My installer tells me my solar inverter should be of higher capacity than planned solar installation? How much over capacity should I need?

Installing a solar inverter with a higher capacity offers several advantages. Firstly, it provides flexibility to increase the DC capacity of the solar array in the future without needing to replace the inverter. This reduces the overall stress on the inverter components and lowers the probability of failures over time.

However, it’s important to note that installing a significantly higher capacity inverter than necessary is not always required. Most inverters are designed to operate efficiently even in higher ambient temperatures. However AC to DC ratio, typically ranging from 1:1 to 1:1.2, can be sufficient to ensure optimal performance and reliability without the need for excessive overcapacity in the inverter.