Thanks for this, it is really helpful. Chris
On 2020-11-23 11:26, Jamie Rennie wrote:
> Wrenches,
>
> Enphase Encharge debacle continues. Installed the USB extension device
> (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073B84CY1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
> Enphase field engineer's recommended week before last. Once installed had
> good com to all the units but only 5 of the 6 batteries were communicating.
> Tried unsuccessfully to provision the new battery several times with tech
> support. Got pretty upset with the tech who was requesting I do the same
> sequence of events I had been trying for the last two week with no results.
> Asked if they had someone locally who could look at the system. Enphase field
> engineer (Adam Rich) called me the next day and agreed to drive up from the
> Bay Area to take a look at the system. Met him on site on Friday last week,
> went through the same trouble shooting steps and was unsuccessful in
> provisioning the battery even though my phone and the Envoy could "see" the
> battery. He tried it on his phone and it worked so the only thing we could
> come
up with is my phone was the issue. I have a Motorola X Pure from 2016 with
Android 6.0 software, Adam was using an iphone, not sure which version. Looks
like I need to buy a new phone to work on these systems... Sigh
>
> Later that evening I got a call from Adam and he found a separate issue with
> another battery. One of the microinverters on the battery was not working.
> Adam drove back over to the site that evening and tried to hot swap the
> inverter. Turns out it is a bad slot and the battery needs to be replaced. So
> looks like we are looking at another RMA for this system. Sharing this info
> with Wrenches in the hopes that it helps others evaluate these products as I
> have found value in the messages I have read here. I really like these new
> Enphase systems and stoked Enphase was kind enough to send someone out to
> look at our install. Seems like Enphase still has a bunch of stuff to work
> out on these new batteries, unfortunately we are the guinea pigs for this new
> technology. Hopefully our customer remains a good sport and doesn't ask us to
> take it all down...
>
> On Tue, Nov 10, 2020 at 7:28 AM Jamie Rennie <jamie.greenwi...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> Wrenches,
>
> We just got through installing and commissioning our first Enphase system
> with Empower Smart switch and 2 of the Encharge 10's. Commissioning took a
> long time (over a week) and was really clunky with many calls to tech
> support. Everytime we got past one issue we ran into something else that
> needed to be resolved by an engineer. Most of it had to do with software and
> communication between envoy and other components. Found one of the batteries
> failed and we have replaced it. Now the batteries are not communicating with
> the Envoy and waiting to hear back from tech support about a solution for
> improving the communication between the Envoy, Empower and Encharge Units
> (currently IQ Combiner with Envoy is installed on East exterior wall near
> service and batteries are in the garage approx 60' away). Sounds like
> Enphase does not have a repeater they recommend for their system yet and
> there are known issues with weak comm between batteries and Envoy.
>
> On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 10:07 AM <d...@energysolarnow.com> wrote:
>
> Thanks for that advice, Louis. Next time I will start the necessary downloads
> first.
> This week with a site visit from Enphase tech support we determined the
> Enpower switch was stuck in an unknown state. This was resolved successfully,
> and now the Enpower switch and Encharge batteries are commissioned and
> functional. Their status and power flow can be seen on Enlighten.
> During functional testing we determined that a major cause of the system
> going down when off-grid is that the well pump turn-on surge is too much for
> the two Encharge3 batteries.
> This issue should be able to be solved by a motor soft starter. Enphase
> recommends SureStart from Hyper Engineering. These are made for larger A/C
> units with access to separate fan and compressor windings so are not
> appropriate for this two-wire 3/4 hp well pump.
> Does anyone have a recommendation for a suitable soft start rated at
> something like 8 amps load, 16 amps surge?
>
> Don Barch
> Energy Solar
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Commissioning issues with Enphase Ensemble
> From: Louis Woofenden <lo...@woofenden.net>
> Date: Thu, October 01, 2020 3:54 pm
> To: d...@energysolarnow.com
>
> Hi Don,
>
> I have commissioned four new Ensemble systems over the past two weeks. All
> storage additions to existing PV systems with Enphase microinverters.
> Although there are parts of the process that are a bit clunky, we have not
> had the problems you mention. I followed the instructions in the tech brief
> "Ensemble Commissioning via Installer Toolkit 3.0," linked at
> https://enphase.com/en-us/certification-support-program-guidelines (direct
> link to the PDF is
> https://enphase.com/sites/default/files/Tech%20Brief%20-%20Ensemble%20Commissioning%20via%20Installer%20Toolkit%203.0.pdf).
>
> My experience is that each of the four Enpower microgrid interconnection
> devices we've installed started up in passthrough mode, so if input breakers
> are on in the MID, backup loads have had power before commissioning is
> completed, and power has remained on for those backup loads even after we
> turned off the PV and ESS disconnects to wait for utility PTO after doing
> commissioning and functional testing.
>
> It did take us some time to do the Envoy software update before
> commissioning, and the system does require a second trip for functional
> testing after the Encharge battery software updates have been done (up to 12
> hours). I haven't stuck on site for the Encharge/Enpower software updates,
> but it looks like they are taking 4-6 hours for us, based on percentage done
> by the time I've left the site (system sizes from 10.08 kWh to 20.16 kWh).
> Yeah, it's a second trip. I've used the trip to meet with electrical
> inspectors for these first systems.
>
> One "trick" I've used on the Envoy software update is that you once you scan
> in the serial numbers of each Enpower & Encharge with the installer toolkit
> and plug in the cell modem and wireless communications kit, the installer
> toolkit will allow the Envoy software update to work, and you can get it
> taken care of early in the day, while still hanging boxes, running conduit,
> etc.
>
> I would agree that there are definitely parts of the new installer toolkit
> that aren't intuitive. I missed the "edit" button on the devices page for a
> bit (which is not mentioned in the tech brief), and couldn't figure out how
> to increase the device count, for example. I also had to try the Envoy update
> twice for some of these systems, as it threw an error code the first time
> around, so for some of the systems it took closer to 45-50 minutes to get the
> Envoy software update done.
>
> Hope the next one goes more smoothly for you! New products, new challenges, I
> guess.
>
> Best,
>
> Louis Woofenden
>
> d...@energysolarnow.com wrote on 9/30/20 2:59 PM:
>
> Wrenches-
> I'm having a lot of difficulty commissioning my first Enphase Ensemble
> installation. This is on a pre-existing microinverter installation. Have
> been on the phone with tech support several times; each time they forward a
> Tech Brief about commissioning that has different and slightly conflicting
> instructions. It seems the order of turning on each box is critical. Because
> of already-obsolete software that they ship with, the software must be
> updated before activating the Envoy, Enpower, and Encharge or they will not
> work.
> And for some reason the Envoy must have both Wifi and cell connection before
> even starting commissioning, but the slower cell connection is used for
> software download so it takes up to 12 hours.
> This commissioning must be done on-site using their latest version of
> Installer Toolkit on a smart phone. Sure, there are buttons in Enlighten's
> Activation page to add an Enpower and Encharge, but these do not work "yet".
> Enphase tech support says they are working on making this a single-day
> process rather than the current multi-day commissioning. This does not even
> count the actual hardware installation time.
>
> I would advise anyone against moving any loads to a new subpanel before the
> entire system is commissioned and operating.
> As of now I have an Enpower that mistakenly thinks it is off-grid when the
> grid is present, so it has told the Envoy to shut down the PV microinverters
> and batteries. These are relay controlled, therefore it is not possible to
> have them connected without software control. It has already committed the
> major crime of shutting down the backed-up loads while the grid is still
> present. Enphase is working on it, but seem to be developing software on the
> fly. I suppose their integration process has been hit hard by pandemic
> distancing, and they are all working remotely.
>
> Has anyone else had a successful experience commissioning an Ensemble?
> I'd like to hear about the doos-and-don'ts.
>
> Don Barch
> d...@energysolarnow.com
>
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> --
> --
>
> Louis Woofenden
> Engineering Director
> Net Zero Solar, LLC
> 101. W. 5th St., Tucson, AZ 85705
> Arizona ROC #248710, 259756, 259521
>
> Phone: 520.207.4053 [1] Ex. 3
> Cell: 520.237.5040 [2]
> Fax: 520.203.7230 [3]
>
> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional(tm)
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--
Respectfully,
Jamie Rennie
Greenwired
P: 707-923-2001 [4] C: 707-273-7387
1150 #1 Evergreen Rd
Redway, CA 95560
www.greenwired.com [5]
--
Respectfully,
Jamie Rennie
Greenwired
P: 707-923-2001 [4] C: 707-273-7387
1150 #1 Evergreen Rd
Redway, CA 95560
www.greenwired.com [5]
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