[RE-wrenches] Enphase monitoring picking up other systems

Ray Walters ray at solarray.com
Mon Apr 14 23:22:25 PDT 2014


Funny the timing of the Wrenches list, just Saturday I added some 
Enphase inverters to an existing GTB Outback system.  The Enphase are 
not AC coupled to the Outbacks, as I didn't want to get into the battery 
charging issues, and the customer has plenty of PV relative to the 
battery size.  However, we're having a communication issue as well.  I'm 
guessing that the Envoy can't be on the Outback side of the system with 
the Enphase inverters being on the grid side.  So, is there an elegant 
solution besides putting the Envoy on the grid side of the system (which 
is out in the garage)  The whole house is on back up, so no grid direct 
circuits are available there, and the wiring is such that it would not 
be easy to change that either.
I was actually going to add a transfer switch to the Enphase circuit, so 
that in an extended outage, the customer could have the option of 
bringing in the Enphase inverters.  I have the Enphase breaker in the 
Outback Flex 500 box already, so at least that would be simple.

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

On 4/14/2014 12:49 PM, Nick Soleil wrote:
> Hi Benn,
>
> You can remove the microinverters from an Envoy, but it requires a 
> laptop and a network cable.  Call me and we can talk.  We have a lot 
> of big projects with home builders, and I am more than happy to share 
> our best practices with you.  My cell number is 707-321-2937.
>
>
> On Mon, Apr 14, 2014 at 11:42 AM, Benn Kilburn <benn at skyfireenergy.com 
> <mailto:benn at skyfireenergy.com>> wrote:
>
>     August,
>     I'm being told that "we" (as opposed to "Enhpase") cannot delete
>     or remove rogue inverters from the Array Builder.  Enphase has to
>     do this step.   And if you just don't include the rogue inverters
>     in the Array Builder you are building for a particular system, you
>     will still receive the production data from the rogues.  (2nd hand
>     info, so......?)
>
>     Louis,
>     Since some of these are home builder's 'show homes' and new home
>     builds, there is the possibility that internet has not always been
>     set up yet, so in some of these cases the inverters may not have
>     been dedicated to a particular Envoy yet.
>
>     If "we" cannot remove rogue inverters from a particular Envoy,
>     then we will likely just send the serial numbers of the Envoy and
>     respective inverters to Enphase and let them sort it out.
>
>     We may consider the Array Gun scanner option.
>
>     Anyone else have any feedback on this option?
>
>
>     Cheers,
>     Benn
>
>
>
>     On Mon, Apr 14, 2014 at 12:21 PM, Louis Woofenden
>     <louis at woofenden.net <mailto:louis at woofenden.net>> wrote:
>
>
>         Hi Benn,
>
>         We've run into these problems when simultaneously
>         commissioning systems in adjacent units of a housing
>         development where we did PV systems on all homes, and 2-3
>         homes are on one utility transformer. I'm a little surprised
>         that the Envoy picked up inverters from an existing system,
>         unless those microinverters were never associated with another
>         Envoy. My understanding from Enphase is that once they are
>         "bound" to one Envoy, they won't be easily picked up in a
>         device scan. But maybe I'm missing something, or got bad info
>         from tech support.
>
>         We've definitely had to work with Enphase tech support on a
>         couple of systems to remove inverters from one Envoy, then do
>         a device scan on another Envoy, as August suggested. Another
>         option is to spend the money for the Array Gun scanner
>         (SocketMobile CHS7xi scanner), and use the iOS Enphase
>         Installer Toolkit app to build arrays and "provision" the
>         Envoy, sending the inverter serial numbers directly to the
>         Envoy, without need for a device scan. Not sure if this is
>         worth it at the $450 retail price for the scanner, but if you
>         can find one used, it might be. I recently was able to pick
>         one up for about $250 used.
>
>         Haven't yet had issues serious enough to require LCFs on
>         residential systems. Crossing my fingers on that one.
>
>         Best,
>
>         Louis Woofenden
>
>         Net Zero Solar, Tucson, AZ
>
>
>         On 4/14/14, 9:08 AM, Benn Kilburn wrote:
>>         Wrenches,
>>         I'm sure i read a thread on this list about dealing with
>>         this, i've searched but cannot find it.  If anyone recalls
>>         the subject line, please let me know.
>>
>>         We are dealing with setting up Enphase monitoring in
>>         neighborhoods with other Enphase systems nearby and these
>>         'other' systems are being picked up by the EMU.
>>
>>         A few weeks ago we finished a 14 module (3.5kW) install and i
>>         plugged in the EMU to search for the inverters.  As it was
>>         picking up the first few inverters, it was showing several
>>         hundred kWh already produced???  Not bad for a 14 module
>>         system being in operation for 10 min!!!  (yes the inverters
>>         were new, out of the box)
>>
>>         After 30-40 min, the EMU had picked up 28 inverters in total.
>>          There were 14 on the system we had just installed, and 14 on
>>         a house across the street that we had installed back in
>>         Nov'13.  I'm pretty sure it had picked up the 14 across the
>>         street before picking up the ones we just installed.
>>         Funny that we can sometimes have communication issues btwn
>>         the inverters and EMU in some houses, and here we have EMU's
>>         picking up inverters across the street!?!
>>
>>         Anywho... has anyone dealt with this and streamlined a
>>         process with Enphase to remedy this issue?
>>
>>         Cheers,
>>         Benn
>>
>>
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> -- 
>
> Cordially,
>
> *Nick Soleil*
>
> *Field Applications Engineer
> *
>
> *Enphase Energy*
>
> Mobile: (707) 321-2937
>
>
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>
>
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>
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