Comments on: Micro Inverters (My Turn)- the boring technical stuff

By: prabhu

Mon, 23 May 2011 05:57:41 +0000

Gentlemen,
The bggesr disadvantge is price and complexity…Better option is Panel maximiser with say 400V DC constant power used in a All Parallel DC array wih maximiser embedded intelligent modules we buy in India fom Mitramax.

By: david variyan

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 07:07:12 +0000

Is the Enphase inverter 50hz available in Australia. If so at what cost and details of agent/company

By: Curtis

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:15:51 +0000

I just installed a 42 panel ground-mounted system with Enphase 190s. The panels are 235W – and, on the few sunny days we have had this winter… max panel output is 199.x watts – clipped just as “A Solar Installer” mentioned. The most irritating thing though, is having to pay ENPHASE for my data! I’ve seen forums of computer geeks talking about hacking the LINUX based ENPHASE EMU, but it seems to me that it might be easier to crack the communications protocol, pole the inverters, and ditch “Big Brother’s” EMU. Anyone of a similar mind-set?

By: Bruno

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 10:30:48 +0000

For info,
Few other companies of Micro Inverters:
SPARQ
Direct Grid Technologies
Enecsys
Solarbridge Pantheon
Apparent (Active and Reactive Power)
Microchip
….

By: gearjam

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 23:28:44 +0000

Can you use microinventers on a pole system? I didn’t find any information on this type of application. Great information and article – thanks.

By: Justin

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:48:22 +0000

I don’t think that when microinventers fail, replacement will result higher expensive, that fact is that both centralised inverters and microinverter have warranty just like any other electronic product, microinverter now has develop systems that would give users far better flexibility of monitoring each panel’s performance from data server. It actually reduces labor cost in the long-term.

In fact, Involar in China has been pioneering in research,develop, and manufacture microinverters since it started in 2008, and is first company that has been shipping its product to European market in small volumes.

By: a solar installer

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:19:21 +0000

Two disadvantages that were not pointed out:
1. Any inverter, whether string or micro, will fail eventually. When a string inverter fails, it is a simple matter to swap it out: less than an hour of labor. When microinverters fail, however, the installer has to get up on the roof and potentially remove and replace every module to replace every microinverter, incurring a much higher expense.

2. Enphase really only has two offerings at this point, the 190 W and 210 W. The 210 is only good for Sanyo and SunPower, because of different voltages. All other modules are stuck with the 190. As module wattages get higher, many are at 230 W, this creates a poor match between module and inverter. In locations with high irradiance and cold, clear winter days, a 190 W microinverter will clip throughout the middle of the day when paired with a 230 W module. Running the inverters maxed out will also likely shorten their lifespan.

By: Burt

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:10:02 +0000

If enPhase is saying that none have failed in the field, they are not telling the truth. Locally we have already seen failures in systems that are only a couple years old.

By: George Sverlow

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:03:18 +0000

Senior Building Inspector.
I found your articles very informative and down to earth commentary. Countinue the good work. Maybe in the futher something on calculating microinverter strings sizes. This maybe to technical for some, but interseting to others.

By: Horea

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:38:10 +0000

Thanks for the article! I am interested in more details about the subject as I’m doing my bachelor work on Solar MicroInverter technology and connection to a Smart Grid. Any idea where I could find some more info (except IEEE and their $840 annual fee so I can read full articles).

Also I forgot to mention that I would love to make a few measurements on one of those beauties but I can’t seem to find a sponsor or someone that could borrow me one.