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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">I see in your signal capture that the
firing angle is earlier than mine so that it doesn't (always) go
across the zero crossing. From what the utility system operator
here has told me about their TWACS, the firing angle is adjustable
from about 5 to 30 degrees before the zero crossing. Supposedly,
they increase the firing angle to get a stronger signal from sites
that are hard to reach.<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.bluemountainsolar.com">www.bluemountainsolar.com</a>
</pre>
On 2/7/2013 2:13 PM, Nick Soleil wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAAV1817MWWqQ8TnAOwJSuWM=2Jk4hCtpwoND0ngUHhveGNhqoA@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div>Hi Kent and Wrenches,<br>
<br>
</div>
Thanks for sharing that image. We have some readings that we
captured with a Hioki Power Quality Analyzer.<br>
<br>
</div>
I have this as a PDF, and can send it to anyone who would like
to see this, but have also attached a .tiff file that meets the
file size requirements of the list. Send an email to me
off-list if you'd like the PDF.
<div class="">
<div id=":1ik" class="" tabindex="0"><img
moz-do-not-send="true" class=""
src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Feb 7, 2013 at 10:21 AM, Kent
Osterberg <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:kent@coveoregon.com" target="_blank">kent@coveoregon.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<div>The <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.aclaratech.com" target="_blank">Aclara</a>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.aclaratech.com/AclaraPLS/pages/default.aspx"
target="_blank">TWACS</a> signal that knocks the
Enphase inverters off line is difficult to capture
because it only last a few seconds every time the meter
replies to a ping or data request. I did manage to
capture it using <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.zelscope.com/" target="_blank">Zelscope</a>
with a long recording time. The attached image shows a
pulse at the zero crossing of the ac waveform; some
crossings don't have a pulse - I think that is a binary
zero and the pulse represents a one. The pulse does not
change the ac frequency and has only a negligible effect
on the rms ac voltage. However, the time between zero
crossings is not always 16.67 ms.<br>
<br>
Messing with the zero crossing like that is an ugly
thing to do to the ac voltage. Many things other than
inverters can be messed up by this. It caused one of my
digital clocks to run fast. Our local utility has had
complaints about numerous other devices that it has
messed up. I've got some SunnyBoy systems with remote
monitoring that don't seem to be bothered by this
signal. The Enphase inverters do not tolerate it. I'm
glad to hear that Enphase is working on a fix and hope
that it is rolled out soon.<span class="HOEnZb"><font
color="#888888"><br>
<pre cols="72">Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.bluemountainsolar.com" target="_blank">www.bluemountainsolar.com</a>
</pre>
</font></span>
<div>
<div class="h5"> On 2/5/2013 2:38 PM, Nick Soleil
wrote:<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="h5">
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div>
<div>Hi wrenches,<br>
<br>
The frequency out of range issue is being
caused by some utility meter's communication
"ping". This ping is actually affecting the
utility voltage and frequency, and can be
viewed with a power quality analyzer. It is
highly likely that this is affecting a wide
variety of utility-interactive inverters,
but is only noticeable with the Enphase
systems; due to the high level of visibility
that our Enlighten monitoring and reporting
provides.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
These changes required that the software undergo
a new certification process. We have completed
our CSA certification of the new software, and
are validating it's functionality before pushing
out the solution to our entire population of
microinverters. We are in the process of beta
testing the software fix, and are hoping to have
this resolved in February.<br>
<br>
</div>
Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve
this issue.</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at
9:24 AM, <span dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:penobscotsolar@midmaine.com"
target="_blank">penobscotsolar@midmaine.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0
0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc
solid;padding-left:1ex">Dave,<br>
It doesn't happen often, and the longest
I've seen him stay "down" is<br>
about a half hour, but it seems to get
progressively worse as time goes<br>
on for some reason (initially only the five
minutes, but longer down<br>
times lately). This particular customer is
difficult and picky, to<br>
boot. I hope yours is a bit kinder. Mine seems
to think we did him an<br>
injustice of monumental proportions.<br>
We have had the utility out there logging
events, meetings with the<br>
utility and another solar company in Maine to
discuss all this, and<br>
have kept Enphase in the loop throughout.
Enphase has responded in a<br>
responsible and reasonable manner throughout.<br>
If you want to discuss this with Enphase,
call and ask for Bret. He's<br>
the engineer I previously dealt with, although
he is second tier, he is<br>
accessible.<br>
<div>
<div><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
> Thanks Daryl. Does your system also
sometimes stay off for longer periods<br>
> sometimes? My clients system can stay
off for up to 64 minutes.<br>
><br>
> Dave<br>
><br>
> -----Original Message-----<br>
> From: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org"
target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
> [mailto:<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org"
target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
On Behalf Of<br>
> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:penobscotsolar@midmaine.com"
target="_blank">penobscotsolar@midmaine.com</a><br>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013
12:01 PM<br>
> To: RE-wrenches<br>
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase
"AC Frequency out of Range"<br>
><br>
> Dave,<br>
> We have been having the same
problem with an Enphase system in Maine. I<br>
> have been dealing directly with the
third tier engineers at Enphase and<br>
> they<br>
> are working on a software fix for
this. The"event" itself is only a<br>
> fraction<br>
> of a second but IEEE requirements are
that the inverter shut down for five<br>
> minutes. I only found out about this
problem when it started for this<br>
> customer. It sems that Enphase has
already addressed the problem with a<br>
> software fix for the M-190's. The
M-215 fix should come, according to<br>
> Enphase, by the end of March. It will
be automatically downloaded through<br>
> the Enlighten router.<br>
> It's a known issue with Smart
Meters with Enphase, but should be<br>
> reconciled soon.<br>
><br>
> Daryl DeJoy<br>
> NABCEP Certified PV installer<br>
> Penobscot Solar Design<br>
> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.penobscotsolar.com"
target="_blank">www.penobscotsolar.com</a><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
>> Wrenchsters,<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> I have an Enphase 7.5kW system on
a residence with utility Smart<br>
>> Metering, both the PV Production
Meter as well as the utility billing<br>
>> meter being "read" every hour.
This system has experienced many "AC<br>
>> Frequency Out Of Range" events
since the system was installed. Below<br>
>> is copied the Enphase Event
message. This particular event was for 5<br>
>> minutes. Most of the events (all
events are AC Frequency Out Of Range)<br>
>> last 5 to 10 minutes but
occasionally they have lasted from 45
minutes<br>
>> to<br>
> 64 minutes.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> My question is: Could the use of
the smart metering increase the<br>
>> likely hood that AC Frequency
events happen? Or is this just a<br>
>> coincidence and that we are
dealing with fluctuating utility power AC<br>
>> Frequency issues?<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> <<<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Started on: Mon February 04, 2013
12:49 PM EST<br>
>><br>
>> Cleared on: Mon February 04, 2013
12:54 PM EST<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Recommended action<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> This condition should correct
itself. No action is required.<br>
>><br>
>> Details<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> The microinverter reports that
the frequency coming from the utility<br>
>> is either too low or too high as
specified by applicable regional<br>
> standards.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> AC frequency is the frequency at
which voltage varies on the utility<br>
>> grid.<br>
>> Frequency Out of Range events are
usually transient and<br>
>> self-correcting by the utility.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> When the microinverter detects an
out of frequency condition, it must<br>
>> remain offline until the utility
has been within acceptable limits<br>
>> continuously for a short period
of time (seconds to minutes, varies by<br>
>> region). If during that time the
utility again exceeds or falls short<br>
>> of acceptable limits, the
five-minute timer must restart and the<br>
>> microinverter may not begin
producing power for an additional short<br>
>> period following the last
out-of-bounds condition. >><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Best,<br>
>><br>
>> Dave<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> David Palumbo<br>
>><br>
>> Independent Power LLC<br>
>><br>
>> 462 Solar Way Drive<br>
>><br>
>> Hyde Park, VT 05655<br>
>><br>
>> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.independentpowerllc.com"
target="_blank">www.independentpowerllc.com</a><br>
>><br>
>> Vermont Solar Partner<br>
>><br>
>> 25 Years Experience, <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:%28802%29%20888-7194"
value="+18028887194" target="_blank">(802)
888-7194</a><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
<br>
</div>
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<br>
-- <br>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:14pt">Cordially,</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><b><span
style="font-size:14pt">Nick Soleil</span></b><span
style="font-size:14pt"></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><b><span>Field Applications
Engineer<br>
</span></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><b><span
style="color:rgb(227,108,10)">Enphase Energy</span></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span></span><span>Mobile: <a
moz-do-not-send="true" value="+17073212937">(707) 321-2937</a></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><br>
<b><span style="color:rgb(227,108,10)"></span></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.enphase.com/commercial?utm_source=email&utm_medium=sig&utm_campaign=Comm2012"
target="_blank"><font><span
style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><b>Enphase
Commercial Solar.</b> <b><span
style="color:rgb(255,102,0)">Limitless.</span></b></span></font></a></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.enphase.com/commercial?utm_source=email&utm_medium=sig&utm_campaign=Comm2012"
target="_blank"><font><span
style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><b><span
style="color:rgb(255,102,0)"><br>
</span></b></span></font></a></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span>1420 North McDowell<br>
</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span>Petaluma, CA 94954</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.enphaseenergy.com/" target="_blank">www.enphase.com</a></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span>P: (707) 763-4784 x7267</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span>F: (707) 763-0784</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span>E: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nsoleil@enphaseenergy.com" target="_blank">nsoleil@enphaseenergy.com</a></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span></span></p>
<span></span>
<p><span
style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:rgb(31,73,125)"><img
src="cid:part24.04070801.00080200@coveoregon.com"
alt="nabcep logo" border="0" height="38" width="96"> Certified
Solar
PV Installer #03262011-300</span></p>
<p>“Don’t get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It’s just that I
prefer fusion to fission. And it just so happens that there’s
an enormous fusion reactor safely banked a few million miles
from us. It delivers more than we could ever use in just about
8 minutes. And it’s wireless! .” <br>
</p>
<p>- William McDonough
<span></span></p>
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