Is it worth it to pay $250 to have the Installer License account for Enphase IQ Envoy

[Lvb]

I have the same access. I can't seem to get into of the diagnostic tools, however. It just lags ("Please wait, loading").

I can also access the same interface by simply entering the local IP of the envoy in my browser.

envoy.jpg

Epiphany2000, try to see if u can use my last post and get free manager access to your panels. When you're done, I'd like to do some performance comparison (on panel detail level) with you since we have the exact equipment models.

[Epiphany2000]

Success for me as well! Many thanks to MrDodge and Lvb for the instructions.

Lvb, what screenshots are you interested in? I'll hasten to say that all the smoke in the air has really done a number on my production. Even before the Camp Fire, my daily production had taken a significant drop from when the panels were initially installed, likely due to less sunshine and shorter days.

Thanks again, guys. Enlighten Manager is cool (especially at this price )!

[Lvb]

Success for me as well! Many thanks to MrDodge and Lvb for the instructions.

Lvb, what screenshots are you interested in? I'll hasten to say that all the smoke in the air has really done a number on my production. Even before the Camp Fire, my daily production had taken a significant drop from when the panels were initially installed, likely due to less sunshine and shorter days.

Thanks again, guys. Enlighten Manager is cool (especially at this price )!

Epiphany2000 when I look at Enlighten Manager for the panel/microinverter detail level, i'm seeing accross all of my Microinverter, it says that "Maximum Produced 290W" to may 292W, none of my microinverter goes pass 295W. I'm just curious if all of your panels are similar? Cause I thought the Panasonic panels that we have are 330W panels, so shouldn't it produce close to that value?

I'm attaching my screenshot so you know exactly what I'm talking about. Thanks

[Ampster]

Epiphany2000 when I look at Enlighten Manager for the panel/microinverter detail level, i'm seeing accross all of my Microinverter, it says that "Maximum Produced 290W" to may 292W, none of my microinverter goes pass 295W. I'm just curious if all of your panels are similar? Cause I thought the Panasonic panels that we have are 330W panels, so shouldn't it produce close to that value?
....

The micro inverter is clipping the energy past 295W. My SolarEdge does the same thing. I used to look at it as lost power and it is, but there is an explanation. What is not as obvious is that during the ramp up your inverter is getting to its most efficient point sooner and what is lost at the top is made up in overall production. I had to have my installer model the production of my inverter vs a larger inverter before I believed the result. Several knowledgeable people on another forum confirmed that theory.

[ButchDeal]

The micro inverter is clipping the energy past 295W. My SolarEdge does the same thing. I used to look at it as lost power and it is, but there is an explanation. What is not as obvious is that during the ramp up your inverter is getting to its most efficient point sooner and what is lost at the top is made up in overall production. I had to have my installer model the production of my inverter vs a larger inverter before I believed the result. Several knowledgeable people on another forum confirmed that theory.

Sorry but several people are wrong. Solaredge has a very flat efficiency curve so there would be very little extra production by using a smaller inverter, and a lot of lost production in the clipping. Other inverters have more of a curve to their efficiency but solaredge not so much. There is little reason to undersize a solaredge inverter with the main exception being added costs for electrical changes at some inflection points of the interconnection.... but not efficiency.

[Ampster]

Sorry but several people are wrong. Solaredge has a very flat efficiency curve so there would be very little extra production by using a smaller inverter, and a lot of lost production in the clipping. Other inverters have more of a curve to their efficiency but solaredge not so much. There is little reason to undersize a solaredge inverter with the main exception being added costs for electrical changes at some inflection points of the interconnection.... but not efficiency.

You could be right. Ironically it was the Solaredge software that told them that they could run it at a DC to AC ratio of 1.50 to 1. A few months earlier at another location I had to replace a fried Xantrex invert and decided to go with a Solaredge. The supplier suggested a 5kW for a 4.3 STC system. I asked him about a 3.8kW which was a few hundred less expensive. He told me the 5.0 would be better. Buyer beware.

[ButchDeal]

You could be right. Ironically it was the Solaredge software that told them that they could run it at a DC to AC ratio of 1.50 to 1. A few months earlier at another location I had to replace a fried Xantrex invert and decided to go with a Solaredge. The supplier suggested a 5kW for a 4.3 STC system. I asked him about a 3.8kW which was a few hundred less expensive. He told me the 5.0 would be better. Buyer beware.

Yes you CAN run at a 1.5 ratio. That does not mean it is the most efficient thing to do, it just means that you will not void the warranty if you do that.
There are reasons you might want to do it like an east/west array or limited electric service, but efficiency is not one of them.

[Ampster]

.......
There are reasons you might want to do it like an east/west array or limited electric service, but efficiency is not one of them.

I think it was a cost effective decision for the installer. I paid for a 5.8kW system. My metric was cost per kW of capacity. They did give me a performance guarantee which was similar to what PVWatts had predicted. Initially I didn't pay attention to that detail. After the install, when I noticed the clipping I asked for an explanation. They ran scenarios that showed only 400kWh difference which financially was about $100 per year. In hindsight what I wish I had done was spec a 6.0 kW system which would have put me into a 5kW inverter at a DC to AC ratio of 1.2 to 1.