6000xp and grounding (My grizzl-e charger isn't happy)

[NorthShoreOahu]

I have my 6000xp connected to an eg4 powerwall battery and 27 panels. I have been using it to charge my chevy bolt with the 120v level 1 charger. It's working great so I thought I would add a 240v outlet and charge with my grizzl-e ev charger but I just get the solid red light indicating a grounding issue. 6000xp is grounded to a nearby water pipe. Anyone run into a similar problem?

 

[timselectric]

You need to test the output to verify that you have a ground.
Connected to a water pipe doesn't ground anything.
The grounding system begins at and is created by the N/G bond.
If you have a N/G bond, you should read 120v from either L1 or L2 to ground.

 

[zanydroid]

How does the N-G bond work on 6000XP? Is it dynamic or does it rely on upstream main? Presumably it needs to work with or without upstream since it is designed to work off grid and in SBU.

 

[timselectric]

How does the N-G bond work on 6000XP? Is it dynamic or does it rely on upstream main? Presumably it needs to work with or without upstream since it is designed to work off grid and in SBU.

It's dynamic.
But can be activated/ deactivated in the settings.
Not sure which is the default.

 

[ksmithaz1]

There is a lot of missing information. . . But the simplest would be to make sure the ground in the 6000XP connects to the ground in the load panel And the neutral connects to the neutral in the load panel. My EV charger(s) really wanted to see that correctly bonded.

 

[zanydroid]

I’m actually surprised any EVSE worked with a problematic ground bond.

Also I’m not sure I would want to charge an EVSE if the EGC is not bonded to a proper grounding system (which copper pipes likely are not). There is still a safety risk bc the voltage of the ground ground (earth, terra firma, garage pad) is not referenced properly and with low enough impedance

But the simplest would be to make sure the ground in the 6000XP connects to the ground in the load panel

But where is the bond? It sounds like you are implicitly relying on internal bonding

 

[NorthShoreOahu]

You need to test the output to verify that you have a ground.
Connected to a water pipe doesn't ground anything.
The grounding system begins at and is created by the N/G bond.
If you have a N/G bond, you should read 120v from either L1 or L2 to ground.

 

[NorthShoreOahu]

Thanks for all the help. Added the ground neutral bond screw into the panel and the charger is happy.

 

[zanydroid]

Cool. What is the GEC/grounding system situation? It wasn’t clear your water pipe bond is correct. I kind of worry that you’re just going to punt on a technically complex safety topic just because it works now

And it would be simpler to connect the GEC from the 6000XP side of the system to the main’s ground bar. Then the grounding quality will be equivalent to the rest of your house. However you would need to make sure you understand where the N-G bond is established in your design. If you have AC in on 6000XP connected to grid, then N-G bonding both in main and in sub is pretty dubious

 

[NorthShoreOahu]

Cool. What is the GEC/grounding system situation? It wasn’t clear your water pipe bond is correct. I kind of worry that you’re just going to punt on a technically complex safety topic just because it works now

And it would be simpler to connect the GEC from the 6000XP side of the system to the main’s ground bar. Then the grounding quality will be equivalent to the rest of your house. However you would need to make sure you understand where the N-G bond is established in your design. If you have AC in on 6000XP connected to grid, then N-G bonding both in main and in sub is pretty dubious

My son is a licensed electrician and I had him do the grounding. The 3/4 inch copper pipe runs under ground so it's a pretty standard way to ground in addition to the copper grounding rods. Ground is coming out of the 6000xp's grounding bar. I wouldn't be against putting down another grounding rod if it was superior. The pipe has about a 50 foot run underground from the service at the street to the house.

I'm coming off the busbar in the 6000xp to the copper pipe but is there a better way to ground?

 

[NorthShoreOahu]

Cool. What is the GEC/grounding system situation? It wasn’t clear your water pipe bond is correct. I kind of worry that you’re just going to punt on a technically complex safety topic just because it works now

And it would be simpler to connect the GEC from the 6000XP side of the system to the main’s ground bar. Then the grounding quality will be equivalent to the rest of your house. However you would need to make sure you understand where the N-G bond is established in your design. If you have AC in on 6000XP connected to grid, then N-G bonding both in main and in sub is pretty dubious

Right now I have no AC feeding into the 6000xp and the 6000xp system grounded separately.

I do have plans to add an AC in from the main panel and at that point I could rely on that connection to ground the entire system?

 

[timselectric]

Right now I have no AC feeding into the 6000xp and the 6000xp system grounded separately.

Assuming that your original service is also connected to the water pipe.
The two systems are not separate. Which is correct.
There should only be one grounding system.

I do have plans to add an AC in from the main panel and at that point I could rely on that connection to ground the entire system?

Yes