I have another microinverter that went bad. Here is a screen shot so you can easily see what one is bad.

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528755034

Then in enlighten Manager software you go to the config tab. Shown highlighted in yellow.

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528755034

Then scroll down to self Service section (this is new)

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528755034

Request a return. This creates a case. I put the case in this morning by the afternoon it was approved to ship me a new one.
The other one that went bad was to the left of this one.
Time to get out my spare microinverter.

I'm happy for you that Enphase will work with you. I've got an Enphase micro-inverter dead for two YEARS now and I have an open case number again, but no contact from them except to be issued another case number.

If I could realistically convert to something else, I wouldn't touch an Enphase Inverter at any cost. The inverters aren't a bad product, but it has been my personal experience that, about three years ago, their customer service policies changed and left people like me {not registered as solar professionals} by the wayside.

They have changed there call in support line. You don’t have to provide your installer number anymore.

Two years and still need a replacement is completely unacceptable!

Do you know if you are listed a a self installer/owner?

Do you have an Envoy installed and connected to the internet? That is how they handle support. The last microinverter I did not even need to call in to get a replacement sent to me.

They have an auto approve system setup if the microinverter is producing 0 watts. Some faults will require a call to support. My fault yesterday needed support approval that did take a couple of hours to get that approval. My new microinverter will be mailed out Thursday.

We went a long time without internet at home, but have had it for the past year. I do have an Envoy, all the inverters are listed with Enphase and five inverters are speaking to the mother ship continuously. One inverter is not, but does have a nice red light glowing on it.

I get a production email every month showing what the system makes, so clearly they aren't that good at catching faults, or they have written me off for some reason. Last August, I sent a certified letter hoping to get their attention. I included all six inverter serial numbers and that one of them had a red light glowing and how long I had the Envoy connected to them through the internet. It didn't help at all.

The failed inverter was bought new in 2010, and they have changed the cable connectors (for the daisy chain cables) so I can't buy a new one off the shelf and get the solar panel back in the game of producing energy. I found that little tidbit out when I looked online to try to buy a new one, and then checked with Blake at Mr. Solar to see if they had any of the old-style cable inverters left in stock, or if there was an adapter cable so I could add a new one anyway. No and no.

To say this is frustrating would be an understatement. :confused: I have 1050w rated PV connected to the inverters, but only 875w worth of them get power through to the wall and know of no realistic way to solve this.

You should try to call there support again now that you don’t have to jump through the, are you the installer hoops.
They should be able to help you out. I forget what microinverters to you running ?

When I recently ordered more panels, and more Enphase M215 inverters to enlarge the array at our house in FL, I ordered a spare inverter for each house. From the looks of my array this afternoon, I'll be using that spare this weekend. We'll see if my results dealing with them are more favorable than Gasstingy.

If you have a bad one. Make sure you contact support before you replace it. Once you have a RMA then then swap out with your spare. That is what I do.
They need it connected to your array to approve it quickly. If you go in to enlighten or the support link as I posted it sometimes gets approval right on the spot.

https://service.enphaseenergy.com/users/sign_in


Before you consider the microinverter dead.
Login to your Envoy just use its IP address. Go to the Administration tab.
Then to Device Conditions and Controls search for the bad device.
select the device that is causing the issue.
You can then clear gfi or send a reboot.
Sometimes this can fix a microinverter.

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528823462

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528823462

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528823462

When your units have died, have they showed any response from the envoy? Mine is showing 1-2W during the day, and blanks out at night as if it still recognizes the sunrise/sunset and panel inputs. The webpage still lists it as "normal".

I guess this weekend I'll take a meter up on the roof and see whether I cooked a blocking diode in the panel or a microinverter. At first, I was thinking panels are pretty fool proof, but then I remembered the blocking diodes in them.

Enlighten Manager go to the Go to the devices tab.
Select the microinverter that is having issues.
Go to the graph tab at the bottom select
power production, DC Voltage, DC current, AC voltage, AC Frequency, Temp.
This information is very helpful to determine what the issue is.

Good one
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528824375

Bad one.
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528824375

Enlighten Manager is pretty powerful but not of a lot info out there on how to use all the cool functions.

Well the good thing is that micro inverters have dropped in price quite a bit so having a spare on hand isnt a big deal. I remember them being around $150 and I just looked up the price on a 215 and its $57 now and less if you buy more.

That said are the benefits of micro inverters still worth the extra cost considering the failure rate as well. The sunny boy string inverters seem to keep chugging along for years.

Yes, wait to buy your spare. I did not have a bad one for 4 and 1/2 years. I think my spare one was on sale $152 shipped five years ago.

I could have saved $100 by waiting. I have 54 microinverters and have had 3 failures one was just 20% off in producing but they replaced it.
No cost to me they wanted that one back and paid shipping to get it back.

The two others went to 0 watts output and they did not want those back.
Unlike a string inverter I only lost production for one panel not the whole array or ½ the array.

The one microinverter that has failed cost me $137 new in 2012. The 22 I have in a boxes to my left cost me $27 each (last month). My roof has shading issues from a royal palm in my neighbor's yard. The microinverters work perfectly for my application, since I don't have to dedicate garage space to mount a string inverter, or run high current DC cabling from the second floor roof down to a string inverter. I have a double run of 10/3+Gnd UF running from my second floor down to my combiner panel.

My ground mount will have shading issues as well, so unless I get permission to cut down the neighbor's trees... I'm in for $540 worth of Enphase M215's. I don't think I can touch a 4.5kw SunnyBoy and 20 SolarEdge Optimizers for $540.

Back on the subject of rebooting my misbehaving M215, I'll have to do that tomorrow evening. I neglected to attempt to reset it until after it had already gone to sleep for the night. I head out the door to work before the sun wakes the system up.

Looking at the input power graphs for this unit, the voltage readings are normal, the current readings are down at 0.210A or less.

My spare microinverter is installed and ready to make power tommrow. They shipped my replacement microinverter today. I hope this is the last replacement but not very much down time is a very good thing.



They made is simpler to do a replacement in Enlighten Manager just go the setting tab and to the section.
Then to the “Self Service”
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528995809

Select Install Replacement
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528995809

You then enter original serial number then the replacement serial number select submit that’s it, you are done.




http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1528995311

It is back to working 100% again.:)

You lucked out. :D I was quoted 2-3 weeks on shipping my M215 when I was just on the phone with them. :rolleyes: That's why I bought a spare for each installation location.

Logged in through my Envoy, the bad inverter lists "DC Power Too Low" while the other inverters show "OK". As a result, I didn't seem to be able to determine whether I was able to successfully perform a reset on this inverter. In any event, the very courteous woman at Enphase was apparently able to look at the graphs and determine it was not performing as it should. She gave me a reference number, setup the RMA, then said there may be a 2-3 week delay before it ships. :eek: I told her I was in no rush, I had 22 new M215s in boxes to go on an addition to this 4.4kW array. I can use one of them while the RMA is in transit. :thumbup:

Glad support took care of you. It is because I bought so many of them at a much higher cost they take care of me. :p (Not really I just got lucky)

Even know I will have my replacement next week I do not want to have one panel not making power that long that is also why I have a spare.

Gasstingy did you call support I would love to see you get your issue taken care of.

Hi Guys,
After living with microinverters for several years I would say it's a good idea to have a couple spares on hand. Mine seem to be prone to high outside temps. I've never lost one in the winter.

That's a beautiful picture!

Haven't been on the roof yet to replace the dead microinverter, but an M250 came via FedEx to replace my dead M215. What was in the box was an M250-72-2LL-S22. That translates to "this was designed for 60 or 72 cell panels", and requires no ground wire connection, unlike my previous M215 units.

I think I'll save this for my 270W panels in the garage.

My 4.4kW array
Apparently 2018 was not as rainy as 2017...
June 2018 = 473kWh
June 2017 = 458kWh
June 2016 = 541kWh
June 2015 = 588kWh

12.5 kW array we generated 1,843 kWh June 2018

June 2018= 1,843 kWh
June 2017= 1,823 kWh
June 2016= 1,952 kWh
June 2015= 1,994 kWh
June 2014= 1,995 kWh

Highest one day June 2018 = 78.1 kWhs
Our system lifetime production is 97.6 MWh

We have banked for the winter. 1,486 KWh

Other solar producers show us your numbers for August when you have them.

12.5 kW array we generated 1,749 kWh July 2018
More rain this month but my son drives his car more and we drive our Volt less.

July 2018= 1,749 kWh
July 2017= 2,049 kWh
July 2016= 2,044 kWh
July 2015= 1,896 kWh
July 2014= 1,981 kWh
Highest one day July 2018 = 78.6 kWhs

We have now banked 1,694 KWh for the winter.

Other solar producers show us your numbers for August when you have them.

My 4.4kW array:
July 2018 = 507kWh
July 2017 = 558kWh
July 2016 = 607kWh
July 2015 = 546kWh
July 2014 = 475kWh
My 5th year anniversary of having a net meter installed = 29.9MWh produced to date.

We have now made 100 MWh power.
Wow that sure seems like a lot of power.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1534101501

My 4.4KW array:
August 2018: 553kWh
August 2017: 547kWh
August 2016: 526kwh
August 2015: 489kWh
August 2014: 566kWh
August 2013: 603kWh

Thank you Pinball for posting the details on inverter replacement. I finally went up on the roof today to swap out my M215 that was replaced via RMA months ago. The swap was painless after I located my enphase tool, an 11mm wrench and a 90° Phillips screwdriver. I replaced the defective unit with the next lowest serial number unit in the collection of M215s I have for my next install.

Funny I had to fine that tool also. If you can find it you can use a very large
Philips screwdriver but the tool works much better.

12.5 kW array we generated 1,645 kWh August 2018
August 2018= 1,645 kWh
August 2017= 1,717 kWh
August 2016= 1,716 kWh
August 2015= 1,873 kWh
August 2014= 1,915 kWh
Highest one day July 2018 = 72.9 kWhs

We have now banked 1,727 KWh for the winter.

12.5 kW array we generated 1,440 kWh September 2018
September 2018= 1,440 kWh <--- Hurricane Florence's days bad weather.
September 2017= 1,728 kWh
September 2016= 1,662 kWh
September 2015= 1,475 kWh
September 2014= 1,371 kWh
Highest one day July 2018 = 67 kWhs

We have now banked 1,778 KWh for the winter.

Other solar producers show us your numbers for September when you have them.

My 4.4kW system:

September 2018 = 491kWh
September 2017 = 360kWh <--- and one hurricane Irma
September 2016 = 433kWh
September 2015 = 423kWh
September 2014 = 446kWh
September 2013 = 452kWh

The week of Irma in 2017, my production was down by 70-80kWh, because I switched off the disconnect to the solar array, and didn't switch the array back on until the grid was substantially repaired and stable.

My 2018 numbers are actually higher than I expected, since I had one inverter not doing a thing for the last few months. I finally got around to swapping that one out, and the solar array just keeps working.

Just a note: 5 years seems to be the life expectancy for a black plastic zip-tie shaded by solar panels on a roof top array in South Florida. I'm thankful my trunk cable is attached to the racking with metal zip-ties (wrapped in shrink tube). The plastic zip-ties were only used to hold the cables between the panels and inverters up and off my stone coated metal roof. I'll have to buy a new batch and spend a morning on the roof this winter replacing them.

I had been having trouble with my disconnect switch. At peek times it would make one leg have low voltage.
I exercise the switch it would work good for a while. As you look at this picture it was the top right below the red that was the issue.
Below that is a knife switch that has pressure to make a good connection.
I ordered a new disconnect switch off eBay knowing I had a new coming I took off the red cover and bent the pressure switch. (This was on Aug 26)
This allows it to have more pressure on the knife switch. It has worked flawless since then. I still might swap it out over the winter but not one hiccup with it so far.
I did learn that this switch has an override to allow you open the box without exercising the switch. If I would have known that from the beginning I would have found the issue much sooner.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1538673166

This type of switch is required by my power company.

I have not put in the new disconnect switch. Since I bent knife switch it has run perfectly.

12.5 kW array we generated 1,487 kWh October 2018
October 2018= 1,487 kWh.
October 2017= 1,521 kWh
October 2016= 1,732 kWh
October 2015= 1,347 kWh
October 2014= 1,668 kWh
Highest one day October 2018 = 66.1 kWhs

We have now banked 1,927 KWh for the winter.

Other solar producers show us your numbers for October when you have them.

Sept results
 

Our September's since our 6.81 kW array went live,
Sep 13: 943
Sep 14: 889
Sep 15: 823
Sep 16: 910
Sep 17: 812
Sep 18: 766

Our total since 12/17/12: 57757 kWh as of 11/11/18. By my calculations, we are 72.393% paid back. Some would say that the payback is too long to be worthwhile, but I always point out that I've been paying my electric bill far longer than that and they have yet to tell me I am paid in full. :D

Between the solar arrays and the Bolt, I am saving a good bit of money from utilties and gasoline.

Our 16.7 kW produced only 1.33MWh, down from 1.428MWh in 2017.

We had a lot of rain and cloudy weather last month that really cut down production. Also being farther north (WI) the numbers really dip down from October - February. Best month this year was July, with 2.788MWh produced. We are on pace for a 5 year payback, about $3,200 worth of electricity generated in the first year of install(Sept 2017).

Mine have been running almost a year now . Have put out about 6.39 Mwh :)

5+ years into solar generation, I'm at 30.6MWh produced to date. As others have said, not having solar would have meant I would have used the 30.6MWh and paid the power company including their profit margin. As it is, the 30.6MWh is just the beginning of the energy my array will produce over its lifetime.

I like seeing the MWh saved by everyone.

https://ecorenovator.org/forum/attac...1&d=1542595585

5 years plus I am @ 104 MWh Produced to date. I look at the number and just say Wow that is a lot of power I did not have to pay the power company for.
I was able to power my car 90K EV mile during this time save buying gasoline for all those miles. That is a lot more saving than just power.
We now heat with mini splits so the natural gas savings substantial over that time.

I'm beginning to wish I still lived in Aiken SC. Winters were sometimes cold but at least we had sun. Here in west Georgia the winters are as dreary as Oregon.

I was in a hurry to get my PV DHW system up and running but we haven't had three days of sun in three weeks.

Yes you would get a little more sun in SC.

12.5 kW array we generated 1,034 kWh November 2018

November 2018= 1,034 kWh.
November 2017= 1,196 kWh
November 2016= 1,333 kWh
November 2015= 955 kWh
November 2014= 1,348 kWh
Highest one day November 2018 = 60.3 kWhs

We are now using our banked power. We used 538 KWH banked power
we have 1,389 banked power left.

Other solar producers show us your numbers for November when you have them.

My 4.4kW array:
November 2018 = 412kWh
November 2017 = 448kWh
November 2016 = 423kWh
November 2015 = 415kWh (yes, the same as 2014 within 0.3kWh)
November 2014 = 415kWh
November 2013 = 368kWh

Certainly would have made roughly 14kWh more last month if I'd gotten on the roof and investigated the one panel that I was having an output issue with. The adjacent panels had 20.0 and 21.2kWh output for the month. The one I repaired had 6.75kWh output for the month. However, that's about $1.68 worth of energy at my local rates.

For anyone on the fence about PV, I saw pricing at $0.54/W today, including Enphase M215 inverters... Shipping, Racking, and Cabling, extra, but cross country shipping for a pallet was $450 last spring (CA to FL).

Our December was 333 kWh from a 3.66 kW system. It looks like the average is about 90-95 kWh of production per kW of panel, at least between myself and where2 in November/December.

You did quite well relative to the capacity. Our 10.1kW system produced 773.3kWh in December.

The longer daylight (9:34 today - but who's counting?) means higher potential. We were maxing at 35kWhm and now it hits over 37kWh.

Today we had our first snow storm of the winter, and we got zero.

I'm curious, what month do you guys hit peak power? We haven't seen more than 3.33 kW from our nominal 3.66kW system yet, but Nov/Dec probably aren't the best months. It would be cool to hit "maximum."