[Robert A Cook PE]

Think of running directly from a converter as hooking your sink up to a tee from a 1" firehose that somebody else keeps turning on and off. (Clouds cover the sun for a few minutes, for example. Your oven and the AC start at the same time, etc.)

IF (big if) you're using more power than the cell is providing all the time, then you're more or less balanced: both the grid and the solar cells (via the AC converter) are providing power.

But the random nature of the loads, and the power available from the converter really make it much better to have a battery charger and 2-4 batteries on-line constantly to balance and stabilize the system. Less surges, less up-and-down in current. The charge controller charges the battery when AC loads go down, or pulls power from the battery when AC loads go up, or when available solar power reduces suddenly.

But there's nothing to balance the system if there's no battery.

[hoosierham]

Thanks for putting it better than I did;do you read Homepower,etc?

Anyone interested in this topic should go to Homepower website where you can download a sample issue of the magazine and various topical bulletins. THey have years of experience .WArning to the rigid-minded:the viewpoints tend to be socialist.I don't let that stop me from using the good info .