Enphase Microinverter System Damaged When Connected to Grid

[Solar Guy Richard]

While on a site a solar installer tried to commission the Enphase and when we turned the connection to the grid on it made a pop with the damage below. Any ideas what caused this? The damage is mostly concentrated around where the middle 15a fuse meets the PCB board:

 

[400bird]

I can't see any damage in the pics, can you get ones to better show the damage?

Also, know they need to make L1 vs L2, and red electrical tape is a standard way of doing that. But, I've never seen such a poor/odd way of applying the tape.

 

[kendive]

Yea it almost looks like the one with Electrical Tape is hiding where the insulation is stripped back way to far. Hard to tell though.

 

[RBEL]

What immediately comes to mind are the following things:

1. Check the wire gauge for your required amperage;
2. Check all involved connections;
3. Check if there are no short-circuits.

 

[fromport]

While on a site a solar installer tried to commission the Enphase and when we turned the connection to the grid on it made a pop with the damage below. Any ideas what caused this? The damage is mostly concentrated around where the middle 15a fuse meets the PCB board:

It is clear the 15 amp breaker is "popped", the handle is in the "mid" position.
It looks like the iq-gateway/envoy is connected correctly

Unless more than split phase (0-120-120) voltage was connected, it sounds like a bad envoy.
Contact enphase.

 

[svetz]

Possibly L1 and L2 got reversed? Think I read something about needing to be careful to match phases, although with phase synchronizing not sure why (CT accuracy?). Although, the breaker should have tripped before any insulation started melting.

15 Amp breaker? The IQ3C installation guidelines calls for no more than a 10 amp breaker (not that it should cause a problem, breakers protect the wire, not the device).

Update: This doc says 20 amp breaker is okay.

 

[fromport]

Possibly L1 and L2 got reversed? Think I read something about needing to be careful to match phases, although with phase synchronizing not sure why (CT accuracy?). Although, the breaker should have tripped before any insulation started melting.

Reversing L1 & L2 does not matter. There is still 240 volt across the terminals and that is what matters.
It could technically be out of phase with the 1 CT that measures PV current and thus could give readings that makes no sense but that is about it.

Maybe some metal (shavings or otherwise) is behind the printed circuit board of the iq gateway and that made a short.
I can not imagine the iq gateway itself ever being the cause of a short.

 

[Quattrohead]

I don't think it should matter but you have ended up with your red and black so-called phases back to front due to the placement of that 15 amp breaker. Move it up or down one bay.
And yes I would like to see what's going on underneath that red tape at the bottom because that could potentially be a short.

 

[fromport]

I don't think it should matter but you have ended up with your red and black so-called phases back to front due to the placement of that 15 amp breaker. Move it up or down one bay.
And yes I would like to see what's going on underneath that red tape at the bottom because that could potentially be a short.

moving the 15 amp breaker has no purpose

the red tape has nothing to do with this as well.
That would short out the breaker at the other end of that wire.

This is not the cause in this case.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Thank you everyone for your help. We are going to have Enphase come out and take a look - I'm not the installer for that system and it seems like he is a far cry from competent. We are seeing what we can do and working with Enphase to locate the issue. Our guess is crossed phases or short somewhere on the solar panel side of the system.

 

[Bud Martin]

Please make to let us know about the outcome, thanks.

 

[Ampster]

I am curious as well. I am a DIYer and have installed over 50 Enphase micros over the years and they are pretty easy to install if you follow simple electrical standards.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Just a long due update to this - after months of back and forth, myself and my company decided to withdraw from this project. After several service calls and ongoing issues, it was quite apparent the installer had no clue what he was doing. Since our product is a one of a kind and completely different from anything else out there, seeing the errors on simple things like crossing phases and blaming us, Enphase, and anyone else he could, we made the decision to refund and get our equipment back. I know this isn't the update anyone would want - but I can safely say that it was installer error and had nothing to do with any of the equipment. As for what the exact error was - there are too many to list.

 

[400bird]

Sometimes that's the best decision.

I'd have loved to learn the cause or know something about your equipment.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Sometimes that's the best decision.

I'd have loved to learn the cause or know something about your equipment.

A few of the errors: Phase to Phase mismatch, too many panels for the rating of the system, crossed phases after the inverters, G/N connected inappropriately. It was honestly a mess.

 

[etcm]

A few of the errors: Phase to Phase mismatch, too many panels for the rating of the system, crossed phases after the inverters, G/N connected inappropriately. It was honestly a mess.

Was the installer a big name company based out of Sanford?

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Was the installer a big name company based out of Sanford?

Nah, small company in GA.