[RE-wrenches] Battery to Grid-Tie followup re Enphase

[Allan Sindelar]

Wrenches,
Thank you for the good responses re batteryless GT inverters for existing
off-grid arrays. It looks like PV Powered, Kaco, and Enphase are good
possibilities.

I investigated the Enphase approach more thououghly and came up with a few
questions that weren't addressed on their website. Here are the questions
and answers for others' benefit.

Hi Allan,
Marv Dargatz passed along your inquiries about Enphase, from the WRENCHES
mailing list, to me, for follow-up.  Answers are inline below.

1. Your AC output is 240V if single-phase. As your wiring requires a
reference neutral conductor, I fear that because existing off-grid arrays
typically run DC from the pole to the BOS, the existing two conductors plus
ground of the DC won't work to carry the Enphase's AC. Your ideas? 

This is problematic.  Enphase uses the neutral to carry its powerline
communications back to the EMU (network gateway / meter) as well.

2. Are your DC pigtails MC1, MC3, Tyco Solarlok, or reconfigurable? 

You can order the Enphase Micro-inverters with either the non-locking (MC-3)
or locking (MC-4) style connectors.  They're two different SKUs, so you just
need to make sure that you order the correct type for your solar module.
These are not field-reconfigurable. 

3. What do you suggest for older modules with j-boxes? A single MC extension
cable, cut to length? Can the inverters be ordered with longer ordinary MC
cable pigtails for this application? 

The D/C leads coming off of the Enphase Micro-inverter are only a couple of
inches long, coming out of the enclosure.  We don't currently have a SKU
option for ordering longer leads.  Yes, making your own leads, terminated in
the j-box, and having enough length to connect to the Enphase D/C leads,
would be required.  The orientation of the module, where the Micro-inverter
was racked, etc., would affect this length consideration.

4. Do you reimburse bona fide installation professionals for warranty
expenses?

Yes!  Enphase has recently finalized the terms of its Replacement &
Reimbursement policy.  This will be posted on our public website soon.  I
can send you an email notification when it is posted.  This policy is quite
reasonable;  I think you will like it, but would appreciate any/all feedback
on it, if you have any.

Please let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.  Thank you.

Best Regards,
Scott King
Enphase Energy,
Customer Support
Ph. (877) 797-4743, ext. 7026
sking at enphaseenergy.com
http://www.enphaseenergy.com

Allan Sindelar
allan_(at)_positiveenergysolar.com <mailto:allan at positiveenergysolar.com> 
NABCEP certified solar PV installer
Positive Energy, Inc.
3225A Richards Lane
Santa Fe NM 87507
505 424-1112

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20080811/34b4f9f3/attachment-0002.html>