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  • Goodbye S280s?

    Hello Everyone,

    I was told by a Solar company that the Enphase S280s will be discontinued soon by Enphase and that the M250 will be(or already has is on current models) have been revamped to support higher wattage panels. They were hard pressed that I should go with the M250s and not the S280s. I tried searching but could not find anything about the S280s being discontinued. The only specs I could find for the M250s on the Enphase's website shows that the "Commonly used Module Pairing -Input power range is 210-350+W" where I am not sure what the "+" limit wattage actually tops off at. And the S280 just says up to 365Watts MAX.. I will be using the LG 320N1C-G4 Panels. Which are 320 Watts each.
    Last edited by genner; 02-22-2017, 03:48 AM.

  • #2
    WOW! you are being lied to. The S series is the new line and the M series, though still around is being phased out. The M250 is not being revamped to support higher wattage modules, they have not changed it one bit. They have in the past changed the documentation to allow higher wattage modules but that doesn't make the M250 any more capable of doing anything with the extra power. The S280 is the new high power inverter (already a bit underpowered for some of the more powerful modules out there though).
    OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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    • #3
      Sounds like 'someone' has some stale inventory they're trying to unload...

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      • #4

        Yeah that's what I thought....so I asked for clarification and again this was the response:

        "M250 had longer field testing and lower field failure. It was redesigned in the Sept. timeframe to support panel watts up to 355watts. Pre-Sept. it was not able to handle watts over 310 and as a result the S280 was introduced. At this point in time, S280 will be phased out by the end of 2017."

        I'm not sure what to think but either way both inverters will support my LG 320N1C-G4 Panels. I guess the major difference is one will support smart grid(s280) and the other will not(m250).
        What is this exactly and will this feature be a benefit for my system to function efficiently? I am a bit confused about this and not sure if I need it. I'm located in the Bay Area California. My grid is by PG&E.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by genner View Post
          Yeah that's what I thought....so I asked for clarification and again this was the response:

          "M250 had longer field testing and lower field failure. It was redesigned in the Sept. timeframe to support panel watts up to 355watts. Pre-Sept. it was not able to handle watts over 310 and as a result the S280 was introduced. At this point in time, S280 will be phased out by the end of 2017."

          I'm not sure what to think but either way both inverters will support my LG 320N1C-G4 Panels. I guess the major difference is one will support smart grid(s280) and the other will not(m250).
          What is this exactly and will this feature be a benefit for my system to function efficiently? I am a bit confused about this and not sure if I need it. I'm located in the Bay Area California. My grid is by PG&E.
          You are being lied to. I would not in any way do business with this BS artist acting as a solar installer.

          He has given you no proof and it is counter to everything the company has stated and put out.
          The only grain of truth is that the M250 has in deed been around longer but thats like saying that the Ford Model T has been around far longer and has more testing than the mustang....
          The M250 is a poor fit for an LG320
          The S280 is more efficient, and should have zero clipping with a 320W module.

          pairing the M250 with a high end module is like getting a 2017 mustang and dropping the Model T flat head engine in it. (ok maybe not quite that bad
          OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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          • #6
            I agree with ButchDeal that you should not be talking any further with BS artists. Get some more quotes, try www.solarreviews.com and or www.solar-estimate.org
            Is the installer that is trying to unload old stock onto you on www.solarreviews.com I would really like to know, cheers.

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            • #7
              it might have something to do with the emails that Enphase keeps sending out about discounts on the M250 micros....
              Last edited by ButchDeal; 03-02-2017, 07:04 PM.
              OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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              • #8
                Butch the M250 is a micro inverter not an optimizer

                The M250 will work just fine with those panels. Theoretically the S280 would be better, but the PTC wattage of the solar panel is lower than the stated wattage. Under normal conditions you will not run your panels to the maximum yield 100 percent of the time...The simulated conditions manufactures make on their panels are always more than generous.

                The PTC wattage of the panel is rated at 292 watts so you are potentially going to lose 42 watts per panel if they all operate under 100 percent perfect ideal conditions of the full sun. The M250 would work fine with those modules.

                But you will never operate your system at 100 percent of it's peak year round. Clouds and weather do apply to all of us.

                I did not hear that the S280 was cancelled. But the fact is Enphase is in deep financial trouble. I am running m250 with good results so far...but if I had to do it all over again, I think I might have opted for a string inverter with optimizers, at least those can be swapped in the long run, where as Enphase uses proprietary connectors and wiring.

                Good luck, don't worry too much. The M250 will work just fine and for the money it's silly to upgrade for a few extra KW of power per decade Seriously.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Six4KilowWatt View Post
                  Good luck, don't worry too much. The M250 will work just fine and for the money it's silly to upgrade for a few extra KW of power per decade Seriously.
                  The main point of this thread is that the installer is trying to push M250s with lies... and is just trying take advantage of the current sales from enphase on the M series (most likely to finish out old stock)

                  an S280 is a far better fit for 320w module in any case.
                  Last edited by ButchDeal; 03-02-2017, 07:20 PM.
                  OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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                  • #10
                    Possibly...but what if they got some inside scoop about Enphase? I mean this company well sadly, it had good intentions, good products and now is in big trouble...Perhaps they are phasing the S280...because it makes very little sense to have such a wimpy performance gain for that much more money.

                    If the installer is doing what many installers do...and that is lie, it wouldn't surprise me.

                    The M250 is great inverter even if clipped. But long term, the Sunny Boy with optimizers or other sytem just might bring a few more watts for the same money, or less.


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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Six4KilowWatt View Post
                      Possibly...but what if they got some inside scoop about Enphase? I mean this company well sadly, it had good intentions, good products and now is in big trouble...Perhaps they are phasing the S280...because it makes very little sense to have such a wimpy performance gain for that much more money.
                      then that installer would have information counter to what the rest of us here have received.

                      OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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                      • #12
                        So the M250 is going to be discontinued? I hope they produce them a few more years, since it's likely were all going to have to deal with the inevitable closure of Enphase at some point in our system life.

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                        • #13
                          It turns out OP was right....the S280 has now been discontinued. I've got 27 out of 42 in my system that failed after just six weeks, so am guessing there's a defect somewhere. So now I have the trunk cables that only support S280 or earlier models and 315w panels. They are pushing the IQ6, but it isn't compatible with the S280 cables or Envoy-S. What am I supposed to replace my S280's with? A less efficient M250?

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                          • #14
                            Nilk - is the verdit that those S280's are all bad? As long as those 315w panels are 60 cells they can work with the M250 and ya you will loose a small portion of your output on best days. SAM can give a decent modeling of what those losses can be.
                            Last edited by tyab; 10-18-2017, 06:45 PM.

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                            • #15
                              Still trying to get some tech support, but not looking good.

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