Comparisons
Solar equipment comparisons
Technical differences between panels, inverters and batteries, explained with no brands and no hidden affiliations, so you can decide with judgement.
In short
These comparisons contrast, on technical criteria and without brands, the most common equipment decisions in a Colombian solar project: types of panels, types of inverters and lithium versus lead-acid batteries. No option is best in absolute terms: the right one depends on your consumption, your roof and your budget.
Types of solar panels
Not all panels are the same. These are the real differences between the most common technologies and how they affect your decision.
- Monocrystalline
- Polycrystalline
- Bifacial
Types of solar inverters
The inverter is the brain of the system and defines how it behaves under shading and faults. These are the three most common architectures.
- String inverter
- Microinverters
- Power optimizers
Solar batteries: lithium vs lead-acid
If your system needs backup, the battery technology makes the difference in service life and total cost. This is the essential comparison.
- Lithium
- Lead-acid
How to read them
Four criteria that stop you comparing what does not matter
Start from your constraint, not from the technology
Almost all of these decisions are settled by a single question about your case: do you have roof to spare or not enough? Is there shading? Do you need backup? The answer usually rules out two of the three options before you look at a single datasheet.
Compare parameters, not categories
“Monocrystalline” or “lithium” are families, not products. Within each there are large differences in temperature coefficient, warranty or depth of discharge. When two options look tied, drop down to the specific parameter.
The cost that matters is the lifetime cost
The purchase price misleads when the options last different lengths of time or make different use of what you buy. Always divide by what you will actually use: per installed watt, per usable kWh over its life.
The system matters more than the part
An excellent panel with a badly sized inverter, or a good battery in a hot location, will perform below expectations. The choice of component matters less than the coherence of the whole.
What you will not find here
Before comparing equipment
These decisions are made better once you know what size of system you need. These two guides come first:
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