Energy Buys LLC (406)690-1572

What is an inverter?

An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current (DC) volts to alternating current (AC) to be used by appliances. In an off-grid solar system the DC volts produced by solar panels is first routed to a charge controller which is used to efficiently charge a battery bank. An inverter is then connected to the battery bank which then converts the DC volts into AC volts. In a grid-tied system, DC volts from the solar panels are directly converted by the inverter into AC volts without the need for a charge controller or batteries. Grid-tied systems with battery backup include an inverter that allows charging of a battery bank when grid power is available but can also charge the battery bank from the solar panels when they are producing power. When no grid power is available, the inverter converts the DC power in the battery bank to produce AC power. We sell all three types of inverters.