Hello wrenches:
Enphase is an excellent, reliable product, with many advantages, but a few
minor bugs. I have managed many Enphase installations, have been involved in
Beta Tests with them, toured the facility, and I have attended customer
feedback sessions with them. I will give you a quick overview:
- Being able to monitor individual module output is priceless.
Antony's experience is valid, his problem was related to the bad module. When
I do system testing, I will frequently find module issues related to a failed
string of cells, on one modules. I think this is a common problem, which is
rarely found.
- The inverters are very reliable. I have never had a failure on an
Enphase Inverter or Monitor. At Enphase, here in Petaluma, they place the
inverters in life-cycle testing beds, which apply continuous 160 degree
temperatures to the units, while placed on a vibrating plate.
- I had an inverter communication error once, and called Enphase, they
connected to the monitor and uploaded the softare to it remotely, and resolved
the issue.
- The monitoring system and Enphase web-based monitoring system is easy
to work with. Enphase does all the work to set it up for you!
- Availability has been extremely tight since late April. They really
blew it when they discontinued the 175 watt inverter, and ended up not having
any replacement for months. By then, they were really back-ordered.
- They hired a few of the guys who made the technical support at SMA so
great (Kent Sheldon, Marv Dargatz, and others.)
- The biggest issue with using Enphase is that communication errors
will occur between the modules and inverters. Most of the time it is fine, and
the inverters will continue to produce power, but the monitor will lose
connection with 1 or more inverters, and the website will post 0 watts output
for those modules. Once the communications are restore, the daily and monthly
outputs will be corrected, but the graphs and time-lapse show will be
in-accurate. This can lead to some customer calls, but the customers are
normally accepting, because it is so impressive, it is easy to accept the
occasional glitch.
Nick Soleil
Project Manager
Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC
PO Box 657
Petaluma, CA 94953
Cell: 707-321-2937
Office: 707-789-9537
Fax: 707-769-9037
________________________________
From: Nick Vida <[email protected]>
To: wrenches <[email protected]>
Sent: Sat, November 7, 2009 6:04:40 PM
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Enphase track record
I
That's interesting Drake, about the accessible groups.
Are there clearance issues for thermal concerns or anything?
It sounds like you could run your dc wires up the rows and have
all your inverters grouped on the top rail. That a one man call to
trouble shoot a system which has been a big concern from many voices
all along. Maybe those guys can offer several whip lengths or something...
i don't know I haven't worked with the gear yet.
nick vida
I'm also concerned about the issues brought up here. I have two
possible projects that would benefit from Enphase due to the fact
that the modules will go on more than one roof, with significantly
different orientations. In one case, there are shading issues as well.
Supposedly the Enphase units are selling fast. Someone
must be
installing them. They have been out long enough that there must be
some data as to whether or not the units are surviving. The long
term will not be known until the inverters have been out for many
years, however if they are having issues in the short term, then we
know they have issues.
One idea that Enphase tech support said was acceptable was to mount
the inverters in accessible groups. The DC leads would need to be
extended, and some loss would occur. Also the inverters can be
mounted in vented attics. Having the inverters in a group in an
accessible attic would make maintenance easier than tearing apart an
array to get to a dead inverter.
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