An inverter for a photovoltaic system, comprising: - a substantially planar base plate having a front side and a rear side, the rear side forming an outer rear wall of the inverter , and having at least one pedestal-shaped elevation rising towards the front side of the base plate , - a printed circuit board with heat-generating components, the printed circuit board being mounted on the base plate in such a way that the heat-generating components are arranged on the printed circuit board in the region of the pedestal-shaped elevation and are in thermal contact with the pedestal-shaped elevation , - a potting compound which fills a space on the front side of the base plate and encloses the printed circuit board - a cover which is arranged on the potting compound , adjoins the base plate and partially encloses the potting compound , so that the base plate and the cover , in conjunction with uncovered parts of the potting compound , form a housing, the housing having at least two lateral end surfaces, - four corner areas, - exactly eight DC terminals , arranged in pairs for the respective connection of photovoltaic modules of a photovoltaic generator, arranged on at least two of the lateral end faces of the housing and at least partially encapsulated in the potting compound , the eight DC terminals being arranged in four pairs on the four corner regions of the inverter, so that the photovoltaic modules can be arranged around the inverter, - an AC terminal arranged on one of the lateral end faces of the housing, electrical contacts of the AC terminal being connected to the circuit board and protruding from the potting compound . - a substantially planar base plate having a front side and a rear side, the rear side forming an outer rear wall of the inverter , and having at least one pedestal-shaped elevation rising towards the front side of the base plate , - a printed circuit board with heat-generating components, the printed circuit board being mounted on the base plate in such a way that the heat-generating components are arranged on the printed circuit board in the region of the pedestal-shaped elevation and are in thermal contact with the pedestal-shaped elevation , - a potting compound which fills a space on the front side of the base plate and encloses the printed circuit board - a cover which is arranged on the potting compound , adjoins the base plate and partially encloses the potting compound , so that the base plate and the cover , in conjunction with uncovered parts of the potting compound , form a housing, the housing having at least two lateral end surfaces, - four corner areas, - exactly eight DC terminals , arranged in pairs for the respective connection of photovoltaic modules of a photovoltaic generator, arranged on at least two of the lateral end faces of the housing and at least partially encapsulated in the potting compound , the eight DC terminals being arranged in four pairs on the four corner regions of the inverter, so that the photovoltaic modules can be arranged around the inverter, - an AC terminal arranged on one of the lateral end faces of the housing, electrical contacts of the AC terminal being connected to the circuit board and protruding from the potting compound . <EOS>