How to connect a bidirectional energy storage inverter

Should I add a bidirectional inverter to my solar power system?

Adding a bidirectional inverter to your solar power system makes it more efficient, provides a higher safety standard, and gives more flexibility for charging options (which comes in handy when sunlight is scarce). But before we tackle those, let’s go through a typical solar plus storage setup to highlight the impact of bidirectional inverters.

Why should you use a bidirectional inverter during a power outage?

During an outage, a bidirectional inverter will immediately switch your power source from the AC outlet to your battery. This is the reason why bidirectional inverters are considered nowadays when it comes to Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) feature. However, you should take this information with a grain of salt.

Should you buy a bidirectional inverter?

For us, a bidirectional inverter is for green energy consumers who put a ton of value on high-quality electricity 24/7. When shopping around for inverters, your main considerations should revolve around costs, power requirements, protection, and reliability. There are intangibles, too, like post-purchase service, warranties, and product reviews.

What is a bi-directional converter?

Bi-directional converters use the same power stage to transfer power in either direction in a power system. This helps reduce peak demand tariff, reduces load transients, and enables quick changes in the direction of power transfer. They have high efficiency, up to 97% at power levels up to 22KW.

Can a bidirectional inverter charge a battery from an AC outlet?

With a bidirectional inverter, you get extra options regarding where your power comes from. In the other figure, you can see that bidirectional inverters allow you to charge your battery from your AC outlet. More about this later.

What are the benefits of using bi-directional converters?

Bi-directional converters reduce peak demand tariff, reduce load transients, and provide V2G capabilities with quick power transfer direction changes. They also offer high efficiency (>97%) at power levels up to 22KW. These converters use the same power stage to transfer power in either direction in a power system.