Grounding Question

Hey all!

I'm converting a campervan, and I have 2 100w solar panels feeding into a 100ah lithium battery. It's powering very few 12v appliances (some 12v sockets, led lights, and a low amp vent fan) and a 1000w inverter (that will be used seldomly to charge our laptops, maybe run some hair clippers, nothing too crazy).

Everything is running into common bus bars (rated to 300a).

I have a 20a DC-DC Charger from Renogy, and in the manual it says that hooking up this to a car battery connects into the vehicles common grounding system, which is what I'm doing.

Does this mean I don't have to build a ground into my solar set up, given the presence of the dc-dc charger in my setup?

Or am I missing something important?

Is it the dc2dc charger?

That's the one!

brygnar said:

That's the one!

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Before you install the unit check for continuity between dc-in and dc-out.
If there is continuity then your house system will be chassis bonded just by installing the dc2dc charger.
I suspect it is an isolated charger and you will not see continuity between dc-in and dc-out.

Are you intending to bond your house system to the chassis?
Notice, I have not used the word ground up to this point.

The diagram in the grounding section supports my suspicion.

smoothJoey said:

Are you intending to bond your house system to the chassis?

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I was hoping to avoid it if possible (more holes in my van), but if this system isn't the bullseye I was hoping for then I will.

smoothJoey said:

Notice, I have not used the word ground up to this point.

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I did notice that. Care to elaborate?

Thanks for responding btw!

brygnar said:

I did notice that. Care to elaborate?

Click to expand...

The word "ground" has so much baggage and has subtly different meanings depending on context that I avoid using it.
Here is a link to a series of documents that cover the many splendors of "grounding".