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Enphase has data sheets and install manuals up for the new IQ microinverter system

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  • Enphase has data sheets and install manuals up for the new IQ microinverter system

    Not sure when it went up on the www site - I just noticed it today during lunch.

    They say available in May. Here are the highlights:
    • IQ 6 inverter up to 330W 60 cell only panels, 0.96 amp output. Cannot be used with existing Envoy system. Efficiency is 97%.
    • IQ 6+ inverter up to 400W 60/72 cell panels, 1.17A amp output. Cannot be used with existing Envoy system. Efficiency is 97%.
    • New cabling. 2 wire only. Just L1 and L2. No grounded conductor (neutral) and no EGC. New terminators also.
    • New AC combiner boxes - called Q Aggregator. Up to 3 strings can be directly connected to it. Field drillable for conduit. Uses quick lever type wire connects to connect #12 - #4 wire. Has EGC lug for up to #4 wire and bonds to metal bracket connecting to rail. All UL listed.
    • New Envoy system. NOT compatible with existing Envoy/S. Only works with IQ 6/6+ inverters.
    • Other misc accessories for this new system.

    My Thoughts:
    • Price? No idea. Enphase must get the price down to be competitive with the DC optimizers.
    • Why is the IQ 6 not a 1 amp output? From the data sheet the peek output is also lower than M250's. I would also have thought the IQ 6+ would have a higher output instead of current limited to 1.17A given they are focusing on higher output 72 cell modules. No support for some of the new high cell count modules.
    • Two line cable should be lower cost, lighter, easier to cut and install. Hope the price is lower than their existing setup. I'm guessing they feel that unbalanced loads between L1 and L2 are no longer an issue thus no need for neutral. Thus I can't see any way they can work with 3 phase commercial setups - thus this must be a residential only product.
    • New cable does not have an EGC in it, and microinverters do not need an EGC - fully ungrounded.
    • I liked the data sheet on the Q Aggregator. That would have saved me a bundle in both cost and time on my custom junction boxes with polaris grays and brackets and all custom bonding I had to do since my brackets were not UL listed. I really like that they understand some folks need to run long distance from these and thus support up to #4 with the quick connects.
    • New Envoy - not compatible. I'm guessing that they moved to a more modern power line communication protocol - that should be a win for customers given all the noise issues they have currently. We will see. However given that these Envoys are so freaking expensive already - they could have kept a backwards compatibility with the old power line stuff. Maybe the new units will be significantly lower price (I don't think so). Sort of reminds me of when apple dumped the old connector to move forward.

    Overall, everything *should* be faster to install. If they can get the overall price down then this is good for customers. Lets see if they really execute and have product ready in May.

  • #2
    Originally posted by tyab View Post
    [*]New AC combiner boxes - called Q Aggregator. Up to 3 strings can be directly connected to it. Field drillable for conduit.[*]Two line cable should be lower cost, lighter, easier to cut and install. Hope the price is lower than their existing setup. I'm guessing they feel that unbalanced loads between L1 and L2 are no longer an issue thus no need for neutral. Thus I can't see any way they can work with 3 phase commercial setups - thus this must be a residential only product.[*]New cable does not have an EGC in it, and microinverters do not need an EGC - fully ungrounded.
    I don't think any single phase inverter feeds current to neutral. Mine just used it for a voltage monitor. I would
    hope you can add junction box holes as needed. Mine are full of them; drill and punch. Bruce Roe

    Comment


    • #3
      Looks like they are already listed at one online distributor, at least.

      https://tandem-solar-systems.com/buy...microinverter/

      The price ($140 / ea) looks right based on where the M250 and S280 are at, but still kind of stiff relative to the competition, at least just looking at raw equipment costs.
      Last edited by sensij; 03-24-2017, 06:26 PM.
      CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozx

      Comment


      • #4
        What good is a microinverter that can takes in 400 watts and only puts out 290 watts? I realize that most solar panels never put out 100% of the rated watts, but isn't it likely that a solar panel will hit over 75% of rated output regularly?

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by reader2580 View Post
          What good is a microinverter that can takes in 400 watts and only puts out 290 watts? I realize that most solar panels never put out 100% of the rated watts, but isn't it likely that a solar panel will hit over 75% of rated output regularly?
          280 continuous ....
          OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by reader2580 View Post
            What good is a microinverter that can takes in 400 watts and only puts out 290 watts? I realize that most solar panels never put out 100% of the rated watts, but isn't it likely that a solar panel will hit over 75% of rated output regularly?
            I agree. I just installed a 6kW system and I've seen it hit 5600 Watts and it's only March.

            Also, why did they remove the EGC? That was a big selling point last year, where you bond the inverters to the racking, and you no longer have to have a separate ground.

            Comment


            • #7
              Moving to a 2 wire setup should reduce the production costs and increase profit margin - it should make installation easier - it remains to be seen if that results in lower cost to the customer. The EGC to the rails is now from their new Q Aggregator (just a fancy junction box but does look like they did a nice job with this). The cost of this junction box will determine if installers use it or just roll their own.

              Reader2580 - the idea of larger panels where you are just throwing away the top end output is to widen the output curve to generate more daily output for a given fixed max output. A side effect of this is you generate more output on marginal days. One would have to do an analysis if the higher output (and cost) panels would justify this tradeoff. String type setups can do the same thing with larger number of lower cost panels - see Bcroe's personal system for an example

              Residential system may have two caps - one is the highest amount you can backfeed due to existing service panel or local requirements - the other is space on the roof. It may make a lot of sense in some systems to go for max daily output ignoring the top end clipping especially if you are space limited. I think there is another thread that is going into this same subject.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by emartin00 View Post

                I agree. I just installed a 6kW system and I've seen it hit 5600 Watts and it's only March.

                Also, why did they remove the EGC? That was a big selling point last year, where you bond the inverters to the racking, and you no longer have to have a separate ground.
                And depending on application particulars and location, this time of year may be max. output or close to it for your array. Output is generally a bit less in summer than spring.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Tough assessment from Renvu:

                  The Enphase IQ6+ is out, but comparing the price with the Enphase S280, given that the output for both devices is similar, we don't see why you should pay +$15 more per device (that's before the Envoy cost). So we are pairing our high power modules with the S280 and trunk cable, with special pricing, when ordered with one of the following modules (minimum 12)
                  CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozx

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