Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?
I wonder if the pricing really is the same as grid tie inverters which are around 40 cents a watt now a days.

From their web site press release:

Enecsys to show new solar micro inverters that achieve system price parity with string inverters and match PV module service life

New single and Duo micro inverters, UL1741 certifications, and iPhone app

Cambridge, UK, July 6, 2011: Enecsys Limited, a leading supplier of reliable solar micro inverter systems, will display new micro inverter models for the first time in North America at Intersolar, San Francisco, July 12-14th, 2011. At the North Hall Booth 5447, the company will also announce UL1741 certification for several of these products as the company expands its marketing efforts in North America following the recent opening of a new 21,000 sq. ft. sales, marketing, and product development facility in Redwood Shores, California.

Two new Enecsys Duo micro inverters will be on display – the 360W and 480W models, which support fully independent power point tracking of two connected photovoltaic modules. These products enable solar PV systems based on micro inverters to achieve price parity with systems utilizing string inverters. In common with all other Enecsys micro inverters, the Duos are based on a patented design that eliminates life-limiting components, such as electrolytic capacitors and opto couplers. They have a service life of more than 25 years and operate at full specification over an ambient temperature range of -40 to +85 degrees C.

Enecsys will also demonstrate its new iPhone app, which provides comprehensive real-time and historical monitoring of solar PV system performance for installers and homeowners.

On July 13th at 10:20 am, Dr. Asim Mumtaz, Enecsys Senior Engineer, will present a paper entitled “Solar Micro Inverters: Design and Reliability Innovation” at the Intersolar Conference. This will describe various micro inverter reliability challenges and Enecsys’ unique Design for Reliability (DFR) approach.

Comments

  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    Does the market really demand 2 independent MPPT trackers for only 360W worth of panel? I would have thought that ditching the second MPPT and lowering the price would've made more sense.

    The usual caveats already discussed here apply, foremost in my mind is the 94% Euro efficiency rating, when tranformerless string inverters are rated at 96.5%.
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    it looks like they are just wired up in parallel and there is a single mppt controller and that is why they claim same price as grid tie central inverters?
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    Quoted from above:
    ... – the 360W and 480W models, which support fully independent power point tracking of two connected photovoltaic modules.
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    I know what it says and admit I know nothing about how MPPT electronics function, but it seems pretty hard to monitor two different panels independently if they are wired in parallel before the device connects to them as shown in the photos.
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    It's not very clear, that's for sure. From the photos there appear to be 2 different connections so they may not necessarily be paralleled. Their site is frustratingly information light.
  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    Not too difficult to put two DC-DC switchers in the same box to serve two different panels. The two independent mppt DC boosters serve one AC output PWM chopper.

    Saves some hardware duplication. Let's see what the price tradeoff is. Price at present is about $1/watt for micro-inverters.

    The micro-inverter field is getting more crowded. All are working pretty much on venture capital. We will have to wait and see who survives. Competition should bring down prices. Enphase already dropped their monthly fee based performance monitoring.

    The trick for the micro-inverter companies is to survive long enough to prove the technology so the panel manufacturers integrate them with the panels. The risk at present is to the panel manufacturer for warranty. Long term, the two split the margin. For the panel manufacturer it helps improve their declining margins on just the panels. For the micro-inverter companies it will get the high volume they need to survive.
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    Spoke to the east coast dealer
    Product will not be available till October 2011.
    they are still working on pricing.

    Not the most organized communication there, as it took a week for them to tell me they don't know anything.
  • meridiansolar
    meridiansolar Solar Expert Posts: 34
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    supposed to get pricing latter this week......
    It's odd they have this product on their web site for over a month and it's not available for sale yet.
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    just spoke to them, wont be available in USA till jan 2011.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?
    just spoke to them, wont be available in USA till jan 2011.

    January 2012, you mean.
    At least I hope that's what you meant; I get confused enough about what day it is without someone changing the year as well! :p
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?
    January 2012, you mean.
    At least I hope that's what you meant; I get confused enough about what day it is without someone changing the year as well! :p

    Coot it is Monday! :D
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?
    solar_dave wrote: »
    Coot it is Monday! :D

    My ISP was dead for the past day-and-a-half so I think it's Sunday. Or Tuesday? :confused:
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    sorry 2012.............
  • Fullpower
    Fullpower Solar Expert Posts: 69 ✭✭
    Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    Available January of what year?
    Looks like vapor-ware from this universe.
  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    On the Enecsys Micro Inverter, it looks like it is just a single MPPT 480w mico-inverter. The 'Y' wiring on the panel DC lines just looks like they are hard wired in parallel so there is only one combined MPP tracking.

    Enphase D380 wording is a bit tricky to interpret. The wording implies two independent panel inputs but no where I could find that states specifically two independent MPP tracking DC-DC inputs circuits. Enphase D380 price is just over $300 so Enecsys in likely in same ballpark plus a bit for higher power. They are bounded on high price by $400, the price of two independent 200 watt microinverters. My guess is $350 list.

    Looks like everyone, including the new Enphase microinverters, have gone with putting the single phase 120 Hz ripple power filter caps at the high voltage point after the DC-DC boost switcher. They use film caps at the high voltage which is the right way to do it. Both PowerOne even has a block diagram showing the config and specifically pointing it out implying they are not doing it the wrong way with electrolytics at panel input, without specifically calling out Enphase by name.

    "Enecsys solar micro inverters use thin film capacitors and eliminate limited life aluminum electrolytic capacitors used in other micro inverters."
    " ‘Electrolyte-free’ power converter to further increase the life expectancy and long term reliability."
    http://www.power-one.com/sites/power-one.com/files/micro-0.25_0.3-i_en.pdf

    http://enphase.com/wp-uploads/enphase.com/2011/03/Enphase_D380_Datasheet.pdf
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    Just got an email today saying they are finally available, 10 months after announced, I might try a few! If I can find anyone that sells them LOL.
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone use these new Dual panel Enecsys micro inverters?

    called their 3 dealers on their web site.
    one did not even know they sold it.
    one left a message and finally I got pricing from the last one
    69cents a watt for the 240w inverter
    62cents a watt for the 480w inverter
    holding my breath in hopes that the cabling system will also be just as cost effective. If all goes well I will buy a few to put a very small solar array on my home.

    edited to add with the cables it works out to be about 75 cents a watt. Pretty close to what a grid tie inverter would cost with BOS for a small system.

    For a bigger than 2kw system a grid tie inverter is still the way to go.