How to install consumption monitoring CT on an Enphase solar system
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- Опубліковано 5 сер 2024
- How to install consumption monitoring CT on an Enphase solar system. Buy on Amazon: amzn.to/3e7CUax Complete your Enphase solar system by installing consumption monitoring CT's. See what you are producing and consuming in real-time using the Enphase Enlighten App or Online.
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Timeline:
00:00 - Intro
00:46 - Prep
02:53 - Installing CT
09:34 - Testing
10:42 - Closing
#solarpanel #solarpanels #gosolar #solar #solarpower #solarenergy - Навчання та стиль
20 years almost I've been doing electrical. I'm definitely going micro for all the reasons you list. Very good content. I hope you make it big sir. Keep it doing like you doing.
Much appreciated! Thanks for watching and commenting. 👍
Well put together video!! 👊🏼 Thanks for showing us this process!
Much appreciated 🙏 Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Great video - I'll use this knowledge when I put in my own consumption monitoring.
Awesome stuff! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Brilliant video , had 3 CT's on the consumption side of my system and didn't know that L1 had to be the same phase as the supply to the gateway . Fixed it straight away Thank you !
I'm glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
My consumption is showing way more than I am actually using in the house. Could this be my issue?
This is more proof you don't need to be a 6year master electrician to know and understand NEC electrical code & various electrical systems.
You are spot on about safety and pretty much every step of the wiring process.
Much appreciated 🙏 Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
That was exactly what I needed. I am a retired power plant worker and do all of the plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work in my hose. I have two sub-panels so I will need two sets of meters. Thank you.
You can install it on the main feeds of the main panel. If I am reading it right you have 2 subs that connect into a main. Just use the main if at all possible. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProjectif you have TWO MAIN panels, then I imagine you'd need 2 of these devices?
Excellent video.
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Thank you so much!
Glad it helped! Thanks for watching and commenting
thank you i was looking how to do this part
Glad I could help. Thanks for watching and commenting! 👍
Another great vid. I'll be doing this myself one day hopefully in the next few months when I install my system ( Ill use your link as well 😅)
Much appreciated 🙏 Thanks!
i learned something now i need to remember it
So true 🤣 Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Great video . I have a question for u !
Did u calibrate the sensors ? For either total or net metering ? I installed some on my system and have had issues getting the correct readings . And I do have the L1 /L2 connected right . In the toolkit it has a wizard to help u calibrate the CT sensors . I plan on doing mine tomorrow cause I have to do it during production .
Much appreciated 🙏 What type of readings are you getting? Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Thanks for the video, Justin, do you know if the Enlighten app updated automatically to show the consumption graph that you showed. Currently I am only showing production and is very basic. Does the app update automatically? Thanks!!
If it's not showing up in the app, I would contact Enphase tech support and have them walk you through that. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
For your CT install method, did you select "Load with Solar" or "Load Only" for the Consumption Type in the Toolkit wizard.
I have it configured as "Load with Solar Production" - Thanks for watching and commenting. 👍
Could both CT clamps be installed at the top of the panel? If not why? Thank you for the video.
Yes they could have been both installed at the top. Thank you for watching and commenting! 👍
on the live wires coming from the grid there is a #1 and #2 are their specific location to connect them or anywhere
Yes, you need to place the consumption CT's on the same L1 and L2 sides as the combiner box so it reads correctly. If you place them on the wrong feeder line you can always switch them fairly easily. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
So L1 is always on the left side of the electrical cabinet, and it's OK to run the white and blue CT wires in with the HV 220 from outside to get them outside. I may opt to make another conduit run and head straight to the Envoy box.
Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Thanks for sharing, just wondering if I could use these the same Enphase CTs I have on my SolarEdge meter
I haven't tried that, so I can't say for certain. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Hi Justin I watched every video on your Enphase system how many panels can you put on one breaker. I see only room for three breakers
The number of panels on one 20amp breaker in the combiner really depends on the model of microinverter you are going to use. I used 3 slots but could expand the system and use the 4th if needed. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
If I currently have my solar with Enphase, but NOT the CT's installed. Is it hard to integrate them without having their installers do it for me? Or does it intergrate seemlessly through there application?
I installed my system as a DIY'er and had no issue installing the CT's. It was seemless and showed up in my Enlightened manager immediately. I have a link to the CT's in the description or use this: amzn.to/3e7CUax If to use the ones I used. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
I feel like I missed it but why does enphase need CT current clams? Since the microinverters are already recording their production. Is this to tell you how much the house uses in the enphse interface?
It's not required. However you can not track your consumption in real time without them. Enphase Enlighten Manager does not record you consumption without having them installed. I personally want to be able to monitor production vs consumption in real time and charted in my Enlighten manager. That is why I installed them on my system.
Question for you Justin, with a solar system that is shut off with the breakers, is the power being generated by the panels dumping to ground? Or are they being 'deactivated' in some way?
On a system using Enphase microinverters like mine, when you shutdown the solar breaker it will shutdown the microinverters almost completely. It might produce fractional volts but nothing serious (from my test) To be safe always shutdown the homerun feeds into the combiner box though. Each microinverter has surge and under powered protection to help protect the microinverter. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject Ah gotchya, thanks!
did you have to do anything on your enphase app? or did the consumption monitoring just populate the app?
For me it just began working automatically. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
what system or software were you using in the last few seconds of the video showing the import . producing and consumption.? I like the fact that it was live
That is the Enphase Enlighten app. You can monitor your system. It is one of the coolest features of having an Enphase microinverter system. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Hi sir,
The app that you show in the video, has this live feed of import / export with lines & moving arrows/dots. Is that the regular enlighten app?
Because, my enlighten app don't got a live feed like that. The lines changing when consumption is greater than production. & when excess , the line goes towards grid & consumption.
My app Don't have that live feed. I use enlighten on Android. Can you tell me the secret?
Please add a video on an Enphase installation with more than 4 strings. There is nothing on UA-cam on how to do this. There are so many people trying to figure out the best way to accomplish this. I especially have questions about how consumption monitoring also works with a larger system with more than 4 strings.
I am assuming the that you would need 2 combiner boxes creating two arrays that feed your main service panel. Depending on your main panel this might become very challenging (aka very expensive) due to the max bus rating. As for the monitoring CT's, I would assume - because they are located on the utility side of the main service breaker you would not need more than one set to feed the envoy.
Here is a short I did on how to calculate the max back feed breaker size you can add in a service panel: ua-cam.com/users/shorts2DGJYEBT1Oc
Here is a short I did on calculating the back feed breaker that a solar system needs: ua-cam.com/users/shortsEJz77T_-ghg
Note: I am not a licensed electrician and would recommend verifying this information with a local electrician in your area. They would be aware of any further restrictions set by your local jurisdiction also. There always seems to be a unforeseen local restriction that can slow down the progress of a project.
I hope this was helpful in some way.
the link on amazon is for just 1 of these monitors so to make the system work you need 2 correct?
Correct. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Hi Justin. Thanks for the video. Very informative. I have one question. The CT's measure the current going into your main panel from the grid but your power from the solar panels are going directly in the the main panel. Does the power from the solar panels still get measured somehow through the CTs even if they are after the CTs? Thanks
There is a production CT at the Combiner box and then the consumption ct's at the main panel. From having both production and consumption ct's, it allows you to easily track data in the Enphase Enlighten software. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject I understand that part I will try and say it differant. Trying to process the flow of the power. I have the same setup as you have for hardware but my pv power lines are tied into the main (grid) power lines after the meter but before it goes into the main panel. My consumption CTs are places after where the pv lines are placed and before going into the main panel so the consumption CTc reads all power from the pv and gird like it probably should if you want total consumption. In your case the pv power goes into the main panel and gets used on your load without going through the CTs. Therefore you wouldn't know the total amount consumed and only getting reading of what was consumed from the grid. I am not trying to over think the process but just want to make sure my actual consumption reading are correct. Does this make sense and what do you think? thanks again for your input.
@@gwyffels from what i’ve learned the most 10/10 sure fire was to capture all consumption (INCLUDING the Solar breaker if you are phasing) is to wrap the utility side before the meter. Something about the flow of power coming from the solar breaker doesn’t get read properly when trying to capture after the meter in the main.
do you have any idea how long "we" can extend the CT wiring?? my main panel is 60 feet way from the ....."combiner box??" i think is what you call it??
that has the board you hook into.
type of wire ?? ethernet cat 6 shielded..wire?? or gauge size to extend??
thanks
i have what serval of your videos and all are very informative!! thanks !!
I don't know if there are any restrictions to extending the CT wires. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Hey Justin, maybe I missed it, but I have a question. You marked one of the CTs with black tape and said that was L1. Was that to keep the blue and white together to make sure they werent mixed? Or is there another reason where one belongs in C1 port compared to the other?
You should have 2 CT's. You need to place the CT's on the right polarity. If you mix them up it will not record consumption properly. If that happens just switch them. Be sure to call Enphase and have them activate the Consumption metering. They were very helpful in confirming I did it right.
@@JustinsProject Cool. I went through the course ( and I do somewhat remember this now that Im typing it -it was so much to digest haha), so when I energize the system Ill set it up in my Toolkit. Thanks! Ill have to rewatch those modules and bone up.
@@SSMLivingPictures Trust me, I did the same thing. Those classes definitely helped my complete the install a little more confidently. I waited until the system was approved before adding CT's as well. 😁
@@JustinsProject Sounds good, Ill do the same
@@JustinsProject Great videos thanks for making them. So I would call Enpase and not the company who installed the system correct?
I worked at the electric utility and am pretty confident in the boxes.
I'm disappointed that my solar company set me up with the system and didn't include the CT's to be able to compare the utility and the solar through my smart meter.
With the companies app, enphase app and the utilities app, I can see all sorts of things, except the simple real time display of what I'm drawing, where I'm drawing from and how much my solar is feeding the utility.
The contractors wants a few thousand to install. The CT's aren't cheap either, but better than paying them.
The problem is they will probably void my warranty if I did, so they have me over a barrel.
Ahhh not sure why installers are leaving out the CT's. They are fairly easy to install. You should be able to see "live" load production and usage in the Enlighten app. Look for the Live tab. Hope that was helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject enphase shows that the CT's are not enabled from their end. Talked to them today and the ct-200-split is the correct ones. They range between $35 to $50 and would have been a drop in the bucket to just include.
I asked Ion Solar for an updated quote to install them and whether they would void my warranty if I had it done.
I'll see what they come back with, but I want to say they wanted about $600 to install when I first asked after realizing there were none.
I can deduct what is going on by reading all the apps, but I want to see what you are getting.
Hello Justin! Thanks for your videos, they very “enlighten”. In this one, I don’t recall seeing how this CTs are powered, nor how did you made the connection. The link for Amazon is it $21 each CT, right? Are they from the same micro inverter manufacturer? What’s the difference from the CT monitoring and the Enphase monitoring App? Also, didn’t see the setting for the monitoring software. Thanks for replying?
😁 The connection was made at the panel on the 4th & 5th lugs @06:51 in the vid. The other side just clamps over the main feeds. I started that around the @08:00 mark. Hope that helps. Yes, everything is Enphase. IMO best option on the market. You have to have the comsumption CT's installed before the Enphase App can know what your consuming. They work as one. Same with the production CT inside the combiner box. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject Thanks for replying so quickly. So you’re basically saying (if I understood right) that the monitoring App (which I thought monitored every single panel), monitors overall system consumption, only after installing the CTs?
@@eguerra777 You need the Enphase Envoy. Whether its built into you combiner box or a stand alone. Then a production CT, included in the Enphase Combiner Box. Those allow you to monitor the microinverters "production" ... the consumption CT allows you to monitor how much power you are consuming. They sometimes come with the combiner box also.
The app syncs with the enphase servers, that gets the data from the envoy installed for your site.
Without the CTs & PTs, you will still be able to see the whole production / consumption data.
But if you want the actual energy production, consumption, import & export at any point of time, you will need the PTs & CTs installed. The envoy gets the reading from these, fed to the enphase servers & we get to see them in the app, also in the form of a graph.
Our main service panel has the meter module built-in with bus bars running to the main service breaker that are not accessible for us to clamp the CTs on. Do the CTs have to sit between breaker and meter? Or can we place them on the lines coming from the grid before the meter?
Great videos, btw. I have watched your other videos too and they have helped with my DIY solar installation journey.
I am pretty sure that would work on a net meter but I would contact Enphase technical support to confirm. They have been a tremendous help to me doing my install. Thanks for the support and congratulations on the DIY its very rewarding. 👍🏻
This is my exact same scenario. Will call Enphase tech support but curious if anyone else was successful with placing the CT's before the meter
@@doubleg6658 I end up doing just that, put the CTs before the meter and they work fine. My net import/export kwh numbers matched up with the numbers from our electric bill.
Works fine before the meter, but be careful to follow the regulations of your local power company. Mine forced me to remove the consumption CT sensors before they could give me permission to operate.
Hi, thank you for the detailed video. Do I need to enable consumption metering in toolkit app? As a owner I am not able to connect envoy. I tried with old version toolkit app with no luck. Can you please provide details on how to connect to system in toolkit and enable CT
If you can not access the option to enable that feature "mine was automatically enabled" I would recommend contacting your installer and having them do that for you. If that is not an option, I would call Enphase directly and let them know you are installing the consumption CT and need that option enabled so you can track it on your Enlighten App. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject I called the enphase support and they enabled in 2min after verifying my system. Now I am seeing my consumption 😊
@@gopinathk69 Glad to help! That's what my channel is all about! Appreciate the follow up. 🙏
Do you have access to Installer Kit for free from Enphase? Can you access that if not DIY?
As a DIY'er I had access to the installer toolkit. That might be because I installed my system and created a installer account with Enphase before starting my solar project. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
My Enphase combiner came with CTs new in the new-in-box from eBay, so I will hook them up when I build out my system. I did notice you don't have a disconnect on your shop. The inspector I talked to said I need it on my shop where the panels are like yours. And after reading the current electrical code, it says there needs to be a disconnect close to the panels. Was that something missed, or were local codes different?
The AC disconnect needed to be close to the main electrical panel and the combiner box. The combiner box is required to be close to the main service panel. In my area the ac disconnect is to be installed between the main panel and combiner. I've heard in other jurisdictions it is to be installed between the combiner and the panels. It can get confusing I know. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject yes in Colorado my county has no electrical codes but I need the state inspection for the power company. The states permit website won’t let me put in my town because in town they do their own inspections. So I have to use the next town over and put driving nots about it. I did talk to the inspector about my system and he sounded good with my system nearly identical to yours until I said there wasn’t a second disconnect on the shop building and then he acted like he all the sudden had to go. And I haven’t seen anything about 2 disconnects in the limited information online. Most solar info online is just out to sell you installation for 2-5 times the cost of materials.
@@webluke Yes the information is very limited and a lot of gray area from what I'm told by insiders. Sometimes there is confusion between DC systems and these Enphase systems that convert at the panel to AC also. I have heard on DC systems that a shutdown switch needs to be close on ground mount systems so maybe thats what they are thinking about? Just a thought.
How do you “enable” the CT in the app then? Are there instructions?
Hi Justin. Great stuff here. I want to add consumption CTs to my system. My main panel is inside my house on an interior wall and the solar is installed in a garage sub panel. By the time I were to pull through all the conduit it may be 60 feet. Can the CT leeds be extended this far? I know the leads on the CTs are a given but maybe 18AWG 7 strand Cu ?
Honestly, I have not encountered that situation. I would verify that with technical support at Enphase. They should be able to provide you with the correct answer. I don't want to guess at it. I don't see why it would be an issue but you never know. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
You can, you just use sprinkler wire but the important part is when you wire it up in the enphase envoy it has to match with how you wired the cts . So match the colors lol
Also I’d recommend running a separate conduit for the cts
Use wire nut to connect the cts to the sprinkler wire , the ct wire won’t let you use wagos
@@kevinluna7830 Thanks for the input. I'm more colorblind than my dogs.
Why isn't this just a part of the original installation?? So now I have to pay someone to do this.
Should be if a solar contractor installed your system. They should have included it. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@DIYSolarBuilds they dont. most dont. lazy as fuk.
Exactly
what did you have to do in order to get the monitoring to show up in the app? you just install the CT consumption and then it just shows up?
I contacted Enphase technical support and they walked me through the process step by step. It was very easy to get everything lined out. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and commenting! 👍
@@JustinsProject yes very helpful! I will install it myself then turn it on. my solar install is super annoying about it. they're advising against getting the consumption monitoring because their other customers don't understand how to read the data correctly and waste their time.
@@BilalSattar I would 100% recommend having the CT monitoring. Especially if you are trying to learn more about how you are using your power.
I’ve installed the consumption meters but it’s not showing on my app can you tell me or show me how I enable them to show on my app thanks
The best thing to do is contact Enphase technical support. They should help you figure that out pretty easily. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject i figured that out now but wanted to ask i saw your shorts video and you talk about what size breakers to use for your system into your panel i took a look at mine and it is spliced into the main power coming into the house i dont think it should be connected that way on enphase it show like how yours is hooked up with breakers
I've seen other videos where inspections failed because CT wires were run in the same conduit as power.
Wonder if it was because of the conduit sizing? Only "x" number of wires allowed in certain size conduits. Because the wire rating is rated for 600v you can run the CT wires in the same conduit as the power conductors. It would be nice to know the reason why they failed so we all could learn from it. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Why not just clamp the CT meters in the IQ combiner box to the red and white coming in from the Main?
Because it would not monitor all of the consumption of the entire property. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
My installer didn’t add these. Will adding these myself void warranty?
I guess the first question to ask your installer is way they didn't install them. Next, is ask about the warranty on your system and if you can install them yourself. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject I did ask their answer was “they don’t work, they report incorrectly” yet enphase says they are accurate +-2.5% which is pretty good. I will have to ask if I install will it void warranty. They want 300$ to install after I spent 30K lol yeah no. Nice try
Please Help....On my system, my part of my production is being counted as Kwh used if CT is not put in the right could this do that............Please help.!!!!!!!............thanks Dan from Texas..............
If the consumption CT's are installed incorrectly (reverse) it could be providing inaccurate data. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
@@JustinsProject Can you please help me I fix this if you can what info do I need to send you...............Thanks
Hey Justin, let me run something by you. I have two branches, 6 panels on one and 7 on the other. Both branches go into my Combiner box and into 20A-2Pole breakers. They then go to the Disconnect and into the homes breaker box. The solar plan I have calls for the conductors to then go into a 20A-2 Pole breaker. I dont quite grasp how the whole system feeds into a 20A while in the Combiner box both branches go into 20A breakers.
@@JustinsProject Awesome, I"ll do that. Im using IQ8+s. Ill try out that calculation, thanks!
@@SSMLivingPictures IQ8+ output is 300. If you have 13 of them this is how that would look. 300 x 13 = 3600w / 240 (volts) = 15a x 125% = 18.75amp. A 20 amp breaker is needed for that.
@@JustinsProject Thanks!! Hah Im at work at didn't have a chance to look up the specs yet. Much obliged!
Heres one more for you. In your video your juntion box on the roof has lugs to fasten your conductors. Do you think using marettes inside of a 'hollow' junction box is appropriate, or would you recommend the type of box with lugs.
Did you get permits and permission to connect to Grid?
Yes, I did. It was a simple 1 line electrical diagram.
How do you figure what your 1a is at the electric panel?
Just pick one and make sure the other ct is on the opposite phase.
You can verify with a volt meter. If you hook them up wrong then your consumption monitoring will be incorrect. You would need to unclip them switch the positions if that happens. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
How do you determine which is L1 or L2 in the panel?
In most service panels, there is an electrical diagram on the inside of the door. In mine, line 1 was line A, and line 2 was line B. I hope that is helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
When I open my panel, I didn’t see any thing that had the letter A, nor the letter B or one or two, but I did have a red wire and a black wire coming into my panel from the solar connected to the main lines. The red wire was on the left side and the black wire was on the right side. Does that mean line one is on the right side and line 2 is on the left side, but then I read another blog that said it doesn’t really matter
What monitor are you using to watch your Enphase consumption and production?
The Enphase Enlighten App. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
oh, ok..because I have that app and it doesn't look the same as yours.
@@JustinsProject
ADT ripped me off on a 15 panel AC Coupled system.i do have IQ 8 inverter.NO BATTERY Was told I did not need one.Price tag after rebate promo $34,000.Getting ready to call the attorney general.
Keep us all updated. Thanks for watching and commenting
your heater need to go, that thing is doing almost 16kw per hour, that is insane!
If I had other sources, I would consider that. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
That's for the entire factory, right?
wire puller=fish tape
Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
Never put one in without a smart controller.
Please explain why so I understand 👍🏻 Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
You did not explain how to phase line one or line 2. You just knew your panel doesn't help anyone else here.
Thanks for watching and commenting.