Can inverter drives be mounted outside in the weather expanded
There are certain criterea that need to be met before an inverter drive can be mounted outside in the weather. Firstly it would need to be a high IP (Ingress Protection) rating, such as IP66. This means the inverter is relatively impervious to water and dust. The inverter would also need UV (Ultra Violet) rated plastics, meaning the plastic housing of the inverter would not be overly damaged/degraded by sunlight.
IP66 with outdoor rated plastics being the minimum inverter drive rating for outside use. Precautions should be taken with respect to the mounting location, specifically that units should be mounted in the shade (preferably north facing) out of direct sunlight and under cover, particularly to avoid any potential for the build-up of snow and ice in the heatsink cooling fins of the inverter. Generally a rain cover should be fitted above the inverter to keep driving rain off the main body of the inverter drive.
Once installed, there should be a permanent power supply to the inverter to maintain the internal temperature, thus avoiding any potential for the formation of condensation and frost inside the unit. It's good practice to install a ventilation plug in the units terminal cover as a further precaution. This allows the unit to 'breathe' with variations in temperature and pressure, and the integral membrane prevents any moisture ingress.
A bag of desiccant gel can be left inside the inverters terminal cover. This will help to absorb any moisture should it access the unit. The desiccant gel sachet that is used in the drive packaging can be used.
Typically IP66 rated, outdoor inverter units will operate within the -20oC to +40oC ambient temperature limits.
