Why Melnti publishes a methodology
Solar equipment is expensive, specifications are easy to compare incorrectly, and commercial relationships can create pressure to recommend whatever pays the highest commission. Melnti’s methodology is designed to keep the buying question separate from the monetization question. A product can be useful without paying us, and an affiliate relationship does not automatically make a product a winner.
1. Define the use case before the product
A product cannot be “best” in the abstract. We first define the job: essential-load home backup, off-grid living, a space-constrained rooftop, portable power, RV/marine use, commercial self-consumption or another clearly stated scenario. The same battery or inverter can be an excellent fit for one case and a poor fit for another.
2. Collect current source data
Manufacturer datasheets, manuals, official support pages and certification documents are the preferred starting sources for technical specifications. Government, utility and institutional sources are preferred for rules, tariffs, incentives and local electrical context. Product records include a last-verified date so readers can see when the source set was checked.
3. Normalize the specifications
Marketing names are not enough. Where possible, Melnti separates nominal and usable energy, VA and W, continuous and surge output, module and cell efficiency, PV voltage/current limits, charge/discharge current, temperature conditions and other category-specific values before comparing products.
4. Eliminate incompatible options
Products that fail electrical, environmental or use-case requirements should not outrank suitable products because they are cheaper, more popular or pay a larger commission. Compatibility can include voltage, current, communication protocol, physical dimensions, regional certification and local installer/support availability.
5. Compare measurable trade-offs
Depending on category, criteria may include usable capacity, output power, efficiency, solar input, dimensions, weight, operating temperature, expansion, warranty, certifications, monitoring, serviceability and support. We explain which factors matter for the stated use case rather than collapsing every decision into a single unexplained score.
6. Separate evidence levels
Hands-on measurements, manufacturer specifications, independent laboratory data, installer experience and anecdotal owner reports are not treated as the same kind of evidence. Melnti does not claim hands-on testing unless it actually happened. Conclusions based only on documentation are presented as documentation-based research.
7. Show uncertainty and regional differences
Many manufacturers sell different SKUs, sockets, certifications, warranties and firmware by country. Product research identifies when a specification applies to a referenced regional version instead of presenting it as universally true. If a local tariff, incentive or regulation cannot be verified, Melnti omits the number rather than inventing it.
8. Explain monetization clearly
Affiliate merchant buttons use sponsored-link attributes and appear only where a valid commercial URL exists. A manufacturer can pay commission without purchasing the editorial conclusion. Sponsored placements, when used, must be labeled separately from editorial rankings. Paying Melnti also does not buy an installer-verification badge.
9. Correct and re-verify
Specifications, firmware, warranties and regulations change. Melnti revisits older product records and provides a correction route for manufacturers, installers and readers. Material corrections update the source date and, where useful, the explanation on the page.
What Melnti does not promise
Editorial research and calculators are decision aids, not individualized engineering designs. Final system design must account for the real site, load profile, protection, structural conditions, local electrical rules and the exact equipment being installed.