SolarEdge Logo
star star star star_half star_border

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: June 28th, 2024

SolarEdge is a global manufacturer of smart energy technologies and products. The company has combined industry-leading engineering tactics with innovation to continue to be a leader among other manufacturers. The smart energy solutions developed by SolarEdge allow home and property owners to power properties while pushing the limits of solar energy. 

The company was officially founded in 2006 and its development and manufacturing efforts quickly took the industry by storm. SolarEdge is known for its development of the DC optimized inverter. This technology transformed the way energy is harnessed from the sunlight and then utilized in PV solar systems.

This development paved the way for the SolarEdge intelligent inverter which maximizes energy generation while lowering the cost of the energy produced by the solar system. 

Today, SolarEdge offers products for residential, commercial, and large-scale utility usage. The manufacturing efforts put out a number of energy efficiency products like PV, battery storage and backup systems, EV charging stations, home energy management tactics, grid solutions, and even virtual power plants. 

Top Ranked Companies

thumb_up

The Good

  • PV Inverters Offered
  • Peak Efficiency Rating
  • Compatible Whole Home Battery
  • Individual Panel Optimization and Monitoring

PV Inverters Offered

For nearly two decades SolarEdge has worked to put out some of the highest performing solar inverters on the market. For residential clients, SolarEdge offers a number of inverter lines to choose from, including:

  • SolarEdge Home Hub Inverters
  • SolarEdge Home Wave Inverters
  • Three Phase Inverters

Not all manufacturers offer different inverter lines, especially in the residential market. However, SolarEdge continues to expand its product offerings while bolstering the technology that put the company on the map. 

Peak Efficiency Rating

The biggest differentiator when it comes to SolarEdge inverters is their efficiency capabilities. The peak efficiency rating measures how well energy harnessed from the sun is managed by the system overall. The higher the efficiency rating, the better the product performs. Typically, the higher the efficiency rating, the greater ROI on the system overall as well.

SolarEdge inverters feature a staggering 99.2 percent peak efficiency rating. This is by far the best efficiency level on the market. Homeowners looking to maximize efficiency and savings would benefit from a SolarEdge inverter. 

Compatible Whole Home Battery

Not only does SolarEdge offer high quality inverters, but its inverters are compatible with a whole home battery providing parietal or full-home backup power when needed. 

A total of three SolarEdge home batteries can be connected per inverter installed, which offers industry leading storage and backup numbers. Homeowners would no longer be dependent on the utility grid as SolarEdge offers solutions that minimize the effects inclement weather has on the power supply. Not all manufacturers offer compatible parts to offer this level of independence and stability. 

Individual Panel Optimization and Monitoring

The presence of the DC optimizer and the installation techniques used to fit them to each panel allow for individual panel optimization. That means each and every panel is custom built to provide the most efficient performance possible.

Additionally, this individual panel optimization allows for individual panel monitoring. This is what sets SolarEdge apart from the rest of the industry. Having the ability to monitor each piece of equipment is vital for those that have systems installed on rooftops with potential shading problems. Other inverter manufacturers cannot offer these features. 

thumb_down

The Bad

  • Additional Equipment
  • Potential Failure Points

Additional Equipment

A major downside to SolarEdge inverters is the additional equipment required for installation and maximization of performance efficiency. In order to work as designed, all SolarEdge inverters require the installation of an additional DC optimizer. While this equipment has tremendous upside, it can cause potential issues. 

A DC optimiser must be installed and correctly fitted to each panel. This additional installation work and equipment will add to the total cost of the inverters and the system as a whole. So if the cost is a huge aspect of decision making when it comes to picking an inverter, SolarEdge may not be the best solution. Other inverters on the market do not require this additional technology providing cheaper options. 

Potential Failure Points

With the need for additional equipment, there is a domino effect in terms of how that affects the entire solar initiative. The need for DC optimizers on each panel requires additional connectivity points. The reason homeowners hire professional solar installers is because of the knowledge needed to install these systems correctly.

By adding more equipment to the overall network, there is the potential for future failure points. If connection of each piece of equipment is not done perfectly, there is a good chance there will be issues in the future. Other inverters do not require this additional equipment, thus lowering the chances of these failure points. 

gavel

The Bottom Line

SolarEdge is a manufacturing leader within the inverter market and keeps its competition in check. Through SolarEdge, residential property owners can take advantage of a number of available products. 

Where SolarEdge truly shines is its ability to put out products that maximize efficiency. The SolarEdge inverters are no different boasting the industry’s best peak efficiency rating. The SolarEdge inverters are compatible with the SolarEdge Home Battery which allows for energy independence and decreases reliance on the utility grid. Another key element of the SolarEdge inverter is its individual panel optimization and monitoring capabilities. 

There are a host of reasons to consider SolarEdge inverters when installing a PV system, but there are drawbacks to the brand as well. For example, SolarEdge inverters will require the installation of additional equipment. This additional equipment is why SolarEdge inverters are so efficient. With additional equipment and connection requirements, there is an increased chance for failure points throughout the inner workings of the system.

Those looking for highly efficient inverters that can be easily monitored and provide increased energy independence would likely benefit from what SolarEdge offers. However, those looking for the cheapest inverter option may want to consider other products. 

View Best Solar Inverter Companies

Was this content helpful?
thumb_up Yes thumb_down No

Star Rating

info

3.6

star star star star_half star_border

11 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

36%

4 grade

18%

3 grade

18%

2 grade

18%

1 grade

9%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

star star star star star_border

Quality

star star star star star_border

Service

star star star star star_border

Trustworthiness

star star star star star_border
cancel

Filter by:

arrow_drop_down

Sort by:

arrow_drop_down
info
star star star_border star_border star_border

Grackle Quiscalus

We Bought our house in Nov 2023. Could not complete purchase without obtaining the contract for the solar panels from  Solar Mosaic. The previous owner was delinquent 3 months and our realtor paid it so we could move in. It installed in 2021 for $42,000. We took the contract at $40,000. Two weeks ago we received an electric bill of $131, usually $40. We contacted Mosaic and they redirected us to Freedom Forever the warranty holders (we were unaware of this company). This is when we learned that the warranty was still in the previous owner's name but we were told to provide a deed of trust which we provided. A week later we received an email that stated in short form you had 20 days after purchase of the home to switch the warranty. Nobody informed us. The homeowners neglected to tell us, the realtor and lender were unaware of it. Freedom Forever and Mosaic both say oh well there's nothing we can do. We asked so there's no longer a warranty even though it has a 25yr warranty. They just repeated your not the owner and providing their policy of "within 20 days of escrow" over and over again. We're not being reimbursed for the outages, nor will they acknowledge we should be on the account even though we pay Mosaic $172mo since December.

5 months ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star_border

Osotomilayo

One of the things I appreciate most about my SolarEdge inverter is its ability to store excess power for later use. This feature has allowed me to become more self-sufficient and reduce my reliance on the grid.

8 months ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star_border

Alicia James

Solar Edge is a good solar company to work with. They have a great app to monitor how many kW our panels are bringing in. This helps you know if there is an issue with the pannels. It was obvious we had a connection issue after a major storm because our kW were very low on sunny days. The company sent repair people right away to fix the issue at no extra cost to us.

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Sherry Betts Apache Junction, AZ

I absolutely love my solar panels and SolarEdge. They have a fantastic app that you can track your usage. When I had my roof replaced I saw on the app that I was not getting power. I called and got immediate service.

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star_border star_border

David Adrian Morales Weslaco, TX

These are inexpensive inverters for a reason. Not the greatest working inverters. Not the easiest to install and wire. They malfunction quite a bit. I serviced many of these and troubleshooting was not fun. Dealing with customer service was ok and had to be done in order to get bad inverters replaced. The app that lets you see whats producing isnt great and could use a reboot.

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Cameron Litza Oroville, CA

The app to monitor and track your power production is super simple and easy to use. You can see live production, and daily, weeky, monthly and yearly stats.

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star_border star_border star_border star_border

Val Hai Aurora, CO

We got SolarEdge SE6000H installed in 2021, as advertised to be 99% efficient. We have nothing but troubles whit this one and now is dead and need to be replaced under warranty, which will cost me money because labor is not included and time what I need to wait is unknown (best time of the year for solar and my system is not working again). Biggest problem is I pay for the inverter and I own it but they refuse to give me access to the system (only company installer can access it). I don't want any company to deal with my system since I own it on 100% but they don't care. At the moment I'm making research and planning to switch to another inverter, but this time will check before buy. Not recommend SolarEdge, false advertise.

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Guy Honolulu, HI

Very happy with the solar edge inverter Like the app that comes with It’s works well with my solar panels

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star_border star_border star_border

James Walker Lithonia, GA

The app is so confusing to use and I can’t get any help when I need it . Don’t even seem like my solar panels are working . This was a waste of money

1 year ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star_border star_border

Hope Miami, FL

SolarEdge inverters are realistic, by the time I have used it stores power for good time.

10 months ago

check_circle

Review Source

star star star star star

Kelley Johnson Phoenix, AZ

Great Inverters Much better then old school string technology

1 year ago