What Is Solar Inverter Clipping?

Inverter clipping occurs when your solar inverter has reached maximum capacity for power output. To avoid damage, it will “clip” any additional power your solar panels produce. This is a standard operating condition when designing systems with an oversized panel array.

However, here’s why clipping is not such a big deal and why oversizing your panels is actually a good thing:

• Inverters have a minimum voltage. With an oversized solar panel system, the inverter(s) can start earlier in the day and work later, making up for energy lost through clipping.

• With a variety of factors such as seasonality and other external factors, your panels will rarely produce at their rated capacity and the production will change. This is why the PTC rating is better to use than the STC rating the panels are sold under.

• Solar panels naturally degrade over time and production lowers. Having a larger system helps negate this loss.

Of course, make sure to calculate what is the maximum amount of input your panels can take in from your panels. For example, the SolarEdge 7600 HD-Wave can take in a maximum of 11,800W. You can typically find out what the maximum input power is for the inverter on the datasheet.