# Clipping

The loss that occurs when a PV array could produce more DC power than the inverter is able to convert, so the inverter holds its output at the AC limit and the surplus is simply never harvested. It appears on production graphs as a flat plateau around midday.

Source: https://inverterdata.com/en/glossary/clipping/
Site: InverterData (inverterdata.com) — open technical specification database
Last updated: 2026-08-24
License: free to quote with attribution to inverterdata.com

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Clipping sounds wasteful but is usually an intentional and economically sound trade: the peak occurs for a short time on the clearest days, while the oversized array adds energy every morning and afternoon of the year. The important question is not whether a design clips, but how many kilowatt-hours a year it clips. Note that the inverter does not overload during clipping — it backs off along the array's I-V curve and runs cooler than a naive reading would suggest. Clipping losses grow quickly once the **DC/AC ratio** goes past the range appropriate for the climate.