Performance Comparison of Pure and Modified Sine Wave Inverters in an Off-Grid PV System

Abstract

This study evaluates the performance of Pure Sine Wave (PSW) and Modified Sine Wave (MSW) inverters within small-scale off-grid solar power generation systems. The assessment was conducted utilizing a 160 Wp monocrystalline solar panel, a 10 A solar charge controller (SCC), a 12.8 V–100 Ah lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery, along with both 500 W PSW and MSW inverters, across varying panel tilt angles ranging from 45°-165°. The findings indicated that the PSW inverter delivered a more consistent output voltage between 221 and 222 V, exhibiting minimal fluctuation of ±1 V and low harmonic distortion at 2.5%. The MSW inverter produced an output voltage between 222 and 225.5 V, characterized by greater variability and higher harmonic distortion under both light and heavy load conditions. The analysis of the solar photovoltaic (PV) system provides critical insights into the performance differences between the two inverter types. Notably, the results related to tilt angle are not merely supplementary; they serve as indicators of varying irradiance conditions, enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of inverter performance concerning fluctuations in input power levels. Both PSW and MSW inverters achieved an efficiency rating of 85%, ensuring stable and smooth outputs. However, with regard to long-term reliability, the PSW inverter significantly surpasses its counterpart, rendering it a more appropriate choice for permanent solar PV installations. As the results, the PSW inverter is particularly suited for sensitive loads that demand high power quality, while the MSW inverter remains viable for less demanding applications when the cost is considered.

Keywords

Inverter performance; photovoltaic; Pure Sine Wave (PSW) inverter; Modified Sine Wave (MSW) inverter; solar power plant.

Full Text:

PDF

References

D. Dahliya, S. Samsurizal, and N. Pasra, “Efisiensi panel surya kapasitas 100 Wp akibat pengaruh suhu dan kecepatan angin [Efficiency of a 100 Wp Solar Panel under the Influence of Temperature and Wind Speed],” SUTET, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 71–80, 2021. https://doi.org/10.33322/sutet.v11i2.1551 (In Indonesian)

M. K. Joyo, D. Hazry, S. F. Ahmed, M. H. Tanveer, F. A. Warsi, and A. T. Hussain, “Altitude and horizontal motion control of quadrotor UAV in the presence of air turbulence,” in Proc. 2013 IEEE Conf. Systems, Process & Control (ICSPC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1109/SPC.2013.6735095

K. Tuck, Tilt sensing using linear accelerometers. Freescale Semiconductor, 2017.

INVERTERS.com, “What are the differences: Pure sine wave inverter vs modified sine wave inverter,” 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.inverter.com/what-are-the-differences-pure-sine-wave-inverter-vs-modified-sine-wave-inverter. [Accessed: Jan. 13, 2026].

Electrical Academia, “Inverter types, working principle: Sine wave, square wave, modified sine wave inverter,” 2024. [Online]. Available: https://electricalacademia.com/renewable-energy/inverter-types-working-principle-sine-wave-square-wave-modified-sine-wave-inverter-working/. [Accessed: Jan. 13, 2026].

M. Kumar, A. K. Singh, and S. Lal, “THD reduction and power quality enhancement in solar-wind hybrid systems: A comprehensive review,” International Journal of Science and Engineering Invention (IJSEI), vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 7–14, 2025. https://doi.org/10.23958/ijsei/vol11-i01/279

F. N. Budiman and M. R. Ramadhani, “Total harmonic distortion comparison between sinusoidal PWM inverter and multilevel inverter in solar panel,” KINETIK, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 191–202, 2018. https://doi.org/10.22219/kinetik.v3i3.617

M. H. J. Bollen, Understanding power quality problems: voltage sags and interruptions. IEEE Press, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1109/9780470531886

M. Esmaeili et al., “Artificial intelligence-based control strategies for power quality improvement in renewable energy systems: A review,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 36, pp. 281–293, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.04.051

P. Kumar and R. P. Saini, “A review on power quality improvement techniques for grid integrated renewable energy sources,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 148, Art. no. 111279, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111279

A. S. Siva and M. Bhavani, “Mitigation of harmonics by shunt active power filter using synchronous detection method,” International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT), vol. 4, no. 6, pp. 2584–2588, 2013. https://doi.org/10.14445/22315381/IJETT-V4I6P170

A. S. Abbas et al., “Optimal harmonic mitigation in distribution systems with inverter based distributed generation,” Applied Sciences, vol. 11, no. 2, Art. no. 774, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020774

K. Gurumoorthy et al., “Reduction of harmonic distortion by applying various PWM and neural network techniques in grid connected photovoltaic systems,” International Journal of Advanced Research in Electrical, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, vol. 2, no. 11, pp. 5892–5899, 2013.

S. N. Sivakumar and A. Sumathi, “THD analysis of cascaded H-bridge inverter with fuzzy logic controller,” Circuits and Systems, vol. 8, pp. 171–183, 2017. https://doi.org/10.4236/cs.2017.87011

M. Zahid et al., “AI-driven optimization techniques for power quality improvement in microgrids: Trends, techniques, and future directions,” Energy Science & Engineering, vol. 14, no. 1, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.70342

N. Safitri, A. M. S. Yunus, F. Fauzi, and N. Naziruddin, “Integrated arrangement of advanced power electronics through hybrid smart grid system,” TELKOMNIKA (Telecommunication, Computing, Electronics and Controls), vol. 18, no. 6, 2020. https://doi.org/10.12928/telkomnika.v18i6.13433

N. Safitri, R. Syahputra, and Suprihardi, “Analysis of battery technologies for use as battery management systems in a simple solar power plant,” Journal of Innovation and Technology, vol. 1, no. 24, 2024.

N. Safitri, R. Syahputra, and R. Widia, “Simulation of lithium-based battery in off-grid photovoltaic system as intermittent renewable energy resources in Indonesia,” in Proc. iCAST 2025, Denpasar, Indonesia, 2025. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-926-1_14

Xantrex, “Sine wave vs. modified sine wave: Which is better?,” 2023.

S. Zhang et al., “An improved SPWM strategy for effectively reducing total harmonic distortion,” Electronics, vol. 13, Art. no. 3326, 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13163326

I. N. E. Ifeagwu, M. Alor, and C. I. Ugwu, “Performance analysis of better designed pure sine wave inverter in mitigating frequent power outages in Nigerian homes,” International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 515–519, 2016.

O. S. Adeoye, M. Ogunlowo, and A. J. Ojo, “Performance and harmonic evaluation of a modified sinewave 1 kVA solar powered inverter,” International Journal on Advanced Research and Innovations, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 1–9, 2022. https://doi.org/10.51976/ijari.1042201

F. E. Abdel-Kader, S. A. Kalilah, H. E. Abdel-Maksoud, and A. Maher, “Effect of load type on PV modified sine wave inverter characteristics,” Engineering Research Journal, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 191–196, 2016.

V. Sharma, “Advantages of pure over modified sine wave inverters,” Samlex America, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://samlexamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/13005-0614_AdvantagesofPureOverModifiedSineWaveInverters.pdf.

Y. Yudhistira et al., “Identification of harmonic current at off-grid PV inverters connected to the load,” in Proc. 2021 Asia-Pacific Int. Symp. Electromagnetic Compatibility (APEMC), 2021. https://doi.org/10.1109/APEMC49932.2021.9596675

E. Janssen and L. St. Hilaire, Power quality assessment of solar photovoltaic inverters. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Toronto, 2016.

F. MaxSavio et al., “Design of a solar-wind hybrid renewable energy system for power quality enhancement: A case study of 2.5 MW real-time domestic grid,” Engineering Reports, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/eng2.13101

IEEE Standards Association, IEEE 519-2022: IEEE recommended practice and requirements for harmonic control in electric power systems, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEESTD.2022.9848440

H. Hadiyanto et al., “Design and development of a PV inverter system with a real power concept for induction motor loads,” Multica Science and Technology (MST), vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–6, 2025. https://doi.org/10.47002/mst.v5i1.997

http://dx.doi.org/10.28989/avitec.v8i1.3810

Article Metrics

Abstract view: 129 times
Download     : 58   times

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Refbacks

• There are currently no refbacks.