Landon McKeester
New Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2022
- Messages
- 5
In 2010 I chose my (new technology) Enphase M190 microinverters because they promised easier expansion for future add-on solar panels after the first 18 (235 W Sharp) were installed.
The whole PV system paid for itself after about 8 years (thanks to all the rebates/deductions).
Last year I added-on 4 more used (260W REC) panels/microinverters/racking extensions for a cost of $1.22/watt (not including my DIY labor).
Now I'm trying to figure out if there are limits to how much I can upgrade the oldest panels and swap for some (used) higher-power (300W or more) panels while keeping my old M190 Microinverters.
But data re: compatibility issues and overpowering/clipping has been hard to find.
I've read that I cannot use any panels with more than a 60 or 72-cell count with M190s.
M190 micros are no longer included/listed in the results for the web-based Enphase compatibility tool
.
More background: When a few of my old M190s stopped working over the years, I was sent some M190-240-IQ7-S22-RMA units to replace them. Since those are upgraded Enphase IQ7 series replacements, they can handle higher power panels -which is what I bought for last year's expansions. They also use the necessary 110 hZ frequency to communicate with my legacy Envoy/Enlighten gateway. Most of the newer Enphase micro inverters do NOT use that frequency, so I'd have to also get a new Envoy/Enlighten gateway.
Has anyone already swapped out new panels onto old M190 micros? At what wattage will the old Enphase M190 micro inverters be maxed-out?
The whole PV system paid for itself after about 8 years (thanks to all the rebates/deductions).
Last year I added-on 4 more used (260W REC) panels/microinverters/racking extensions for a cost of $1.22/watt (not including my DIY labor).
Now I'm trying to figure out if there are limits to how much I can upgrade the oldest panels and swap for some (used) higher-power (300W or more) panels while keeping my old M190 Microinverters.
But data re: compatibility issues and overpowering/clipping has been hard to find.
I've read that I cannot use any panels with more than a 60 or 72-cell count with M190s.
M190 micros are no longer included/listed in the results for the web-based Enphase compatibility tool
.More background: When a few of my old M190s stopped working over the years, I was sent some M190-240-IQ7-S22-RMA units to replace them. Since those are upgraded Enphase IQ7 series replacements, they can handle higher power panels -which is what I bought for last year's expansions. They also use the necessary 110 hZ frequency to communicate with my legacy Envoy/Enlighten gateway. Most of the newer Enphase micro inverters do NOT use that frequency, so I'd have to also get a new Envoy/Enlighten gateway.
Has anyone already swapped out new panels onto old M190 micros? At what wattage will the old Enphase M190 micro inverters be maxed-out?
