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DIY grid-tie Solar install - West facing roof vs south facing ground mount
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If you go ground mount, microinverters are a complete waste. Especially if you're saying no shade. You will have higher loss as was mentioned.
I'm definitely a fan of ground mount setups. However it is significantly more money. That being said it adds into the ROI time. It's also alot more work. Alot more work. I didn't have much of a choice on my property. But I definitely think the pros outweigh the cons.
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I'm really perplexed on the popularity of Enphase. What makes it worse is that when I ask people why they prefer Enphase I've never been given a reason that's accurate. Lower Line Losses? No. More Shade Tolerant? Not really. The most popular reason is that if one panel is shaded in a string of 14 panels that the other 13 panels have their output reduced with a string inverter... which is 100% false.
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Plug and play connections (mostly)
No messing with energized dc cables
No additional rapid shutdown device needed
Ease of replacement if necessary
For my installation, string inverters would need to be in my garage, so additional 50-60' run to/from exterior mounted panelComment
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Plug and play connections (mostly)
No messing with energized dc cables
No additional rapid shutdown device needed
Ease of replacement if necessary
For my installation, string inverters would need to be in my garage, so additional 50-60' run to/from exterior mounted panelComment
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mc4 connections aren't plug and play? If your messing with energized dc lines your doing something wrong. Ease of replacement. Lol youd probably never even know if you had 3 or 4 dead mico inverters. Why does your string inverter need to be in the garage? Most people just bolt it to the side of their house. I will say buying whatever special cable is required for enphase is significantly more expensive than 10 gauge pv wire. Mc4 connectors are dirt cheap. But you're right if the microinverter needs replacing in a roof mount situation it's much easier to climb up there, remove the panel(s) replace and reinstall than to replace a string inverter that's on the ground and exposed.Comment
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Mc4 connections aren't plug and play? If your messing with energized DC lines your doing something wrong. Ease of replacement. Lol youd probably never even know if you had 3 or 4 dead mico inverters. Why does your string inverter need to be in the garage? Most people just bolt it to the side of their house. I will say buying whatever special cable is required for enphase is significantly more expensive than 10 gauge Pv wire. Mc4 connectors are dirt cheap. But you're right if the microinverter needs replacing in a roof mount situation it's much easier to climb up there, Remove the panel(s) replace and reinstall than to replace a string inverter that's on the ground and exposed.
Enphase's Enlighten software lets you know exactly which micro is misbehaving. Replacing one on my flat roof with tilted panels would take me about 15 mins.
You are aware that your panels are putting DC onto the line as soon as you connect them, right? There is no AC output from your micro until you tell it to.
It's hot here in Phoenix, so putting string inverters in direct sunlight is not the greatest of ideas.
There's nothing special about Enphase trunk cable - it's only ~$1/ft, and you only need to run it from the end of your string to your combiner box/panel.
Anyways, to each his own. As a DIY person, micros for me are way easier.Comment
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The strings are not quite the No Brain level. On a string of 12 panels I bring together but
do not join panels 4-5, and 8-9. This leaves the system in much lower voltage sections,
with no possible current flow if done correctly. Once all is ready, I join the last 2 pairs of
MC4s and make tests. I connect this tool to each string pair, to observe voltage with some
current capability. I connect between ground and to one string end, then the other end
and should observe no power if there are no ground faults. Later my DC Clamp On
ammeter verifies proper operation of each string. Bruce Roe
PVtestLt.JPGLast edited by bcroe; 06-27-2019, 02:46 PM.Comment
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We all know how JPM feels about micros, so I'm not surprised he chimed in. Marky, based upon your adventures getting your system up and running, I'm surprised you're so anti-micro.
Enphase's Enlighten software lets you know exactly which micro is misbehaving. Replacing one on my flat roof with tilted panels would take me about 15 mins.
You are aware that your panels are putting DC onto the line as soon as you connect them, right? There is no AC output from your micro until you tell it to.
It's hot here in Phoenix, so putting string inverters in direct sunlight is not the greatest of ideas.
There's nothing special about Enphase trunk cable - it's only ~$1/ft, and you only need to run it from the end of your string to your combiner box/panel.
Anyways, to each his own. As a DIY person, micros for me are way easier.
every system is going to be different so where the inverter needs to go can obviously change. But is it going to be hotter under a panel on your flat roof or on the ground in direct sunlight? I'd usually say the roof is hotter but with panels blocking it's still going to be similar temps.
1$ a foot.... for trunk cable? I suppose the wiring scheme could be cleaner depending on the layout but I bought 1000 linear feet of pv wire and I think it was less than 300 and mc4 connectors are like 50 sets for 30$.
Yes I realize the DC lines are hot at the panels but you still have to connect the panels into the enphase inverter. Obviously mc4 connectors are designed to be safe. I'd personally make the connection at the inverter first in a string inverter scenario, then connect the panels in the string and then make the final connections to the wires running into the inverter.Comment
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