Hi all, this forum has an ungodly amount of info in it, which is awesome! My background is first in software engineering, and also some experience with integration and test of fully Direct Current avionics hardware.
I'm trying to layout a first-cut at a solar system but I'm having trouble narrowing down what options I have for the components of a microinverter-based solution. I know if I go with a completely Enphase solution, then I can get the entire Enphase ecosystem to cover the rest of the system hardware, but I want to know if I can use other components from other vendors if I want to, and if so, how much additional (if any) stuff will be required to make it all play together. Also, if I mix-n-match other components, I'm guessing I'd need 1 app for monitoring the arrays, a different one for the inverter, and maybe even a different one for the battery monitoring if the batteries and AC-DC converter are not from the same manufacturer, etc.
I like the idea of using a microinverter solution because of the monitoring ability of each panel and the relatively safer running of AC from array to outbuilding compared to the high voltage run a string-inverter solution would entail. Ground mount is so I can 1) seasonally point and 2)install and maintain this system without having to be up on a building that has an 18' eave.
System info as it currently exists in my head:
~15kwh, grid-tied for now, but eventually consider going off-grid 5-10 years down the road
IntegraRack Ground Mount 45SA for seasonal pointing
36 420A REC Pure 2 panels
36 Enphase microinverters
~230' run from the panel array to the first component in the outbuilding where the components will live, including the batteries
If its a solely Enphase system, then I would include:
- Combiner
- System Controller
- 3x 5P batteries
But, what I'm trying to understand is how I'd use, say, an EG4 inverter and batteries (e.g. FlexBoss/GridBoss?). Or a Sol Ark inverter instead of EG4. And maybe Bluetti batteries instead of EG4. There's just absolutely so many options out there for inverters and batteries, these are just a few examples of non-Enphase ecosystem products and I'm not committed to any specific brand at this point.
I've spent hours gathering info about my property and the proposed layout of where things would go, looking at videos, reading about Voc, and on and on. And I fully admit, I still know maybe 1% of what so many of you on this forum know. All of this to this point has really just lead me to analysis paralysis where I can't even think straight lol.
So, this is where I thought I'd just post this message and hopefully get at least get pointed in a direction that will help me understand a non-completely Enphase microinverter system solution better. I feel like I have the string inverter system and needed components understood well-enough that I could make sensible decisions on that type of system. But, as stated above I feel like the microinverter solution is really what I'd like to have.
Any and all thoughts and input are very much appreciated by this noob.
Jeff
Oh, probably would have helped to say that I have 200A service to my house, and 200A service to my outbuilding, single power company feed into a single meter before splitting the incoming power for 200A service each to the house and outbuilding. I would be using this solar system to power both when its sunny enough or when I draw off batteries. Otherwise, it would be back-feeding to the grid.
I'm trying to layout a first-cut at a solar system but I'm having trouble narrowing down what options I have for the components of a microinverter-based solution. I know if I go with a completely Enphase solution, then I can get the entire Enphase ecosystem to cover the rest of the system hardware, but I want to know if I can use other components from other vendors if I want to, and if so, how much additional (if any) stuff will be required to make it all play together. Also, if I mix-n-match other components, I'm guessing I'd need 1 app for monitoring the arrays, a different one for the inverter, and maybe even a different one for the battery monitoring if the batteries and AC-DC converter are not from the same manufacturer, etc.
I like the idea of using a microinverter solution because of the monitoring ability of each panel and the relatively safer running of AC from array to outbuilding compared to the high voltage run a string-inverter solution would entail. Ground mount is so I can 1) seasonally point and 2)install and maintain this system without having to be up on a building that has an 18' eave.
System info as it currently exists in my head:
~15kwh, grid-tied for now, but eventually consider going off-grid 5-10 years down the road
IntegraRack Ground Mount 45SA for seasonal pointing
36 420A REC Pure 2 panels
36 Enphase microinverters
~230' run from the panel array to the first component in the outbuilding where the components will live, including the batteries
If its a solely Enphase system, then I would include:
- Combiner
- System Controller
- 3x 5P batteries
But, what I'm trying to understand is how I'd use, say, an EG4 inverter and batteries (e.g. FlexBoss/GridBoss?). Or a Sol Ark inverter instead of EG4. And maybe Bluetti batteries instead of EG4. There's just absolutely so many options out there for inverters and batteries, these are just a few examples of non-Enphase ecosystem products and I'm not committed to any specific brand at this point.
I've spent hours gathering info about my property and the proposed layout of where things would go, looking at videos, reading about Voc, and on and on. And I fully admit, I still know maybe 1% of what so many of you on this forum know. All of this to this point has really just lead me to analysis paralysis where I can't even think straight lol.
So, this is where I thought I'd just post this message and hopefully get at least get pointed in a direction that will help me understand a non-completely Enphase microinverter system solution better. I feel like I have the string inverter system and needed components understood well-enough that I could make sensible decisions on that type of system. But, as stated above I feel like the microinverter solution is really what I'd like to have.
Any and all thoughts and input are very much appreciated by this noob.
Jeff
Oh, probably would have helped to say that I have 200A service to my house, and 200A service to my outbuilding, single power company feed into a single meter before splitting the incoming power for 200A service each to the house and outbuilding. I would be using this solar system to power both when its sunny enough or when I draw off batteries. Otherwise, it would be back-feeding to the grid.
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