Hybrid inverter main panel wiring, grid through inverter only?

[harjms]

Interesting reading through the comments on the LV6548 topic. I believe Will stated he thought the Sol-Ark had a ground-neutral relay, so perhaps this is a bit different than was is proposed above. Looking at Sol-Arks simplified wiring diagram, it looks like neutral/ground is connected at all points (inverter, critical loads panel, main panel, generator, etc...). My thought was just throwing in a manual transfer switch to switch the two mains coming from either main panel or inverter; ultimately, all neutral/ground wires have continuity between each device, which I don't see why a GFCI/ARCI circuit breaker wouldn't function correctly.

 

[Grateful Ed]

I have an interesting caveat and question on the objectionable current issue. Years ago we put a heater in the cow's water trough and it wouldn't drink. I realized there must be current leaking and thought I had screwed up the wiring as I installed it all to my garage and then on to the cow barn. I was warned to look for superfluous bonding. Not the case. It turns out there was almost 5 volts on my negative from the pole. The linesman explained about grid balancing and how it is literally impossible for them to stop it in most places. They installed a lightning protection breaker that reconnects to the pole negative if there was a strike as the grid is supposed to absorb some of it by design but they effectively completely disconnected my negative and buried it in the ground at the base of the pole. Apparently this is a pretty common occurrence on farms. Now no matter what I do my system is bonded everywhere already. They did not mention to unbond in the main panel which then is already a parallel path (or is it all one now?). I have Phocos inverters which are at least partially identical (maybe totally) to the LVs which as you say by design maybe are already providing superfluous bonds. How do you see this affecting an installation like Bertio's but without the direct connection between the main and critical panels? I will contact Phocos and find out whether they bond or not.

 

[Grateful Ed]

oops duplicate post sorry

 

[Zwy]

I have an interesting caveat and question on the objectionable current issue. Years ago we put a heater in the cow's water trough and it wouldn't drink. I realized there must be current leaking and thought I had screwed up the wiring as I installed it all to my garage and then on to the cow barn. I was warned to look for superfluous bonding. Not the case. It turns out there was almost 5 volts on my negative from the pole. The linesman explained about grid balancing and how it is literally impossible for them to stop it in most places. They installed a lightning protection breaker that reconnects to the pole negative if there was a strike as the grid is supposed to absorb some of it by design but they effectively completely disconnected my negative and buried it in the ground at the base of the pole. Apparently this is a pretty common occurrence on farms. Now no matter what I do my system is bonded everywhere already. They did not mention to unbond in the main panel which then is already a parallel path (or is it all one now?). I have Phocos inverters which are at least partially identical (maybe totally) to the LVs which as you say by design maybe are already providing superfluous bonds. How do you see this affecting an installation like Bertio's but without the direct connection between the main and critical panels? I will contact Phocos and find out whether they bond or not.

Where is the transformer located and how many services are on it?

Neutral at the transformer should be grounded.

 

[Grateful Ed]

Its on the pole and my service is the only one on it. They were very clear that my neutral was completely disconnected and grounded for regular service right here. I recall that they intimated it was more dangerous to mess with as the grid would not aid in grounding until a catastrophic surge. So if they have a four wire setup in the air their ground could be in the dirt but not the neutral. I watched them bury my neutral and it is not connected to anything. There is no charge on the neutral now. I was looking at the pole earlier and saw the breaker which they said was one way and only reconnected in the case of lightning strike, hmmm or maybe a sizzling human. I will look at it again tomorrow. But if neutral is grounded at the pole then isn't it bonded there and the bonding in the main panel would seem to be a parallel path no? It sounded to me that the neutral was isolated from the ground until the main panel where it was bonded at the box. I suppose I can contact them and get the specifics again.

 

[copec]

I only have one neutral-ground bond at the main panel, and bring the neutral and ground separately to every subpanel, so even when operating in off-grid mode it uses the same bond. Here is the setup with my Deye (it’s separated from the rest of my home in my third garage)

I have a panel in front of the inverter that also feeds it with the Main AC, drier, and range, and every other circuit in my home behind it. The main panel is on the exterior, opposite of this garage wall. (I took off all the panel covers when I took these pictures, but they are normally all on).

Edit: I just looked in the Sol-Ark manual, and like the Deye, it expects an external neutral-ground bond, but has dry contacts to control an external relay to bond neutral-ground when not on grid power, if necessary .

 

[Grateful Ed]

Impressive setup!