Everyday solar · 2 min read · Updated 30 September 2026
What is a solar inverter, and why does it matter?
The inverter is the brain of a solar system. Here's what it does, why its size matters and what a hybrid inverter is.
What it does
- Converts the panels' DC power into the AC power your home uses.
- Works out, second by second, whether to power the home, charge a battery or export.
- Records what your system makes, which you can usually see in an app.
Why the size matters
Inverters are rated in kilowatts (kW). It's normal, and allowed within limits, for the panels to add up to a bit more than the inverter's rating, because panels rarely make their full rating at once. We size the inverter to your panels for you.
String or hybrid?
A string inverter handles solar only. A hybrid inverter also manages a battery. If you're getting a battery now, or think you will, a hybrid saves replacing the inverter later.
Revo's tipYour inverter usually lives on an outside wall or in the garage near the switchboard. Somewhere shaded and out of the weather helps it last.