Updating Enphase solar to have 5P battery backup

[benthefox]

I installed a 16x410w ground mount system Enphase ground mount system. It has theIQ8+ combiners.

I'd like to add Enphase's 5P backup battery. For that I need to add the whole house controller and upgrade the IQ Combiner to 5. I have all the parts, and a friend who is a lineman for a local electric company. But we are trying to find the simplest way to move the 200amp sub panel.

Within my 200 amp panel, I have a 100amp cable that feeds my manufactured home, and a 50 amp cable that goes to my garage. Both of these come in through the back of the panel. Because of this, I'd love to not need to move that specific 200 amp panel. My thoughts were:

• Dig up the mains power conduit and move it to the right about 6 feet.
• Go right into the whole house combiner
• have the 200 amps go from the whole house combiner to the left to my main home panel
• The solar is already going around the panel to get to a breaker. It could be easily rewired into the whole house combiner

Pictures make things a lot simpler, so I've added them.

 

[zanydroid]

Have you tried the Enphase subreddit for more focused expertise? It’s pretty good and a 180 from here where Enphase is a minority setup (though the biggest microinverter).
I’m a bit confused. Doesn’t your updated SLD show the great solution? I guess the question is mapping it to physical world.

Turn the main into main breaker only, with all loads moved off and feed through lugs going to feed system controller.

If System Controller has a bus with enough space, the circuits from main can go in it. You can use the main as a splicing box and extend all wires over. If you can keep the conduit under 24” (nipple rule), you don’t need to do CCC derate (IIRC) and you can use fill of 60% instead of 40%. That will make your life easier.

This approach does not require power shutoff from poco or meter pull (in my area this is high drama), and you don’t need to move the main.

This is assuming the System Controller can either be service equipment or be a subpanel. I sort of assume Enphase is good enough to make equipment that is convenient like this

 

[benthefox]

Thanks, I'll check the Enphase subreddit.

And yes, I shouldn't need to inform the regulators near me that I'm adding a battery. Unless, I want to get potential incentives from my utility

 

[zanydroid]

And yes, I shouldn't need to inform the regulators near me that I'm adding a battery. Unless, I want to get potential incentives from my utility

You do in California. Even with zero export/self consume configured. I was reviewing the paperwork and policies this morning.

 

[zanydroid]

Thanks, I'll check the Enphase subreddit.

For your specific question, the subreddit would mostly help with common installation patterns (quite good at it , they debug stuff like reversed CTs and bungled jobs all the time), what products Enphase has, and detailed technical lore.

Most of your question I think is more generic, because it is similar to discussions about how to install a MID or inverter with 200A transfer capability.