power output is normally warranted for 25 years — the longest-lived part of the system
Degrades slowly and predictably, so a sudden drop in production almost never starts here

2 of 4

The Back of the Panel

No per-panel electronics on a string system — just the backsheet, the junction box and the rail. The modules are wired in series, which is why what happens to one panel can affect the rest of the string.

Specs & why they matter

No per-panel electronics — the modules are wired in series as one string
Fewer parts on the roof, which is the main argument for a string design
The trade-off: the string is measured as a whole, so one weak panel pulls on the rest
Rapid shutdown is handled at the array, to NEC 690.12

3 of 4

The Fronius Inverter

Almost square, which is the quickest way to tell it apart from the others on a wall. No screen at all — one touch-sensitive button and two indicator lights, with the connection area behind its own separate cover.

Specs & why they matter

97.6% maximum efficiency
Two independent MPPT trackers, so two roof planes can run on one inverter
Actively cooled by a regulated fan — a serviceable part, which is unusual and useful
PV Point provides a 3,000 VA backed-up socket during an outage with no battery required
No screen — one touch-sensitive button and two indicator lights
Lifts off its wall bracket for service without disturbing the wiring
Nearly square, which is the quickest way to pick it out on a wall

4 of 4

Monitoring & the Smart Meter

The meter and the connection that report what the array is making and what the house is using. The piece almost nobody checks — and the reason so many systems sit half-broken for months.

Specs & why they matter

Reports at the string, through the inverter’s own data connection
A Fronius Smart Meter added at the panel is what separates what you used from what you exported
Solar.web keeps the history, which is the only way to prove a system has slipped

Fronius Solar Inverter Systems

The Solar Panel

The Back of the Panel

The Fronius Inverter

Monitoring & the Smart Meter