Enphase M215 inverters- firmware revision?

[doggy]

I have 4 NEW M215 50Hz/240V M215 microinverters.

I added them to my Enphase system and they will only put out 45 watts. There are no problems with low/high grid voltage nor with frequency. Everything measures perfectly and no errors reported in Enlighten Manager.

I am concerned the firmware seems VERY old (8 years) and lodged a case with Enphase who claim that I have the latest firmware!

Hardware: 800-00241-r04
Running Image:520-00045-r01-v01.18.01
Updated 18/09/2014 2:26 AM

A number of people on this forum run M215 Micros and if anyone could checkl and let me know if they have later firmware, I would appreciate it.

Also, any clues from Enphase experts about the 45W? That is 20% of max and maybe the Micro somehow incorrectly "thinks" the grid volts are high or low and curtailing the output to 20% (which is the curtailment specified in the grid profile).

 

[Solar Guppy]

Where are you located and what are the solar panel specifications?

The M215 is a very old design and the only way it can limit power is by raising the mppt target voltage to stay under is programmed maximum.

Best guess is you have solar panels that are not 60 cells?

 

[doggy]

Australia.

60cell panel,220W -> 45W max output.

2*36 cell panels in series tot 200W with Vmpp, Voc, Isc, Impp all in spec for M215 -> 45W

Lab power supply with current limiting and pre-charge for M215 also gives 45W at any voltage whether in MPPT range or outside. M215 behaves per spec in terms of drop-out voltages. Never higher than 45W.

45W whether connected to my Enphase system or running standalone.
I've had a couple of responses from other people with M215s at this rev level and similar firmware (old) which work okay.

And yes, with the panels, it does drop the current (thus raising the Vpanel) to keep power curtailed at exactly 45W.

I have checked grid profile and nothing suspicious there. No event messages in Enlighten.

So, at this stage I give up and the four inverters are likely destined for the eWaste. Sad.

 

[fromport]

So, at this stage I give up and the four inverters are likely destined for the eWaste. Sad.

Enphase has a policy to ship new replacement inverters when replacing units under warranty.
Often these are newer units to replace older models.
EG: i received an IQ7PD as a replacement for an M215 that stopped working.
Even though they use different frequencies (110 vs 140Khz) PLC they somehow can make that compatible.
PD stands for Power Down since the IQ7 250VA and my M215 was obviously 215VA.
Does the label of the M215 by any change have _a_ PD marking on it ?
I also once found a demo unit (1 millionth number produced or something) with an engraved txt, and it didn't work either.
It was made for show only.

Is there anything different on the label compared to a "normal' m215?
I think you will have to find an installer that would go the extra mile to request info from Enphase like history etc from the units.

btw: my M215-IG's (USA model) run this firmware: 520-00040-r01-v03.42.04 - updated: Wed Oct 03, 2018 07:53 AM PDT

 

[doggy]

Thanks for the firmware info.
The only PD marking is "Pollution Degree PD3" which will be something else.
Nothing unusual on the labels.
They are M215-60-230-S22-E units (60 cell, 230V, 50Hz).
Cheers,
David

 

[doggy]

Had a small breakthrough.

I have been playing with one of these on a laboratory power supply.

The problem is to do with grid profiles! Perhaps the 8yr old firmware is not totally compatible with the recent (2020) grid profiles.

45watts is pretty much exactly 20% max power which is what the grid profiles specify for under or over voltage.

I found a profile for here in Australia (there are about 300+ profiles) that allows max voltage to be 258V for 10mins.

Now, the Micro can run up to about 220watts output!

I have to be a bit careful because if I go under the minimum MPPT voltage, it continues to increase the current so that it is pulling over 250W (whereas I would have thought it would limit to 10A max per the data sheet.

So it looks like the Micros thought the grid was high (even though it is not and the Envoy records no faults, nor does Enlighten) and none of my IQ micros have a problem.

So PROGRESS. I'll test with a solar panel tomorrow when the sun comes up.

 

[doggy]

Okay. Works fine with the selected profile and real solar panels.

So basically, these M215 inverters will NOT work with any of the recent (past 5yrs) Australian grid profiles.
Output is curtailed to 45watts but there are no errors, no event reports to indicate what is wrong.
I suspect Enphase must have slightly changed the Grid Profile format and it is incompatible with the 8 year old firmware.

 

[fromport]

Okay. Works fine with the selected profile and real solar panels.

So basically, these M215 inverters will NOT work with any of the recent (past 5yrs) Australian grid profiles.
Output is curtailed to 45watts but there are no errors, no event reports to indicate what is wrong.
I suspect Enphase must have slightly changed the Grid Profile format and it is incompatible with the 8 year old firmware.

not more e-waste

 

[doggy]

Absolutely! These M215s will now be put to good use.
It will be good if Enphase fixes the real problem but I am not holding my breath.
Anyone adding these to an existing and working M215 setup will not have a problem.
The problem is with any of the 2020 profiles (at least, the Aus ones). So adding to (for instance) an IQ7, 7+, 7A, IQ8... array will be a problem.

 

[fromport]

Absolutely! These M215s will now be put to good use.
The problem is with any of the 2020 profiles (at least, the Aus ones). So adding to (for instance) an IQ7, 7+, 7A, IQ8... array will be a problem.

The PLC power line communication frequency is different (110Khz vs 140 Khz) for the M series and the IQ series. You need a different Envoy in order to set the grid profiles. So might be completely different.

 

[doggy]

The PLC power line communication frequency is different (110Khz vs 140 Khz) for the M series and the IQ series. You need a different Envoy in order to set the grid profiles. So might be completely different.

Not correct, at least for my M215s.
I have an IQ7+ & IQ7A system. I checked with Enphase when I first got the M215s and they confirmed the PLC freq was the same.
All of them show up perfectly on my system. Grid profiles download just fine. Reporting works fine. Exceptions reported fine. No incorrect PLC freq shows up on the PLC scan. Ditto with my Network Analyzer.
If you check back to the start of this thread, you will see the hardware rev is 04.
Maybe what you say is true for very early M215s but it certainly is NOT true for mine.

 

[fromport]

Not correct, at least for my M215s.
I have an IQ7+ & IQ7A system. I checked with Enphase when I first got the M215s and they confirmed the PLC freq was the same.
All of them show up perfectly on my system. Grid profiles download just fine. Reporting works fine. Exceptions reported fine. No incorrect PLC freq shows up on the PLC scan. Ditto with my Network Analyzer.
If you check back to the start of this thread, you will see the hardware rev is 04.
Maybe what you say is true for very early M215s but it certainly is NOT true for mine.

I think the difference is USA vs [rest of the world]
In the USA there are regular (early) envoys & IQ envoys.
And if you mix & match M series with IQ series you will need 2 different envoys.

https://support.enphase.com/s/article/Can-an-IQ-Envoy-work-with-M-Series-microinverters

 

[doggy]

I imagine that is possible. Nice to be ahead of the US in something.
It was Enphase USA that I asked about compatibility of my units.
I did give them the hardware part numbers.

 

[fromport]

I imagine that is possible. Nice to be ahead of the US in something.
It was Enphase USA that I asked about compatibility of my units.
I did give them the hardware part numbers.

From:

https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2437432

800-00090-r05 – Gen 3 M215
800-00192-r06 – Gen 4 M215
800-00181-r06 – Gen 4 M250
800-00235-r04 – Gen 4 M250-72 (full part # M250-72-2LN-S2)

800-00241-r04 must be a newer M215 (Gen 4.5?) We don't have any showing this number.