Installation and Operation Manual Envoy Communications Gateway
Page 2 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc.
Contact Information Enphase Energy Inc. 201 1St Street, Suite 300 Petaluma, CA 94952 Phone: 707-763-4784 TOLL FREE: 877-797-4743 Fax: 707-763-0784 www.enphaseenergy.com info@enphaseenergy.com FCC Compliance This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
Table of Contents Important Safety Information ......................................................................... 5 Read this First ............................................................................................... 5 Safety Instructions ......................................................................................... 5 1 The Enphase Envoy Communications Gateway ............................................ 6 2 Envoy Installation ...............................................
Important Safety Information Read this First This manual contains important instructions to follow during installation and maintenance of the Enphase Envoy Communications Gateway (Envoy). To reduce the risk of electrical shock, and to ensure the safe installation and operation of the Envoy, the following safety symbols appear throughout this document to indicate dangerous conditions and important safety instructions.
1 The Enphase Envoy Communications Gateway The Envoy is an integral component of the Enphase Energy Microinverter system. It operates between the Enphase Microinverters and the Enphase Enlighten™ webbased monitoring and analysis system. The Envoy functions as a gateway and monitors the microinverters that are connected to the photovoltaic modules. The Envoy collects energy and performance data from the microinverters over in-home AC power lines.
How the Envoy Communications Gateway Works Installation and operation of the Envoy requires no special computer or networking knowledge, nor any specialized equipment. The Envoy simply plugs into the house router for communications with the Enphase Enlighten monitoring and analysis website. The Envoy communicates with the individual microinverters over the existing power wires in the residence or business. After the Envoy is installed, no additional configuration work is required.
2 Envoy Installation Preparation Before installing the Envoy, make sure that your site meets the following minimum requirements: Broadband is always on with a reliable Internet connection Web browser to view Enlighten is available Router / LAN with Ethernet port is available Standard AC electrical outlet is available Check the Envoy shipping box for the following items: Envoy Communications Gateway Ethernet cable AC power cord User documentation Placement Place the Envoy as close as possi
Wall Mounting Do not plug the Envoy into a power strip, surge protector, or uninterruptable power supply (UPS). The Envoy contains the protective circuits required for long, reliable operation. The surge suppression or filtering components of a power strip or other protective device can substantially diminish communication performance. If possible do not plug a power strip power cord into the same outlet that the Envoy is connected to.
Wall Mounting To mount the Envoy on a wall: 1. Select a cool, dry, indoor location to locate the Envoy. Avoid heat generating devices (wall heaters, toaster ovens, etc) 2. Use two drywall screws or wall anchors to affix the Envoy to the wall mounted at the dimensions shown (not included in kit). Maximum screw head diameter is .35”, A #8 screw is recommended. 3. Slide the Envoy onto the mounting screws aligning the Envoy screw holes with the screws installed in step 2. Page 10 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc.
Install the Envoy Cable Connections To install the Envoy, perform the steps below while referring to the installation diagram below. 1. Register the Envoy as soon as possible. Call Enphase Customer Support at 877-797-4743 or visit https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/register and register the Envoy by its serial number. 2. Remove the Envoy removable serial number label as shown in the diagram below and attach it to the microinverter installation map. 3.
NOTE: To the left of the Ethernet port on the Envoy, you will notice a port identified by a USB symbol. Ignore this port as it is not currently used. 4. Plug the Ethernet cable into the RJ-45 port on the Envoy, and plug the other end of the cable into a spare port on the broadband router. The Ethernet cable is manufactured with a torroid molded onto the cable approximately 7” from one of the RJ-45 connectors. The RJ-45 connector nearest the torroid should be connected to the Envoy gateway RJ-45 port.
3 Envoy Operation Starting the Envoy It takes less than five minutes for the Envoy to be ready to work after applying power. This five-minute period is known as a boot sequence. You will know the Envoy has completed booting and has started normal operation when it displays both an IP address and the “+WEB” indication in the LCD window. INITIALIZING Normal Boot Sequence Starting D2.0.0 2009/05/06 16:21:20 192.168.2.
The Envoy Initial Screen Displays After the Envoy has completed the boot sequence it will scroll through 3 screens initially, the home screen, communication check screen, activation screen. 192.168.2.140 +Web 2407W 783kWh 25 [▌▌▌ ] LEVEL mm:ss +Web Devices: n To Activate Call: 1-877-797-4743 The communication check screen will continue to display during the 7 day initial period unless disabled through the panel menu or Admin page of the web interface.
Disable Communication Check To select a menu item, release the Menu button when the desired menu option appears. The menu continues to cycle as long as you are pressing the Menu button. See the following sections for detailed procedures. Each microinverter is powered by the photovoltaic module it is connected to, so device scan or communication check can only be successfully performed during daylight hours. Initiating a Scan for New Microinverters To initiate a scan: 1.
Performing a Communication Check If, when you are installing the Envoy, you are unsure of where it should be located for maximum performance, you may want to install the Envoy in different locations and check signal strength. A communication check starts automatically after an Envoy restart. In addition to this automatic check a user-initiated communication check can be started with the Envoy Menu button or through the administration page when connected to the Envoy local connection with a computer.
- - Relocate your Envoy closer to the electrical service-panel (load-center) as possible. This ensures that the Envoy receives the strongest possible signal from each microinverter. Plug the Envoy into another circuit supporting fewer electronic devices, as these devices may interfere with communication between the microinverters and the Envoy. Remaining minutes and seconds are displayed (“mm:ss” in the example).
Normal Operation Once the Envoy completes a scan, it begins or resumes normal operation. At this point, the indicators in the LCD window show current values for your system: 192.168.2.140 +Web 2407W 783kWh 25 The displayed values are: Local IP address, for example: 192.168.2.140 (your actual local IP address will be different) Web connection indication: +Web NOTE: The following indicators may take several minutes to appear after starting up the Envoy or initiating a scan.
4 Troubleshooting The following sections describe possible problems. For information on system status and event messages see Event Messages on page 22. Potential Problems and Solutions IP ADDRESS Problem: If the IP address displayed on the Envoy’s LCD window does not match the DHCP subnet on your internal network and shows something beginning with “169.254.x.x”, this means that it was unsuccessful in obtaining a DHCP lease from your router. Check network connectivity to the router or other DHCP server.
5 Envoy Local Interface Connection to the Enphase Enlighten™ web-based monitoring and analysis website requires an Internet connection. However, if there is no Internet access at the installation site, it is still possible to communicate directly with the Envoy using the Ethernet port and a personal computer with a web browser. The following steps describe how to access the Envoy and the data that is available through the local connection. 1.
Production Screen To view system energy production statistics for your system, click “Production” from the Envoy home screen to navigate to the production screen. Inventory Screen To view a listing of the microinverters in your system, click “Inventory” from any screen to navigate to the inventory screen. Page 21 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc.
Event Messages The table below lists messages that the Envoy can produce to indicate certain conditions. These messages appear on screen when your computer is connected to the Envoy local interface. These messages can provide Enphase Customer Support with valuable information, should you need to call for assistance.
Where message is displayed: Home Screen Inventory Screen GFI Tripped gfi-tripped Grid Gone grid-gone Grid Instability grid-instability Module added Module failed to report Module Sleeping Over Temperature Power generation off by command Power On Reset over-temp forced-pwr-prod-off power-on-reset Shutdown Skipped Cycles Startup Page 23 skipped-cycles Description An inverter has detected ground fault current greater than one amp.
6 Technical Data Communications Interface Powerline Enphase Proprietary Ethernet 10/100 Auto-sensing, Auto-negotiation Power Requirements AC Outlet 120 VAC, 60 Hz Power Consumption 2.5 Watts typical, 7 watts maximum Mechanical Data Dimensions (WxHxD) 8.8” x 4.4” x 1.7” (222.5 mm x 112mm x 43.
7 Appendix Limited Warranty Enphase Energy Inc. ("Enphase") has developed a highly reliable Envoy Communications Gateway that is designed to withstand normal operating conditions when used for its originally intended purpose in compliance with the Enphase User Manual supplied with the originally shipped system.
Shipping address for return of the repaired or replacement product. All Defective Product authorized for return must be returned in the original shipping container or other packaging that is equally protective of the product. The returned Defective Product must not have been disassembled or modified without the prior written authorization of Enphase.
Page 27 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc.
Enphase Energy Inc. 201 1St Street, Suite 300 Petaluma, CA 94952 Phone: 707-763-4784 TOLL FREE: 877-797-4743 Fax: 707-763-0784 www.enphaseenergy.com info@enphaseenergy.com Page 28 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc.
