Envy to Guardian Cable Recommendation

Envy to Guardian Cable Recommendation

Dear Installer,
Thank you for choosing Fortress Power as your trusted partner in energy storage. We are committed to ensuring the reliability and performance of your system and want to share a technical update regarding the communication connection between the Envy inverter and the Guardian monitoring device.

Issue Identified:
Fortress Power has received feedback from the field indicating that the standard Envy-to-Guardian RJ45 cable, when used in conjunction with a dongle, may cause intermittent data communication issues. This interference could impact the reliability of system monitoring and performance.

Recommended Solution:
To eliminate this interference and ensure a stable connection, Fortress Power recommends modifying the RJ45 cable to use only two specific pins for RS485 communication:

  • Pin 1 – Orange/White (RS485 A)
  • Pin 2 – Orange (RS485 B)

All other pins should be left unused.

This targeted 2-pin configuration prevents signal overlap and ensures the Envy and Guardian maintain a reliable data link, even when a dongle is in use.

Action Required:

  1. Modify the existing RJ45 cable by retaining only the Orange and Orange/White wires (Pins 1 and 2).
  2. Verify cable integrity and correct pinout before system commissioning.
  3. For convenience, pre-modified cables can be requested through Fortress Power Technical Support.
Please refer to the image below for proper wiring layout and pin reference.

When setting up the Guardian with a Fortress Power Envy inverter, use the provided two-row, four-column connector to wire into the Guardian's communication port. For proper connection, refer to the cable pinout: connect the Orange/White wire to RS485 1A and the Orange wire to RS485 1B on the Guardian.


After completing the wiring, plug the other end of the Envy-to-Guardian cable into the INV485 port on the Envy inverter. Once connected, power on the Guardian and proceed with the commissioning process using the Guardian interface.

Info
This configuration is only permitted when used with Fortress Power Envy inverters.
Participation in Fortress Power Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs and Energy Broker services is limited to specific regions and approved programs, such as WattSmart, LUMA, and those available in Connecticut (CT). Please verify eligibility with your local utility, contact Fortress Power support, or go to https://www.fortresspower.com/energybroker/ for further information. 

AFTER COMMISSIONING THE GUARDIAN, PLEASE CONTACT FORTRESS POWER TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO VERIFY THE CONNECTION TO THE ENVY INVERTER. 

FOR ASSISTANCE RELATED TO VIRTUAL POWER PLANT (VPP) PROGRAMS, CALL THE DEDICATED VPP SUPPORT LINE AT (215) 710-8966.
If you have any questions or require technical support during the modification process, please don’t hesitate to contact our Technical Support team by submitting a ticket at www.fortresspower.com/support or by calling us at 877-497-6937.
Thank you for your continued partnership.

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