enphase Envoy Communications Gateway User manual

Installation and Operation Manual
Envoy Communications Gateway

Page 2 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 rev 06

Page 3 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
Contact Information
Enphase Energy Inc.
201 1St Street, Suite 300
Petaluma, CA 94952
Phone: [phone] TOLL FREE: 877-797-4743
Fax: [phone]
www.enphaseenergy.com
[email protected]
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. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Page 4 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
Table of Contents
Important Safety Information.........................................................................5
Read this First ............................................................................................... 5
Safety Instructions......................................................................................... 5
1The Enphase Envoy Communications Gateway............................................6
Other Elements in the Enphase System............................................................. 6
How the Envoy Communications Gateway Works................................................ 7
2Envoy Installation...................................................................................8
Preparation ................................................................................................... 8
Placement..................................................................................................... 8
Wall Mounting.............................................................................................. 10
Install the Envoy Cable Connections................................................................ 11
Relocating the Envoy.................................................................................... 12
3Envoy Operation................................................................................... 13
Starting the Envoy ....................................................................................... 13
How the Envoy Scans for Microinverters .......................................................... 13
The Envoy Initial Screen Displays................................................................... 14
The Envoy LCD Panel Menu ........................................................................... 14
Initiating a Scan for New Microinverters .......................................................... 15
Performing a Communication Check................................................................ 16
Restarting the Envoy .................................................................................... 17
Normal Operation......................................................................................... 18
Networking/Firewall Info ............................................................................... 18
4Troubleshooting.................................................................................... 19
Potential Problems and Solutions.................................................................... 19
5Envoy Local Interface............................................................................ 20
Home Screen............................................................................................... 20
Production Screen........................................................................................ 21
Inventory Screen ......................................................................................... 21
Event Messages ........................................................................................... 22
6Technical Data ..................................................................................... 24
7Appendix............................................................................................. 25
Limited Warranty ......................................................................................... 25

Page 5 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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.
WARNING: This indicates a situation where failure to follow
instructions may cause a serious hardware failure. Use extreme
caution when performing this task.
NOTE: This indicates information particularly important for optimal
system operation. Follow these instructions closely.
Safety Instructions
Perform all electrical installations in accordance with all local electrical codes and
the National Electrical Code (NEC), ANSI/NFPA 70.
Be aware that only qualified personnel shall install or replace the Enphase Envoy
Communications Gateway.
Do not attempt to repair the Enphase Envoy; it contains no user-serviceable
parts. If the Enphase Envoy fails, please return the unit to your distributor for
maintenance. Tampering with or opening the Envoy will void the warranty.
Before installing or using the Enphase Envoy, please read all instructions and
cautionary markings in the technical description and on the Enphase Envoy.
NOTE: For Enphase Envoy Warranty Terms and Conditions see the
Appendix on page 25 of this manual.

Page 6 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
1The 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™ web-
based 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. It then forwards that data to the Enphase Enlighten web-based
monitoring and analysis system, via the Internet, for statistical reporting.
The following diagram shows the Envoy in the system.
Other Elements in the Enphase System
The Enphase Microinverter system is a fully integrated device that converts the
DC output of a single solar module into grid-compliant AC power. In addition to
performing the DC to AC conversion, it maximizes the modules' energy production by
utilizing a sophisticated Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm. This
integrated system maximizes energy harvest, increases system reliability, and
simplifies design, installation and management.
The Enphase Enlighten web-based monitoring and analysis system analyzes the
per-module data collected by each microinverter. Enlighten automatically detects any
shortfall in energy production, identifies possible causes, and suggests solutions to
correct the problem. The Enphase Enlighten website is constantly monitoring every
module on every installation.

Page 7 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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.
After the Envoy is installed and completes its initial scan, it assembles an internal
database of all known Enphase Microinverters at the site it manages. At regular
intervals, the Envoy polls each microinverter for its energy data. Using your site’s
broadband router, the Envoy then forwards that information on to the Enphase
Enlighten monitoring and analysis website. The Envoy also reports any error
conditions that affect itself or the microinverters. You can view both energy data and
error conditions in the Enphase Enlighten web-based monitoring and analysis
system.
NOTE: The Envoy will automatically report system performance data
to Enphase upon connection to the Internet. Please consult the
Enphase privacy policy at http://www.enphaseenergy.com/privacy/ to
learn more about Enphase's use of this data.

Page 8 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
2Envoy 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 possible to the Service Panel (load center).
After installing your Envoy, you may want to perform a
Communications Check as described on page 16 to optimize the
location of your Envoy.
The Envoy can be placed on a table top or it can be wall mounted. For wall mounting
instructions, see Wall Mounting on page 9.

Page 9 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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. The surge suppression or filtering components of a
power strip could still interfere with communications if they are close
to the Envoy.
Although, you do not necessarily need to place the Envoy near a broadband router, it
may be best to do so for convenience of network cabling.

Page 10 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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 11 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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. Plug the AC power cord into the AC input on the Envoy, and then plug the
other end of the power cord into an ordinary 120VAC power outlet (not a
power strip) located somewhere near your broadband router.
Reminder: 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.

Page 12 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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.
This cable doesn’t need to plug directly into a router. It could also connect to
a normal LAN (Local Area Network) connection as it needs only to be able to
obtain a DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) IP address and have a path to
the Internet. The Envoy will only search for a DHCP IP address during power
up sequence.
5. Watch the LCD display for progress. Refer to Normal Operation on page 17 for
more information.
Relocating the Envoy
If you ever lose power, or need to relocate the Envoy to somewhere else on the
premises, just plug it in (if not already done) and let the Envoy start up again. It will
resume operation when power and internet connection are restored.

Page 13 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
3Envoy 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.
Normal Boot Sequence
After the Envoy establishes an IP address and Internet connectivity, the Envoy
contacts an NTP (Network Time Protocol) server so that it can set an accurate, local
time.
How the Envoy Scans for Microinverters
A newly installed Envoy automatically performs an initial scan to discover its
associated microinverters. This initial scan continues to search for new
microinverters for one week from initial start up of the Envoy. The purpose of this
long scanning period is to account for additional microinverters that may be installed
during this initial one-week time-frame. This scan identifies all microinverters at the
managed site. This one-time process is not repeated. During the scan, you will notice
some of the values increasing on the Envoy’s LCD display.
NOTE: If the Envoy is power cycled (power turned off and on) during
this initial one-week scan, the week-long scan will resume.
The Envoy identifies each microinverter via the unique serial number assigned to
each microinverter. If a microinverter is ever added or replaced at your site, you
must initiate a new scan so that the Envoy can “see” the new microinverter.
INITIALIZING
Starting D2.0.0
2
009/05/06 16:21:20
192.168.2.140 +Web
2
407W 783kWh 25

Page 14 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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.
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.
The activate screen will continue to display during the 7 day initial period or until the
Envoy has been registered using the Enlighten on-line registration page.
The Envoy LCD Panel Menu
You can access the Envoy LCD panel menu using the Envoy Menu button. Press and
hold this button; after two seconds you will enter the Envoy menu. Continue holding
the Menu button and Menu items will appear in the following order:
To Activate Call:
1-877-797-4743
[▌▌▌ ] mm:ss +Web
LEVEL
D
evices: n
192.168.2.140 +Web
2407W 783kWh 25
Disable
New Device Scan
Enable
Communication Check
Enable
New Device Scan
Exit Menu

Page 15 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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. Press and hold the Envoy Menu button; after two seconds you will enter the
Envoy menu. Continue holding the Menu button, when the LCD window
displays: “Enable New Device Scan”; release the Menu button.
The LCD window then indicates:
2. The Envoy begins a 30 minute scan, if a longer scan is not already in
progress, to identify all of the microinverters deployed at the premises.
3. Log into the Enphase Enlighten™ web-based monitoring and analysis to view
data on a per microinverter basis (and, hence, a per PV module basis).
4. To disable or cancel a scan, press and hold the Menu button on the front of
the Envoy for two seconds to view the Envoy menu on the LCD. When the
LCD window displays: “Disable New Device Scan”; release the Menu button.
Disable
New Device Scan
Enable
New Device Scan
Disable
Communication Check
Device scan active
for nnd:nnh:nnm

Page 16 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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.
To initiate a communication check:
1. Press and hold the Menu button on Envoy for two seconds to bring up the
Envoy menu on the LCD window. When the LCD window displays: “Enable
Communication Check”, release the Menu button.
The LCD window then indicates:
The Envoy begins a 20 minute communication check to assess the signal
strength between the Envoy and the devices deployed at your site.
2. Until the Envoy begins detecting devices (microinverters), the display reads:
3. When the Envoy begins detecting devices (microinverters), the display reads:
The “LEVEL” indicator in the LCD window may display any number of bars
from zero to five. You can assume that the communication check is
progressing normally and that signal strength is acceptable if two to five bars
are displayed. If fewer than two bars are displayed, you may want to try the
following options:
Comm Check
+
Web
Scanning Devices...
[▌▌▌ ] mm:ss +Web
LEVEL
D
evices:
n
Comm
c
h
eck
e
n
able
d
for 20min
Enable
Communication Check

Page 17 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
-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). The
“Devices” counter displays the numbers of devices detected and will ascend
until all devices are detected. The number of devices detected should match
the number of installed microinverters.
After 20 minutes, the communication check times out. If you want to end the
communication check before it times out, press the menu button to activate
the Envoy menu. When the LCD indicates “Disable Communication Check”,
release the menu button.
Restarting the Envoy
If the utility ever fails, or you need to restart the Envoy, just plug it in (if not already
done) and let the Envoy start up again. It will resume operation when power and
internet connection are restored. When it resumes operation, the LCD window
displays the auto-start sequence. The system performs an automatic
communications check. The LCD window alternates between two displays like those
shown in the following:
For information on the “Level” and “Devices” indicators, refer to the descriptions in
“Performing a Communication Check” on page 16. The auto-start sequence continues
for 20 minutes after starting up the Envoy. After this check, normal operation
resumes.
[▌▌▌ ] mm:ss +Web
LEVEL
D
evices: n
192.168.2.140 +Web
2407W 783kWh 25

Page 18 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
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:
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.
Indication of the present power-production, in watts: (n)W (where n is a
number)
Indication of the life time kilowatt hours reported to this Envoy: (n)kWh
(where n is a number)
Indication of the number of online microinverters producing power and
reporting in to the Envoy: (n) (where n is a number). The number of
microinverters displayed will be zero at night.
Networking/Firewall Info
The Envoy communicates with the Enphase Enlighten website by initiating outbound
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) connections to Enphase over HTTPS (Hypertext
Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer) (TCP:443). The Envoy uses NTP
(Network Time Protocol) (UDP:123) during boot sequence to synchronize time/date
with an external NTP (public) pool of servers. You do not need to open any inbound
firewall ports for normal operation.
192.168.2.140 +Web
2407W 783kWh 25

Page 19 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
4Troubleshooting
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. You may also
wish to contact your Internet Service Provider or refer to your router
documentation for assistance.
LCD Window displays “-Web”: This means that the Envoy could not connect to
the Internet to find an NTP server and could not connect to the Enlighten website.
Check network connectivity to the premises router or switch. You may also
wish to contact your Internet Service Provider or refer to your router
documentation for assistance.
LCD Window displays “Envoy Failure +Web or -Web”: This message displays
after the Envoy has tried unsuccessfully three times to initialize. At this point, the
Envoy attempts to open a VPN tunnel to allow Enphase to perform remote
diagnostics addressing the problem. This attempt to open a tunnel occurs every hour
on the hour. If successfully opened, the tunnel stays open for 50 minutes. The Envoy
displays “Envoy Failure +Web” to indicate that the tunnel is open. After the 50
minute period, the tunnel is closed and the “-Web” indication may again be
displayed.
NOTE: Attempts to open a tunnel continue until recovery takes place,
at which point the Envoy resumes normal operation.
Microinverter count doesn’t match number of installed units: This message
may indicate that the Envoy is not done scanning/discovering the entire array. It
may indicate that the Envoy is having difficulty communicating over the power lines.
It could also be a result of low light levels and the module voltage is too low for the
microinverter to power-up.
Try plugging the Envoy into an electrical socket in a different location, closer
to your main electrical panel. Also, make sure that the Envoy is plugged
directly into the wall and not into a power strip or surge protector.

Page 20 Copyright Enphase Energy Inc. 2009 141-00008 REV 06
5Envoy 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. Connect one end of the Ethernet cable supplied with the Envoy to the Envoy port
labeled “Ethernet”.
2. Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to the RJ45 network port of the
computer.
3. Open the Internet browser application on the computer.
4. In the browser address window enter the IP address displayed in the LCD window
of the Envoy (192.194.2.141 in this example).
If you fail to make a connection at this point, you can try to manually configure
your subnet to 169.254.120.2, Subnet Mask 255.255.0.0 If this does not correct
the problem, call Enphase Customer Support at 877-797-4743.
Home Screen
Once the browser has successfully connected with the Envoy, the following screen is
displayed in the browser. This home screen provides a system overview and shows
the current status of the inverters that have been identified by this Envoy. From this
screen, you can access other screens in the interface.
Click to
view
Production
screen
Click to
view
Inventory
screen