enphase monitoring

[silverhorsefarm]

Just installed a 11.34 kw PV array with Enphase microinverters and promised monitoring. I plugged the modem (Envoy) in to my router and it found the internet almost immediately, but it cannot find the powerline telemetry from the inverters.

I am going to try a different Envoy unit later today, but was wondering if anyone knows about the transmission distance limitations of the Enphase/Envoy system. The PV array is about 75 meters away from the house and I was thinking that the inverter telemetry is attenuating over that distance such that the Envoy modem can no longer hear the signal.

Any thoughts?

[Mike90250]

have it working, and approved utility tie-in before you pay the vendor the final check.

[silverhorsefarm]

It's grid-tied, and it is definitely producing power. Unfortunately, it's all bought and paid for, I just can't seem to get the monitoring to work.

[Mike90250]

Also, with Enphase, the data is encrypted, and you pay separately, yearly, for monitoring privileges. Nice way to set up a revenue stream for a 20year life product.

[silverhorsefarm]

I am getting the monitoring as part of my contract.

[Mike90250]

The vendor/installer is supposed to be able to set that up, if you paid for the package, they are supposed to deliver. Pressure them.

[blacnight]

Mike was wondering about building my own panels using the enphase micro inverter. Also in a couple of your post you mention water vapor. I am new to this but it looks like if I do the work with buying an enphase inverter I can make a complete panel grid tied for about $400.00. Does this seem right to you? I am not interested in batteries I just want to produce as much electric as possible. Sorry about where I placed this post as I am new to this whole thing . Delete if necessary.

[Mike90250]

Mike was wondering about building my own panels using the enphase micro inverter. Also in a couple of your post you mention water vapor. I am new to this but it looks like if I do the work with buying an enphase inverter I can make a complete panel grid tied for about $400.00. Does this seem right to you? I am not interested in batteries I just want to produce as much electric as possible. Sorry about where I placed this post as I am new to this whole thing . Delete if necessary.

Legally, you cannot use home built (non-UL approved) panels in/on any insured structure. And, as strange as it sounds, you can't feed non-UL electricity from your own panels, into a micro-inverter, and then legally, feed it into the grid. But hey, I'm not a lawyer.
Grid Tied is about 95% of harvest, into usable power, add batteries and it drops to about 50%.

[blacnight]

Tying into grid

Mike, you mean to tell me that all these sites on building your own solar panels really only work if you are not tying into the grid but using a battery bank.(legally) Does that mean I would have to get my electrians license,get UL approved to build my own panels and then grid tie. Also how did you get so knowledgeable and how long have you been doing this. I'm not questioning your knowledge merely interested in how I can become more knowledgeable in this field.

[fromport]

it cannot find the powerline telemetry from the inverters. The PV array is about 75 meters away from the house and I was thinking that the inverter telemetry is attenuating over that distance such that the Envoy modem can no longer hear the signal.

What happens when you take the envoy and hook it up where the panels are (make temp 120 volt connection).
If if finds the inverter there , you might have to pull aqn extra ethernet cable (max length is 185 meter on 100 megabit/s after
a switch port)


I had to put my envoy very close (about 3 feet) from the main breaker box in order to get decent signal. My panels/inverters are about 30 meters away from the main breaker box.


Hope this helps.

[Walt_Solartown]

I think you are too far away! Have read that the maximum distance of the Envoy from the microinverters is 150'. I have a setup on my garage/carriage house but could not get the Envoy to find the inverters from inside my house and the distance is less than 150'. Envoy finds the inverters when installed inside the carriage house. Also don't plug the Envoy into a power strip!

[Mike90250]

I think you are too far away! Have read that the maximum distance of the Envoy from the microinverters is 150'. I have a setup on my garage/carriage house but could not get the Envoy to find the inverters from inside my house and the distance is less than 150'. Envoy finds the inverters when installed inside the carriage house.

Sometimes, you need to check to make sure the envoy, is on the same "phase" as the inverters. Power line communications can't "jump from phase A to phase B" (L1 to L2)

Also don't plug the Envoy into a power strip!

Untrue. Don't use a FILTERED power strip. There are many plain power strips that don't have internal filters and surge suppressors.

[Walt_Solartown]

So I have about 10 different power strips in my house. Without the packaging, is there any way to tell if a power strip is filtered or not?

[trbizwiz]

There should be a manufacturer and model number on each strip. that information and google should help you out. I am guessing the cheapest ones don't have it, if you remember how much they cost.

[EdgarNewt]

Apologies for the cross post

Does anybody here have experience with both Enphase and Tigo Energy? I am struggling with which technology to use in a grid-tied, residential installation. I have been asking questions in a different branch of SolarPanelTalk's forums and it occurs to me that this might be the better category.

Really struggling to figure out which technology to use....

Here is a link to the other thread: http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?t=1998

Thanks in advance for any responses.