Off grid solar system is usually required in critical cases, where it's a must to build it. Like remote areas where no exist of utility power grid or areas that usually subjected to power outage due to storms or any other environmental conditions.
Off grid solar system is more complex in installation than on grid solar system, as it requires more components like charge controller and batteries, so it needs higher technical skills and costs more. Although of this, off grid solar system market grows and most of suppliers / manufacturers try to save the cost and complexity by searching and implements new techniques and services that you should pay attention for as following:
1. Off grid solar system package
One of supplier / manufacturers ways to make the off-grid system easier is to provide as a package. The package should contain solar panels & solar charge controller & inverter & accessories, so you just connect / assemble the system and run, the good thing is you don't need to contact the supplier anymore as you have all parts in the package.
2. Choosing the most flexible off grid inverter
The solar off grid inverter is the brain of off grid system, the more flexibility of the inverter the more easy and reliable off grid solar system you get. For instance, getting the off-grid inverter that incorporate charge controller instead of separate one, also the capability of the inverter to be connected with both external generator and power grid is an important feature. Moreover, getting the feature of inverter capability to sell back excess energy to power grid is great profitable feature to the end user.
3. Solar off grid inverter capability to be stacked with another inverter
What amazing feature! Usually after building your off grid solar system, you will be needing to oversize, so can add more loads (appliances, equipment and so on) to your system, it's easy to extend solar panels but can you add a second inverter? The answer is yes, as long as your first inverter is accepting this (stackable inverter). So, we recommend to pay attention to this feature when buying your first/main inverter.
4. After sales services
Because usually the solar off grid system exist in remote areas, then troubleshooting will require long time to be done, also will be costly in some cases if spare parts will be needed. So, take care to get solar inverter with long warranty period and dealing with good trusted supplier that has installed many off grid solar system for many years, moreover you need to ask the supplier to provide references. One thing that can make troubleshooting quicker is remote monitoring system, so we should check with the supplier the capability of applying good effective monitoring system.
