Wrenches,<div>I have had extensive failures on 3 installs that are situated right on the coastal bluff in Northern California. Once you replace more than one inverter at one site on one day, the compensation goes from $150.00 per inverter, to next to nothing for the remaining. Enphase actually sent out their field services tech, and did a complete swap out on these 3 systems (with my assistance). It was a long day. But now, 2 years later, we are seeing more failures. One has had 4 micro failures to date. Once I get away from the coastal edge, with it's corrosive effect, the failure rate goes way down. I have asked Enphase to upgrade these 3 systems to the newer M215 system, and am still waiting for a response. I am to the point where I won't install Enphase within 1/2 mile of the ocean.</div>
<div>Michael D. Nelson</div><div>MD Electric & Solar<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, May 9, 2013 at 8:31 AM, Will White <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:William.White@realgoods.com" target="_blank">William.White@realgoods.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It’s funny because I’ve had a very different experience from everyone else. I’ve had lots of Xantrex inverters fail and a few Fronius but not to the extent that everyone
else has. I’ve only replaced a few Enphase inverters and they were usually dead out of the box.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Thanks,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Will<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="13e89eb934efb84c__top"></a><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">__________________________________________________________________________________________<u></u><u></u></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">Will White<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">Regional Field Operations Manager – New England<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">Real Goods Solar<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">64 Main St.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">Montpelier, VT 05602<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">Tel: <a href="tel:%28802%29%20223-7804" value="+18022237804" target="_blank">(802) 223-7804</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e">Cell: <a href="tel:%28802%29%20234-3167" value="+18022343167" target="_blank">(802) 234-3167</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#0f243e"><a href="http://www.realgoodssolar.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">www.realgoodssolar.com</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Troy Harvey<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 09, 2013 11:06 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase / Inverter failures<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"">I don't enjoy the PLC interference problems, which are rare. When they have occurred, Enphase provided continuous technical support, including factory evaluation of line
filters and enhanced system analysis. Did you know that each Enphase system has a built in spectrum analyzer? Tech support can provide a printout of interfering signals to help in troubleshooting. Installing a separate AC load center to accept the AC return
breakers helps with solving these problems. I understand that the next release of Enphase inverters will be Wi-fi, eliminating the PLC protocol entirely. When the communication works, (which it does most of the time) it is a very valuable resource.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I find we have several times the service calls on enphase due to the customers thinking their system isn't working, when in fact it the flakey PLC network. And all that monitoring is only really telling me about the inverters or their networking,
since the long term failure rate of the panels is several orders of magnitude better than even the best inverter on the market.<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I have only seen 2 Xantrex string inverters go out in the last 5 years (no surprise there) out of all of the string inverters, and all of the brands. But I've seen failure at everyone of our Enphase installs, and usually failures every
year (1 or 2 dead micros per year per site).<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">There is no argument that micros improve flexibility. And the potential for a micro to have a higher MTBF is believable. But first they need better design, more market experience, and will never reach 25 year lifespan like they say until
they take electrolytic caps out of their designs.<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt">thanks,<br>
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Troy Harvey<br>
---------------------<br>
Principal Engineer<br>
Heliocentric<br>
<a href="tel:801-453-9434" value="+18014539434" target="_blank">801-453-9434</a><br>
<a href="mailto:taharvey@heliocentric.org" target="_blank">taharvey@heliocentric.org</a><br>
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</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Michael & Jessica Nelson<div>MD Electric & Solar Inc.</div><div>Office: 707-884-1862</div><div>Cell: 707-684-0064</div>
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