SolarEdge makes ConnectDER meter collar a standard component of new Nexis system

ConnectDER has announced the full integration and field availability of its IslandDER Meter Socket Adapter with the SolarEdge Nexis home energy system. SolarEdge has made IslandDER a standard component of SolarEdge Nexis installations requiring home backup.

The SolarEdge-specific model, the SolarEdge Nexis IslandDER, acts as the system’s native microgrid interconnect device (MID) — sensing a grid outage, isolating the home and initiating backup power. For installers, that means no main panel upgrades, circuit relocations, backup loads panels or system controllers.

“Our mission has always been to eliminate the friction from renewable energy deployments, and our SolarEdge collaboration represents a major milestone on that front,” said Ivo Steklac, ConnectDER president and CEO. “By making the SolarEdge Nexis IslandDER a standard component of SolarEdge Nexis installations that require backup, SolarEdge is the first partner to fully embed our meter collar into their core system architecture, setting a new benchmark for how manufacturers can streamline whole-home backup. This deep integration drastically simplifies jobs for installers and reinforces IslandDER’s role as the industry’s go-to MID solution—offering crews a safer, faster, consistent install.”

“Storage has moved from a nice-to-have to the center of the home energy conversation,” said Nick Alex, VP of Sales at SolarEdge “Our focus is reducing the time and complexity of every install, and SolarEdge Nexis was engineered around that goal. The SolarEdge Nexis IslandDER digital meter collar is one of the components that make that goal a reality, by reducing parts and labor.”

As consumer demand for whole-home backup and energy affordability grows, installers face unpredictable job costs. This is particularly relevant in the Western United States where meter-main combination panels are prevalent but do not provide the space to install all the components required for home backup. IslandDER solves this by housing the MID, consumption transformers (CTs), system sensing and battery communication within a single plug-and-play meter collar. Unique to the SolarEdge Nexis IslandDER model is an RJ45 port for ethernet, providing digital communication instead of a hardwired, analog communications cable. A standard Cat5 (or greater) ethernet plugs directly into the SolarEdge Nexis inverter, for less wiring and a cleaner finish.

“Battery installations have typically involved a lot of planning and labor,” said Tate Abdon, Director of Installations at Senga Energy in California. “We were pulling backup loads, installing backup panels, sometimes upgrading the main service panel, and trying to fit large batteries into locations that met the required clearance from doors and windows. It wasn’t always the most efficient process. SolarEdge Nexis and ConnectDER’s IslandDER change that. We eliminate the need for circuit relocations and backup loads panels in many applications, which means less labor, fewer materials, and a much simpler installation. We’re completing installations faster, using less conduit, reducing wall clutter, and delivering a cleaner finished product. It’s a better experience for both our installers and our customers.”

SolarEdge Nexis is SolarEdge’s next-generation residential solar and storage platform. It combines inverter, battery storage and energy management in a single compact unit: Simple-Click battery modules that stack with no wiring between units, up to 13 kW on-grid and 14.5 kW in backup, storage that scales from 5 kWh to 80 kWh, and 185 Locked Rotor Amps (LRA) to start large appliances like HVAC systems.

SolarEdge Nexis and the SolarEdge Nexis IslandDER by ConnectDER are available for purchase through distribution nationwide. In select territories, IslandDER is approved for installation directly into the home’s existing socket behind the utility billing meter. Where meter socket adapters are not yet approved by the local utility, IslandDER may be installed in a separate standalone, customer-owned socket often without utility involvement.