Planning to troubleshoot my Enphase system. M215 inverters

[JeffreyR]

I have a 16 panel Enphase system with M215 inverters. The installer ceased activity in the Solar market. When I log on to the Enphase App, the last report is in October 2021. From that data I see that 14 of my 16 Panels were blacked out. The message is that no microinverters are reporting data to the envoy. As I understand it, this should not prevent my system from supplying power - just no analysis etc. I’m not getting much power at all from it now though. I have an iBoost which heats the water in my water cylinder - even on a sunny day the water is cold or tepid and the iBoost screen usually says that the water heating is off. Sometimes it says heating by solar, but the water is rarely hot. The second information screen in the iBoost cycle tells me that today it has provided 0.24Kw.

I’m inclined to get some scaffolding erected (my installation is on the roof) and swap any faulty M215s out myself.

Are Enphase easy to deal with if I need to return any inverters under warranty?

Is there a more likely cause to my problem than faulty inverters?

thanks…..

 

[Shimmy]

Can you pull up the local envoy page directly from your network? Something seems off with that many failures.

 

[thewilliam]

Can you easily get to the wire(s) where the AC outputs are combined (do you have a combiner box)? If so you could put a clamp-on ammeter around it/them and see how much they are actually producing.

 

[JeffreyR]

Thank you both.

Yes Shimmy, I can see the Envoy from my iPad by entering the IP address its screen displays. Under “System Operation“ the text “Connection to micro inverters” is in red, the text “connection to web” is in green.

thewilliam - A single cable runs into the roof space from the 8 panels on the back of the house and travels to join with the 8 panels on the front of the house. A single cable exits the front into the roof space, presumably carrying the power from all 16, and passes through the wall to the exterior, where it travels in a conduit down the wall, re-entering the house directly behind the 20A 2P Lockable AC Isolator. Is there any reason why I could not use a clamp- on ammeter where the cable is last visible in the loft (apart from not owning one at the moment……)

The schematic left by the installer shows another isolator in the loft but there is not one there. Just the one Isolator which I have described.

appreciate input from you both.

 

[thewilliam]

Anywhere you can easily get to a wire with the combined ac output from the inverters. I just thought it might be an easy way to tell if they are actually producing.

Do you normally consume all that you produce? If they are connected to the grid what does your utility meter read? What does it normally read?

 

[Shimmy]

Once you can confirm that you are not producing power from the unresponsive microinverters Enphase should be easy to deal with.

 

[Ampster]

Is there a more likely cause to my problem than faulty inverters?

Not if some of them show up on the Envoy. I have a similar situation and my suspicion is that a power spike kill off many of them. That was the only installation in which I did not have surge protection in the breaker panel. I was advised by someone who lost some micros that damages due to voltage spikes are not covered by Enphase warranty.

 

[JeffreyR]

Helpful input - thanks.

I’ve ordered a clamp-on ammeter so that will be my next step.

What sort of track record does Enphase have for dealing direct with a customer (rather than an installer) and providing replacements under warranty?

 

[Ampster]

What sort of track record does Enphase have for dealing direct with a customer

Two years ago, I self installed 23 IQ7s and a month later one failed and I did the return via the Envoy..The tech could see it had failed.
My other situation is some nine year old M250s that I suspect got hit with a voltage spike. They are coming off the roof in a month and I will figure it out then.

 

[JeffreyR]

Two years ago, I self installed 23 IQ7s and a month later one failed and I did the return via the Envoy..The tech could see it had failed.

Interesting - When you say “via the Envoy” is this in the Administration section? I can access the Envoy from my iPad using its IP address but have no username or password for the Admin section. I’ll try to get Enphase to reset that for me.

 

[Quattrohead]

Their customer service is very good, you should have no problem getting help from them.

 

[JeffreyR]

Well, the clamp-on ammeter arrived and it detects no power flowing in the cable from the roof. I have noticed that a number of fairly large birds have taken up residence under the panels so I wonder of they may be something to do with this problem. Initially it was just the noise that troubled me. Some relatives have recently had a new installation and tell me that some sort of mesh was fitted to prevent birds getting access. Has anyone else seen this?

I will likely spend some time researching and planning and do the work once the birds have gone. I don’t really want to be on a roof having birds attacking me.

I thought I’d rig up some safety line to the frame underneath the panels so I can clip on when I’m up there…..

 

[Shimmy]

I thought I’d rig up some safety line to the frame underneath the panels so I can clip on when I’m up there…..

Better to get a real attachment point. They can be temporary or permanent. https://www.homedepot.com/b/Safety-Equipment-Fall-Protection-Equipment-Anchor-Points/

Bird/rodent protection is good to have, just make sure it doesn't interfere with drainage.