Technical Brief for Installation of Consumption Monitoring
Table Of Contents
- Assessing a Site for Installation of Consumption Monitoring
- For North America and Latin America
- About the Enphase Envoy-S Metered
- About Consumption Monitoring
- Consumption Current Transformers
- Site Assessment Form
- Circuit Detail Form
- 200A Consumption CT Dimensions
- Location of the Envoy-S Metered
- Installation of Consumption CTs
- Installing CTs in a simple scenario
- Installing CTs in Eaton Service Panels / Solar Power Center
- Installing Multiple Conductors in a Single CT
- Installing Parallel Connected CTs for 400A Services and Crowded Service Panels
- Calculating Whether Multiple Conductors Fit Within a CT
- Example Calculations for a Service Panel
- Retrofitting the Electrical Service for CT Installation
- Extending the Consumption CT Conductors
- Net Consumption versus Total Consumption
- Monitoring with the Installer Toolkit Mobile App
- Troubleshooting
- Viewing Sites with Consumption Monitoring
Installing Consumption CTs
2016 Enphase Energy Inc. All rights reserved. January 2016
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Retrofitting the Electrical Service for CT Installation
In the case where CTs cannot be installed on the existing service
conductors, additional wiring may allow the installation of consumption
CTs. One option is to request access to the utility’s service conductors,
and then connect the CTs in the utility side of the service panel.
Another option would be to work with the utility to relocate the main service
meter in a separate enclosure from the main service panel. By relocating
the main meter in a separate enclosure, the old utility side of the main
service panel is accessible for wiring of the consumption CTs. If relocating
the service meter, the old service meter base must be covered off with a
service cover blank, and meter jumper bars must be installed in the old
meter base.
Extending the Consumption CT Conductors
Consumption CT wires can be extended, but the production CT wires cannot be extended. Follow the
recommendations in the Enphase Envoy-S Installation and Operation Manual, which specifies the following
conductor sizes and maximum wiring distances between the consumption CTs and the main service.
• 57.6 meters (189 feet) of 18AWG 7 strand Cu = 1.5Ω (3Ω - 2 way wire length)
• 91.7 meters (301 feet) of 16AWG 7 strand Cu = 1.5Ω (3Ω - 2 way wire length)
• 148.4 meters (478 feet) of 14AWG 7 strand Cu = 1.5Ω (3Ω - 2 way wire length)
When extending the consumption CTs, use CL3R type, 4 conductor cable, #14-4, #16-4, or #18-4 security
cable. CL3R cable is readily available at many local hardware stores. CL3R meets the requirements for
indoor and outdoor installations. Installation requirements are detailed in Article 725 for Power Limited
Circuits and applications are detailed in Table 725.154 of the National Electrical Code.
Net Consumption versus Total Consumption
To commission consumption monitoring with the Installer Toolkit mobile app, you must first push the top
button on the Envoy-S, which places the Envoy into wireless access point mode (AP mode.) Once the Envoy
is in AP Mode, you can connect your smartphone to its Wi-Fi network, through your phones Wi-Fi settings
page. You can then open the Installer Toolkit app and connect to the Envoy-S.
When commissioning consumption monitoring with the Installer Toolkit mobile app, select Meters and then
select the type. Consider the following, when selecting the type:
• Net - If the solar production CT is installed on the load side of the consumption CTs, then you can
leave the consumption meter set as Net.
• Total - If the solar array is line side connected or if the solar production CT is installed on a separate
circuit from the consumption CTs, then select Total.