Micros not reporting after expansion of (E) system

[Zee]

Added new mods and new Enphase micros to an (E) Enphase M250 system.
The new micros are M250240-IQ7-S22-US, these are the modern replacements for M series micros, but they look like IQ series
Since commissioning, these new micros are not reporting or super screwy.
What is up?

Envoy has not moved and is AOK.
Power Line Communication is 100%.
Existing micros are reporting AOK.

I am told the issue is, for the new array, I used Q cable which contains only L1 and L2. They expected me to use the older Engage Cable (round, 4-wire) which also has a neutral and ground.
Seems the neutral is related to the communication.
They supply an adapter with the new micros so you can mate the Q connector (2-wire) on new micro to the Engage connector (4-wire) on old cable.
This adapter has a "filter box" on it that commits some voodoo in "bonding" the neutral and L1 for comm. purposes............

Any experience with this issue?

PS I have solution, but want to hear others first.
PSS the micros have been manually provisioned for good measure - and to no avail

 

[ggunn]

I don't think that the M250 and IQ7 micros can communicate with the same monitoring system.

 

[jaggedben]

Yeah the IQ replacements for the M series come with that electronic dongle (filter box) that goes between the micro and the Engage cable and it somehow converts the PLC signal to work with the older Envoy. Hate to say it but you did it wrong.

It is only possible to use those without the filter box if you upgrade all the micros in the system and upgrade the Envoy to an IQ version.

 

[jaggedben]

I have no idea if it's possible to use one 'filter box' on the whole IQ branch instead of one per micro, but in theory it might work. Ask Enphase.

 

[jaggedben]

The M series PLC was between the lines and neutral, so the Envoy-S and earlier cannot talk to an IQ micro that doesn't have a neutral connection somehow.

 

[Zee]

I have no idea if it's possible to use one 'filter box' on the whole IQ branch instead of one per micro, but in theory it might work. Ask Enphase.

Yeah exactly! Looking to cut and wire nut that cable adapter once at j box....waiting on ENphase to say if it can only handle few amps.

 

[jaggedben]

Ah yes, it's probably only rated for 2A, not 20. I'm sure they'll say you can't.

 

[wwhitney]

I think I read that the old and new Envoys uses different frequencies for their PLC as well.

But I would think you could install a new Envoy alongside the old Envoy if you're OK with segregated data collection. Does that sounds right?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[jaggedben]

I think I read that the old and new Envoys uses different frequencies for their PLC as well.

But I would think you could install a new Envoy alongside the old Envoy if you're OK with segregated data collection. Does that sounds right?

Cheers, Wayne

You can do that but an Envoy is expensive enough to be an embarrassing change order if you told the client "yeah, expanding your system is easy, no problem".

 

[petersonra]

maybe you can buy some old ones on ebay.

 

[ggunn]

maybe you can buy some old ones on ebay.

Old microinverters, maybe? The M series and IQ series microinverters cannot both communicate with any Envoy monitor.

 

[Zee]

Wayne,
I dunno about frequencies.
The old and new micros use different wires to send the data through.
E.g. The old uses the neutral and hot, I think. The new doesnt even have a neutral.

And, yes, an old and new envoy would work side by side, so to speak. In this case I do need the old envoy for both systems.

 

[Zee]

However, to be clear, guys I am not adding old original M250 micros. I am adding newly manufactured M250's that resemble the IQ platform.
They communicate with the old Envoy.