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Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2008
Release 1.4
1
Introduction – The Enphase Micro-Inverter
System
The Enphase Micro-Inverter system is the world’s most technologically advanced
inverter system for use in utility interactive applications. This manual details the safe
installation and operation of the Enphase Micro-Inverter.
The three key elements of an Enphase Micro-Inverter System are: 1) the Enphase
Micro-Inverter, 2) the Energy Management Unit (Emu), and 3) the Enlighten web
based analytics and visualization. All three elements are highly integrated to provide
a comprehensive energy production and management system.
The Enphase Micro-Inverter System maximizes energy production from your
photovoltaic array. Each Enphase Micro-Inverter is individually connected to each PV
module in your array. This unique configuration means that an individual Maximum
Peak Power Point Tracker (MPPT) controls each PV module. This insures that the
maximum power available from each PV module is exported to the utility grid
regardless of the performance of the rest of the PV modules in the array which may
be affected by shading, soiling, orientation, module mismatch, etc. The result is
maximum energy production from the total PV system.
Micro-Inverter systems are inherently more reliable than centralized or string
inverters. The distributed nature of the Micro-Inverter System insures that there is
no single point of failure in the PV system. Enphase Micro-Inverters are designed to
operate at full power at temperatures as high as 65
!
C (150
!
F). The inverter housing
is designed for outdoor installation and complies to the NEMA6 environmental
enclosure rating standard:
NEMA6 rating definition: Indoor or outdoor use primarily to provide a degree
of protection against hose-directed water, and the entry of water during
occasional temporary submersion at a limited depth and damage from
external ice formation.
Solar systems using Enphase Micro-Inverters are extremely simple to design and
install. There are no string calculations needed. Individual PV modules may be
installed in any combination of module quantity, type, age and orientation. There are
no cumbersome centralized or string inverters to install. Each Micro-Inverter quickly
mounts on the PV racking, directly beneath each PV module. Low voltage DC wires
connect from the PV module directly to the co-located Micro-Inverter, eliminating the
risk of personnel exposure to lethal 600Vdc power. The Energy Management Unit
(Emu) communications gateway is installed by simply plugging it into any convenient
120Vac wall socket. The full network of Enphase Micro-Inverters will automatically
begin reporting to the Enphase Enlighten web server. The Enlighten analytics
software lets you know not only the immediate and historical system performance
trends, but also informs you when the PV system is not performing as expected.
These are just a few of the advantages of the Enphase Micro-Inverter System that
will provide tremendous time, material and cost savings, while maximizing energy
production from your PV system and providing better ROI on your solar investment.
