[RE-wrenches] Enphase "AC Frequency out of Range"

Tue Feb 5 10:48:40 PST 2013

For these installations, do you guys have more information on the 
utilities' protocols that are causing problems with these inverters?

On 2013/2/5 12:51, penobscotsolar at midmaine.com wrote:
> Will do. Enphase had originally projected the beginning of February for
> the release of the fix. It is now projected for the end of March. I am
> hoping it will be a done deal before this next "season" starts here in
> Maine. It might be good incentive to try Power One, Exeltech or other
> inverters. In all honesty, my interpretation is that the Enphase inverters
> are very sensitive and respond quickly to these "pings". I believe the
> software fix will allow the inverters to ignore micro-events of less than
> 1/100th of a second or so (the length of the "ping". I will keep the list
> in the loop!
>
> Daryl
>
>
>
>
>> We see the same issue here in WI.  Funny that you say 64 minutes, as some
>> of the M215s show the error for 64 minutes for us routinely.  Could that
>> just be some designated error reporting length?
>>
>> Daryl, thanks for the Enphase update.  Keep us updated if you can on the
>> software fix.
>>
>>
>> Ryan Harkins
>> NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer /
>> Project Manager
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Synergy Renewable Systems, LLC
>> PO Box 58
>> Stoughton, WI 53589
>> PH: 608-712-7862
>> ryan.harkins at energycraft.com
>> www.energycraft.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Feb 5, 2013, at 11:10 AM, Dave Palumbo wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks Daryl. Does your system also sometimes stay off for longer
>>> periods
>>> sometimes? My clients system can stay off for up to 64 minutes.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of
>>> penobscotsolar at midmaine.com
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 12:01 PM
>>> To: RE-wrenches
>>> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase "AC Frequency out of Range"
>>>
>>> Dave,
>>>   We have been having the same problem with an Enphase system in Maine. I
>>> have been dealing directly with the third tier engineers at Enphase and
>>> they
>>> are working on a software fix for this. The"event" itself is only a
>>> fraction
>>> of a second but IEEE requirements are that the inverter shut down for
>>> five
>>> minutes. I only found out about this problem when it started for this
>>> customer. It sems that Enphase has already addressed the problem with a
>>> software fix for the M-190's. The M-215 fix should come, according to
>>> Enphase, by the end of March. It will be automatically downloaded
>>> through
>>> the Enlighten router.
>>>    It's a known issue with Smart Meters with Enphase, but should be
>>> reconciled soon.
>>>
>>> Daryl DeJoy
>>> NABCEP Certified PV installer
>>> Penobscot Solar Design
>>> www.penobscotsolar.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Wrenchsters,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have an Enphase 7.5kW system on a residence with utility Smart
>>>> Metering, both the PV Production Meter as well as the utility billing
>>>> meter being "read" every hour. This system has experienced many "AC
>>>> Frequency Out Of Range" events since the system was installed. Below
>>>> is copied the Enphase Event message. This particular event was for 5
>>>> minutes. Most of the events (all events are AC Frequency Out Of Range)
>>>> last 5 to 10 minutes but occasionally they have lasted from 45 minutes
>>>> to
>>> 64 minutes.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> My question is: Could the use of the smart metering increase the
>>>> likely hood that AC Frequency events happen? Or is this just a
>>>> coincidence and that we are dealing with fluctuating utility power AC
>>>> Frequency issues?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> <<
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Started on: Mon February 04, 2013 12:49 PM EST
>>>>
>>>> Cleared on: Mon February 04, 2013 12:54 PM EST
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Recommended action
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This condition should correct itself. No action is required.
>>>>
>>>> Details
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The microinverter reports that the frequency coming from the utility
>>>> is either too low or too high as specified by applicable regional
>>> standards.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> AC frequency is the frequency at which voltage varies on the utility
>>>> grid.
>>>> Frequency Out of Range events are usually transient and
>>>> self-correcting by the utility.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> When the microinverter detects an out of frequency condition, it must
>>>> remain offline until the utility has been within acceptable limits
>>>> continuously for a short period of time (seconds to minutes, varies by
>>>> region). If during that time the utility again exceeds or falls short
>>>> of acceptable limits, the five-minute timer must restart and the
>>>> microinverter may not begin producing power for an additional short
>>>> period following the last out-of-bounds condition.  >>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>>
>>>> Dave
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> David Palumbo
>>>>
>>>> Independent Power LLC
>>>>
>>>> 462 Solar Way Drive
>>>>
>>>> Hyde Park, VT 05655
>>>>
>>>> www.independentpowerllc.com
>>>>
>>>> Vermont Solar Partner
>>>>
>>>> 25 Years Experience, (802) 888-7194
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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