Market Research for OnGrid Inverters

[ongridmaster]

Hello,

I started to search for all the brands for ongrid inverters and created a spreadsheet sorted by price/watt.

I hope all of you can contribute to it so we'll know what is the cheapest product. I found the lowest price/watt to be 0.18$ . Lets see if we can find anything lower... Check my table here and post your findings so I can update it.

http://ongridmaster.blogspot.ro/p/brand-model-power-watts-price-watt.html

This is not a commercial link and I'm sorry if I'm not allowed to post URLs.


Thank you,
OnGrid Master

[inetdog]

Hello,

I started to search for all the brands for ongrid inverters and created a spreadsheet sorted by price/watt.

I hope all of you can contribute to it so we'll know what is the cheapest product. I found the lowest price/watt to be 0.18$ . Lets see if we can find anything lower... Check my table here and post your findings so I can update it.

<URL>

This is not a commercial link and I'm sorry if I'm not allowed to post URLs.


Thank you,
OnGrid Master

I approve of collecting data, but I also see that you are not comparing apples to apples.

The low price GTIs you list all seem to be plug-in units which are not UL-listed and are not legal to use in the US and most other countries. There is also a bit of a problem with providing price information on a particular model unit for which the parts and assembly quality may well vary greatly with time and the company may not be around next year.

I realize that your current listings are essentially quotes without comment, but someone who looks at your blog thinking that the various systems are in any way comparable will be on his way to a hopefully not too expensive mistake.

[ongridmaster]

I approve of collecting data, but I also see that you are not comparing apples to apples.

The low price GTIs you list all seem to be plug-in units which are not UL-listed and are not legal to use in the US and most other countries. There is also a bit of a problem with providing price information on a particular model unit for which the parts and assembly quality may well vary greatly with time and the company may not be around next year.

I realize that your current listings are essentially quotes without comment, but someone who looks at your blog thinking that the various systems are in any way comparable will be on his way to a hopefully not too expensive mistake.

Well, yes, there might not be a comparision with apples to apples but they are all inverters for on grid applications. Now, as I already stated in my page, we need more specifications to be compared like efficiency, UL approved, MPPT, output voltage, etc. The price was the leading comparision but now we have to sort out what other characteristics are important when you buy an inverter.

What you would consider when you buy an inverter ? Just the name of the brand ?

[russ]

Actually price is one of the last things to look at. Start with

UL or equivalent approval
Brand name that has a record
Legal to use for the application

As was noted - plug and play inverters are illegal junk most places - anyone hustling them is a thief.