The MicroInverter

Francine V. Notte
NABCEP Certified PV Installer
ISPQ Certified PV Instructor

History of the microMicro-invertersinverter

are installed on the roof

under or next to a module and usually

serve one single module at a time. Some
serve two modules but the double ones
have not been as successful as the microinverters attached to a single module.
Micro-inverters convert the DC of the
modules into AC just as conventionally
recognizable inverters do and provide
maximum power point tracking.
The AC output goes directly into the
homeowners load center.

 The concept of the micro-inverter has

been around for as long as the idea of
using solar energy for power in a real
and commercially viable way has been.
1991 saw the beginnings of the first
incarnation of the micro-inverter which
was rather inefficient and was basically
a miniaturized version of a
conventional string inverter. It was
developed by a US based company,
Ascension Technology. In 1994 a
version of this was submitted to Sandia
Labs for testing.

 This design prototype fell under the

radar but resurfaced again as a 300W
AC module called the SunSine 300W.
The SunSine 300W module didnt
exactly fly off the shelf.

 In 1993, Mastervolt introduced the first

ever grid-tied micro-inverter, the
SunMaster 130S which was a collaborative
effort by Shell, Ecofys, and ECN
companies.
The OK-4E-100-E micro-inverter was
designed by OKE Services in 1995 and
distributed to the European market by NKF
Kabel. It was later re-branded by Trace
(aka Xantrex, aka Schneider Electric) for
sale in the US market as the Trace
Microsine.
The final version was the OK4All which
improved efficiency but still no cigar. The
OK series was discontinued in 2003.

Mastervolt Sunmaster 130S

Micro-Inverter

 All of these early micro-inverters

essentially came to nothing. It wasnt
until 2008 that a reliable, and
commercially viable micro-inverter was
developed and made publically available
by Enphase called the M175. This was
followed by the M190, Enphases most
popular and widespread design. Three
new models from Enphase have
subsequently appeared on the market.
The M210 suitable for the SunPower and
Sanyo modules and both 72 and 60 cell
modules, and the M215 which supports
60 cell modules only.

 The D380 which services two modules with

one micro-inverter is being discontinued.
Enphase shipped their 1,000,000th microinverter in September of 2011.
The groundwork for this true sine wave
micro-inverter began in the late 1980s by
Werner Kleinkauf. So the micro-inverter
has been a long-time coming.
The reliability of the micro-inverter is eyepopping for an intricate electronic device
constantly subjected to heat and moisture.
Emphase claims a mean time between
failures of 300 years and has a NEMA 6
rating.

Micro-Inverters vs String
Inverters

The main advantage to micro-inverters is

their ability to maintain a robust and
consistent flow of power even with shade
on one or more of the panels. A string
of modules in a micro-inverter array is in
parallel rather than series as with a
conventional inverter.
Because the micro-inverters service an
individual module, the power performance
and the overall health of each module can
be tracked and monitored in real time.

 Monitoring the array with conventional

string inverters consist of checking the
aggregate output of each string of
modules for performance. If there is a
single module in a string that is
malfunctioning, the installer would need
to go on the roof and find the single
module that is effecting the string and
ultimately the total output of the array.
With Micro-inverters, a bad module can
be detected virtually instantaneously
and the best part, identified remotely.

 String inverters respond to the least

efficient module in a string. For instance
if a particular module is slightly more
resistive, say 5% more resistive than the
rest of the modules in a string the entire
string will perform 5% less efficiently.
Variations in modules have no effect on
the ultimate output of the array since
modules with a micro-inverters are
independent contributors to the power
output. Different types and different
manufacturers modules can be used in a
string of Micro-inverters.

 When you build a string for a

conventional inverter, all of the modules
need to at least have the same
electrical characteristics and preferably
be made by the same manufacturer.
Which brings us to maximum power
point tracking. The way maximum
power point tracking works (very
basically) is to create a resistance or
load which then defines the amperage
that is flowing from the array or from a
single module as in the case of a microinverter.

 In the case of a string inverter, this

resistance is in response to the
amperage output of the aggregate of
modules in the array. Different
modules in the string have different
mpps which means some modules
are not performing as well as they
could resulting in a loss of power.
Since each micro-inverter contains a
maximum power point tracker, each
module performs to its maximum
best.

Power Optimizers
Power optimizers are essentially microinverters minus the capacity to convert
DC to AC.
They are a DC to DC device which uses
maximum power point tracking to
optimize the power output of individual
modules. It is usually attached to the
back of or close to the module just as the
micro-inverters are.
It basically monitors the maximum power
point of the string inverter and fine tunes
the output of the module to match it.

 Power optimizers are particularly useful in

situations where components are not well
matched or the locations of components
are far removed from one another. Also, if
the orientation or tilt is slightly different
among the modules. Power optimizers
can smooth out the differences and
maximize output.
SolarEdge is the leader in the field of
power optimizers. The company shipped
250,000 of their power optimizers called
PowerBoxes in 2010 and is expecting to
manufacture 500 megawatts of them in
2012.

 There are other manufacturers of power

optimizers as well as SolarEdge but
none are commercially viable.
There are three varieties of technology
that drives power optimizers and they
are, buck, boost, and a mixture of buck
and boost.
Quoting from Photon magazine 2011,
Issue #10, a buck power optimizer,
decreases the output voltage of a
shaded PV panel and increases the
output current to match the current of
unshaded modules in the same series.

 Buck devices such as Azuray Technologies

and Tigo Energy make, are most effective
in PV systems where shade or mismatch
occurs only on a few PV panels. In this
case, the buck converter is installed only
on those PV panels experiencing shade.
Boost technology, increases the module
voltage to match the voltage requested by
a central inverter optimizing its
efficiency.
The boost technology is used by Eiq
Energy, ST Microelectronics, and
Sunvision.

 SolarEdge and Ampt use the mixed

technology of buck and boost which,
can either increase or decrease the
output voltage of a PV panel.
The installer can then either install
the SolarEdge PowerBox optimizer on
just the shaded modules or on all the
modules in a parallel string.

SolarEdge Power
Optimizers

Designing with MicroInverters

Micro-inverters have branch circuits

analagous to string inverters strings.

The difference being the modules are in
parallel not series so the voltage exiting
the micro-inverter remains constant at
240V or 208V depending on the type of
system being fed and the amperage
adds.
The amperage exiting the micro-inverter
is about 1A depending on the type of
micro-inverter.

 To build a branch circuit of modules the

installer needs to check the microinverter cut sheet to find out the
maximum number of modules in a single
branch circuit. In a 240V M215 the
maximum is 17 modules. In a 208V
M215 the maximum is 21 modules.
The manufacturer recommends a 20A
double pole breaker for interconnection
regardless of 208V or 240V.
The next question is, is the module
compatible with the micro-inverter?

 On the Emphase website there is a

compatibility list about 22 pages long with
every conceivable module on it.
Make sure the module and micro-inverter
are compatible. The micro-inverter can be
damaged if the module is not compatible
with it.
As explained earlier in the discussion,
Modules come in 60 cell and 72 cell
varieties.
The M215 is for 60 cell modules.
The M190 and M210 supports 60 cell as well
as 72 cell, Sanyo, and SunPower modules.

 The maximum wattage modules that

the Enphase micro-inverters will
tolerate is 280W.
Just as a design tip, it is best to use
the highest wattage module that the
micro-inverter can take.

Cost
The cost of a micro-inverter system is
approximately the same as a string
inverter. The difference is in the time it
takes to install.
The micro-inverter installation is about
one to one and a half days shorter than
the string inverter installation.
Shorter time means more overall profit.
Less time on the roof means less
exposure to fall hazards for the crew.

Installing Micro-Inverters
The initial installation of micro-inverters
starts when the rails for the modules are
installed. Once the rails are completed,
the micro-inverters are bolted to the rails
in the center of where each module will
fall.
Starting with the end of the first rail the
first micro-inverter gets bolted to the rail
half the distance of one side of the
module. This distance depends on
whether the module is being mounted in
a portrait or a landscape orientation.

 The newest way to install the AC cabling for the

M215 micro-inverters calls for a single, long AC
cable running along the rail to which each microinverter is connected. Enphase provides special
clips to append the cable to the rail. Bring cable
ties just in case.
Previously the M190 connectors were daisychained along the rail. One micro-inverter
plugging into the next micro-inverter and so on to
the junction box.
The new way gives the installer a little more
latitude in where the micro-inverter can be placed
and still allows for easy connection to the main
AC cable.

The Old Method

M190 Connection Setup (Older

Type)

Tyco Module Connectors

AC Cable Connectors

Multi-Contact
(MC)Connectors

New Type of AC Cable

Connection (120V/208V)

Cap which fits over micro-inverter

connection point during shipping

Cable End Showing

Wire (120V/208V)

This is the Enphase 215 Microinverter.

Notice the plug
configuration where it fits into
the large AC cable. Notice also
that it takes a single bolt to bolt
it to the rail rather than two
which the older models
required.

 Normally there are leads with connectors

from the micro-inverter where the
modules attach to it.
The picture doesnt show them
presumably because of the two types of
connectors in general use, the MC
connectors and the Tyco connectors, and
Im guessing Enphase did not want to
endorse one over the other.
The installer needs to know what type of
connector will be on the end of the
module leads before ordering the microinverter so the two connectors will be
compatible.

 Let me stop here for a moment and say,

that I am not trying to endorse or sell
Enphase micro-inverters or any particular
product. At the moment Enphase
dominates the market and is typical of the
way micro-inverters install and operate.
There is the CyboInverter from Cybosoft
and the Enecsys micro-inverter SMID360W-72-UL. The Cybosoft inverter has
a maximum capacity of four modules per
unit.
Direct Grid Technologies has a UL1741
listing for their DGM460 micro-inverter.

 At this point in the installation, each

micro-inverter is ready to be plugged into
the main AC cable. One end of the cable
is capped off and the other is inserted
into a junction box on the roof to be
connected to the wires in conduit going
down to the AC disconnect if the installer
choses to install one and then on to the
main load center. However, the 20A
breaker in the main load center is
perfectly fine to use as the AC disconnect.
One more step needs to be completed
before the installation and electrical
connection of the modules.

 Each micro-inverter comes from the

manufacturer with a serial number
imprinted on two stickers. One stays
with the micro-inverter on the roof and
the other is placed on a layout
diagram of the array once the rails and
micro-inverters have been installed.
The diagram indicates where each
micro-inverter is located on the roof.
This is used to upload information
about the array to Enphase via its
internet program called Enlighten.

 Once the information reaches

Enlighten it is used to track the
performance or indicate a problem
with each individual module and its
specific location on the owners roof
or ground mount.
It is the installers responsibility to do
the uploading to Enlighten.

 After all the duplicate micro-inverter stickers go

on the diagram the modules can then go on the
rails and be electrically connected to each
micro-inverter.
Electrical connection of any of the components
can be done in any sequence such as the
modules to the micro-inverter or the microinverter to the AC cable or the AC cable to the
wires in the junction box on the roof.
Since the micro-inverters are UL1741 listed, no
current flows until five minutes after the microinverters are connected to the active utility grid.

 That completes the installation. The

installer is now ready to upload the
array information and track the array
performance through the Enphase
gateway device called, Envoy.

Enlighten and The Envoy

 There are two components to the data

collection for the Enphase micro-inverters;
Enlighten which is the internet program on
the Enphase website and the Envoy which
is the datalogger. The Envoy collects the
data from the array and conveys it to
Enlighten and/or displays it directly.
Its not necessary for data collection with
the Envoy to have an internet connection.

 If the customer does have the internet in

their home they will be able to go to
www.enphase.com and bring up their data.
If there is no internet available at the array
site the customer will not be able to use
the full range of data collection offered by
Enphase.
Initially, the installer uses the company login to upload the customers array
information to the Emphase website.
Enphase then provides the customer with a
user name and a password to access their
data. The customer receives an email with
the Enlighten user name and password.

 If the customer does not have the internet,

the limited data from the array can be read
directly off of the Envoy gateway display.
The Envoy as well as access to the internet
data is the least expensive of all residential
data acquisition systems at around $300.
Installation of the Envoy is extremely easy.
All it requires is to be plugged into an
ordinary wall outlet. The array data is
transmitted via the residential house
wiring to the Envoy.
Hooking up to the internet requires an
ethernet cable from the Envoy to the
homes wireless or wired router.

Enphase Internet Display

 Once the customer is on the internet

they can view their installation as
real time performance or
accumulated performance per month,
per day or the lifetime of the system.
Also, data can be accessed for each
module just by clicking on the
module on the diagram.

Thank you and have

a great and sunny
day.