How much solar power??? - Page 2

gasstingy · 07-06-16, 01:40 PM

Can't tell the model numers off the top of my head, will check tonight or tomorrow, if I can remember that long.

I do know the first 4 were purchased in early 2009 and I am almost certain they were American made, because I specified American made everything possible with my solar guru before I spent the ridiculous amount of money that little array cost. They have a very nice looking cast aluminum body with cooling fins, where the last two I bought were purchased in late summer 2010 and are Chinese origin and have a stamped sheet metal body and an LED that is supposed to tell you when there is an error. Of my 6 inverters, they have replaced three of the two newest ones, and I've never needed to replace any of the four original inverters. The little array is made up of six 175w Sharp solar panels.

I appreciate the suggestion of keeping a spare inverter on hand and on dealing with them directly.

pinballlooking · 07-06-16, 01:50 PM

I thought you did your own install. If you have an installer do the install they want that installer to work with them to trouble shoot it.

They had lost of issues with the M190 they have replaced many many of these.
The M215 has been solid and not many issues with these.

This is a M190

I have 54 M215 no issues so far.

gasstingy · 07-07-16, 08:31 AM

Funny you should mention the M190, because my problem seems to be one of the M190-72-240- {I misplaced the post-it note with the full model # on it already this morning

}.

As for me building the array, it went something like this. Contacted solar guy and told him what I wanted to do. We agreed on me doing most of the work that I felt capable of in order to save some money. He provided the blueprints for the ground mount. I had a contractor set two sets of piers for this rack and a future expansion. I bought the rack material, followed the blueprints and built the actual rack and put it on its piers. I mounted all the PV panels and the inverters and connected all of them together, daisy chain fashion. Had my nephew electrician run power to a post I put in the back yard with an outdoor breaker box. He also assisted me in wiring from the rack mounted junction box down to the breaker box. I also installed the ground rods and strung the ground wire daisy chained from one to the next PV module and followed the wiring diagram solar guy provided.

When we decided to build the big array, I dismantled this little array and moved it to the other set of piers so I could use the original space as a starting point for the new array. Stupid luck gave me the good fortune of centering the pivot points on the new and old arrays, and due to the way we landscaped to install the columns on the big array, the two arrays are very close to being the exact height and in alignment when the tilt is in the summer and when in the winter positions. I do not have any shadowing from one array to the other at any time of any day of the year. It doesn't get any better than that! God is GOOD.

pinballlooking · 07-07-16, 08:45 AM

Do you have per panel monitoring enlighten manager? I assume you do. Were you listed as the installer with enphase. If so this will help you taking care of the warranty.

gasstingy · 07-07-16, 08:52 AM

This is exactly where it gets ugly. I don't remember if I'm listed as installer. How would I check this? Last year a lightning ground strike in my back yard killed a couple of appliances, and my Envoy. I bought a new Envoy and it showed all the inverters after doing the setup inverter search.

However, I don't have internet at home, so I can't do anything except monitor with the new Envoy because I haven't figured out how to update the Envoy SN on the site and update my laptop. {I can bring the laptop to work and I'm allowed to connect it through the network to the internet and figure I can update it that way. I procrastinate too much.}

nibs · 07-09-16, 10:16 PM

Did not realize that this thread was still going.
To answer the payback, I am in BC Can and the rules are a little different here. As for experience, bought my first PV panel in 1980, built hundreds of small wind turbines, lived off grid (in sailboat or RV) for about 22years, have no problem with installing panels and wiring.
We pay $0.09/KWH then it bumps up to $0.13, we are always at nine cents.
The solar site tells us that a 1KW array angled at 20 degrees will pay aprox $100 per year at a location 80 kilometers away, that gets much more sun than we do. The only way to get any tax credit is to grid tie, That must be done by a licensed electrician and the permits are expensive (for nothing imo)
So figuring panels at about $150USD/100watts without figuring NPV or any of the accounting tricks (most of which I have now forgotten) You have a minimum 10 year payback on the panels alone.
My current usage of grid power costs me about $40/mo with about a $20 connection fee per month, I don't mind helping cover the costs of the grid that is the way of the future. My motor home has about 450 PV watts installed (was 650 but the daughter swiped one), am reasonably able with electrics but in this location until prices drop, and I think we have seen the biggest drops now PV and accoutrements are now commodities so will likely stay pretty stable pricewise, PV is not a viable option to replace the grid at this location.
Boy that last sentence is a doozy!

07-06-16, 01:50 PM	#12
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	I thought you did your own install. If you have an installer do the install they want that installer to work with them to trouble shoot it. They had lost of issues with the M190 they have replaced many many of these. The M215 has been solid and not many issues with these. This is a M190 I have 54 M215 no issues so far. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-07-16, 08:45 AM	#14
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Do you have per panel monitoring enlighten manager? I assume you do. Were you listed as the installer with enphase. If so this will help you taking care of the warranty. __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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07-06-16, 01:40 PM	#11
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	Can't tell the model numers off the top of my head, will check tonight or tomorrow, if I can remember that long. I do know the first 4 were purchased in early 2009 and I am almost certain they were American made, because I specified American made everything possible with my solar guru before I spent the ridiculous amount of money that little array cost. They have a very nice looking cast aluminum body with cooling fins, where the last two I bought were purchased in late summer 2010 and are Chinese origin and have a stamped sheet metal body and an LED that is supposed to tell you when there is an error. Of my 6 inverters, they have replaced three of the two newest ones, and I've never needed to replace any of the four original inverters. The little array is made up of six 175w Sharp solar panels. I appreciate the suggestion of keeping a spare inverter on hand and on dealing with them directly.

07-07-16, 08:31 AM	#13
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	Funny you should mention the M190, because my problem seems to be one of the M190-72-240- {I misplaced the post-it note with the full model # on it already this morning }. As for me building the array, it went something like this. Contacted solar guy and told him what I wanted to do. We agreed on me doing most of the work that I felt capable of in order to save some money. He provided the blueprints for the ground mount. I had a contractor set two sets of piers for this rack and a future expansion. I bought the rack material, followed the blueprints and built the actual rack and put it on its piers. I mounted all the PV panels and the inverters and connected all of them together, daisy chain fashion. Had my nephew electrician run power to a post I put in the back yard with an outdoor breaker box. He also assisted me in wiring from the rack mounted junction box down to the breaker box. I also installed the ground rods and strung the ground wire daisy chained from one to the next PV module and followed the wiring diagram solar guy provided. When we decided to build the big array, I dismantled this little array and moved it to the other set of piers so I could use the original space as a starting point for the new array. Stupid luck gave me the good fortune of centering the pivot points on the new and old arrays, and due to the way we landscaped to install the columns on the big array, the two arrays are very close to being the exact height and in alignment when the tilt is in the summer and when in the winter positions. I do not have any shadowing from one array to the other at any time of any day of the year. It doesn't get any better than that! God is GOOD.

07-07-16, 08:52 AM	#15
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	This is exactly where it gets ugly. I don't remember if I'm listed as installer. How would I check this? Last year a lightning ground strike in my back yard killed a couple of appliances, and my Envoy. I bought a new Envoy and it showed all the inverters after doing the setup inverter search. However, I don't have internet at home, so I can't do anything except monitor with the new Envoy because I haven't figured out how to update the Envoy SN on the site and update my laptop. {I can bring the laptop to work and I'm allowed to connect it through the network to the internet and figure I can update it that way. I procrastinate too much.}

07-09-16, 10:16 PM	#16
nibs Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 206 Thanks: 1 Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts	Did not realize that this thread was still going. To answer the payback, I am in BC Can and the rules are a little different here. As for experience, bought my first PV panel in 1980, built hundreds of small wind turbines, lived off grid (in sailboat or RV) for about 22years, have no problem with installing panels and wiring. We pay $0.09/KWH then it bumps up to $0.13, we are always at nine cents. The solar site tells us that a 1KW array angled at 20 degrees will pay aprox $100 per year at a location 80 kilometers away, that gets much more sun than we do. The only way to get any tax credit is to grid tie, That must be done by a licensed electrician and the permits are expensive (for nothing imo) So figuring panels at about $150USD/100watts without figuring NPV or any of the accounting tricks (most of which I have now forgotten) You have a minimum 10 year payback on the panels alone. My current usage of grid power costs me about $40/mo with about a $20 connection fee per month, I don't mind helping cover the costs of the grid that is the way of the future. My motor home has about 450 PV watts installed (was 650 but the daughter swiped one), am reasonably able with electrics but in this location until prices drop, and I think we have seen the biggest drops now PV and accoutrements are now commodities so will likely stay pretty stable pricewise, PV is not a viable option to replace the grid at this location. Boy that last sentence is a doozy!