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I am really struggling. Neutral and hot both are energized.

johnskdyvn

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I’m REALLY struggling. All my outlets are telling me that I have an open ground. I checked all outlets and ground rod and everything is solid.

So, I check the circuit panel and all breakers are in the off position but they are still hot. I took video and pics but I’m completely baffled.

I checked the wiring for AC Out in the inverter and both the neutral and hot wires have electricity. The neutral is 57 volts. The hot is 63 volts. Is the inverter bad?

I have a video of me doing the checks with a voltmeter but this
 

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The inverter you are using has floated Neutral.
Make and model of the inverter?
Does the user manual indicate that you can tie Neutral to Ground without damaging the inverter?
 
This is the make/model
 

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The inverter you are using has floated Neutral.
Make and model of the inverter?
Does the user manual indicate that you can tie Neutral to Ground without damaging the inverter?
I just whet thru the manual again. Unless I’m overlooking it I didn’t see anything in there regarding this.
 
First thing I noticed is 57 + 63 = 120V. That seems like a clue.

FWIW: I'll offer that when things aren't adding up it's often that my testing equipment or my testing method is flawed. Low batteries on a DVM will cause all sorts of issues and that's long before the low battery symbol lights up. Do you have a 2nd meter? What measurements are you getting on an non inverter outlet? I assume part of your house is still on the grid.
 
I see your box has separate neutral and ground bars. That is normally used as a subpanel down stream from main panel and service entrance where neutral is bonded to ground (and a ground rod is connected, also water/gas/foundation steel are also bonded.)

Looks like you're feeding this with rubber cord from inverter.
If your inverter tolerates it, you can bond in this box. The green screw would bond neutral to box, but I would also want copper wire between the two busbars, or move all ground wires over to the combined neutral/ground bar.

Put an incandescent lamp between neutral and ground. See if it lights, see what voltages then. If voltage neutral to ground drops to 0V, then you can bond them together. If it lights up and stays in the 50 to 60V range, you can't.

A GFCI could provide further protection, especially if you use this without bonding neutral to ground. I'm not sure if GFCI in the box are sufficient. I recently bought portable GFCI, but those are limited to about 15 or 20A.

Because this is a hybrid with PV, be sure to also ground frames of PV panels to the inverter.
 
Most inverters these days have a relay that connects neutral to case ground when there is no AC input. When AC input is present, the relay releases neutral-case ground connection within inverter and turns over responsibility for neutral ground bonding to AC input path connection, usually at the main AC grid panel.

Some, like Growatt, have the ability to remove a PCB-chassis hold down screw inside the inverter to prevent the relay from grounding the neutral to metal case when there is no AC input mode. This allows you to have the main AC input panel always provide the neutral-ground bond.

You always must have inverter case grounded. If neutral is floating there will be about half the AC output supply between neutral and case ground and half AC output voltage between Hot and case ground.

HF hybrid inverter block diagram.png
 
Most inverters these days have a relay that connects neutral to case ground when there is no AC input. When AC input is present, the relay releases neutral-case ground connection within inverter and turns over responsibility for neutral ground bonding to AC input path connection, usually at the main AC grid panel.

Some, like Growatt, have the ability to remove a PCB-chassis hold down screw inside the inverter to prevent the relay from grounding the neutral to metal case when there is no AC input mode. This allows you to have the main AC input panel always provide the neutral-ground bond.

You always must have inverter case grounded. If neutral is floating there will be about half the AC output supply between neutral and case ground and half AC output voltage between Hot and case ground.

View attachment 149071
I am completely offgrid. No grid power for miles. So, from what I’m understanding is that I should attach the ground bar to the neutral bar in the circuit box? Or is this one of those deals where I need to take apart the inverter and remove that ground neutral screw that some people have talked about in prior threads?

I’m a complete beginner in working with electricity and I thought I was doing everything correctly but this has me concerned. God forbid this thing goes up in smoke. No fire service where I am. About 20 miles away they have one truck, but it’d never get down my “driveway”.

Besides the fire danger, if I got zapped out here it’d take someone 3 days to find out where I live.

I keep talking on the phone to an electrician friend (lives 5500 miles away) and he insists I did something wrong, even though he has zero experience with inverters and solar power.

In a nutshell, what do I need to do. My knowledge of electricity has pretty much peaked at running circuits and even this circuit panel I thought was a success.

My electrician friend said disconnect everything and don’t use it or I’ll get electrocuted. That’s not an option. I’ve been using a generator for the last 18 months and this solar setup is an absolute must.
 
First thing I noticed is 57 + 63 = 120V. That seems like a clue.

FWIW: I'll offer that when things aren't adding up it's often that my testing equipment or my testing method is flawed. Low batteries on a DVM will cause all sorts of issues and that's long before the low battery symbol lights up. Do you have a 2nd meter? What measurements are you getting on an non inverter outlet? I assume part of your house is still on the grid.
I am nowhere near grid power. Unless I pay them to run the nearest electric 5 miles to my house through the wilderness. I don’t have over a million bucks in my bank account. ?
 
Do you have a DMM? If so you can test for a NG bond by turning off the inverter and than test neutral to ground for continuity. Or if you have one of those little plug in polarity checkers you could use that in an outlet while live to see if there is correct polarity and no open ground.

Since you do not have AC in, and if your continuity check is no continuity, Simply run a neutral ground bond in your breaker panel by wiring between the neutral and the ground bus bar with at least a 10 awg wire.
 
I am nowhere near grid power. Unless I pay them to run the nearest electric 5 miles to my house through the wilderness. I don’t have over a million bucks in my bank account. ?
I offered you some useful information. Finally 10 posts in we learn that you are totally off grid and have no idea what you are doing.
 
Update:

I disconnected the 3 wires from the circuit box. I tested those hot/neutral and hot/ground. 2 voltages. One is 57, other is 63. Therefore, it’s coming from inside the inverter.

At least I know my circuit panel and wiring is good. What do I need to do for the inverter now?
 
I offered you some useful information. Finally 10 posts in we learn that you are totally off grid and have no idea what you are doing.
You did offer me some useful information on here, and it is much appreciated. You all have. My 2nd meter showed the same voltages as the first.
 
I offered you some useful information. Finally 10 posts in we learn that you are totally off grid and have no idea what you are doing.
Would running the wire between the neutral and ground bar “fix” the problem if the problem originated from inside the inverter? Believe it or not, I’m miles ahead of where I was 3 weeks ago in regards to electricity, but obviously not an expert. Hence, the questions.
 
Try this:

Put an incandescent lamp between neutral and ground. See if it lights, see what voltages then. If voltage neutral to ground drops to 0V, then you can bond them together. If it lights up and stays in the 50 to 60V range, you can't.

If that indicates bonding neutral to ground is OK, do that and ground to earth and pipes.
 
Would running the wire between the neutral and ground bar “fix” the problem if the problem originated from inside the inverter? Believe it or not, I’m miles ahead of where I was 3 weeks ago in regards to electricity, but obviously not an expert. Hence, the questions.
I'm going to have to leave you other's capable hands as we are starting the mothers days cookout and family is rolling in.
 
I'm going to have to leave you other's capable hands as we are starting the mothers days cookout and family is rolling in.
Enjoy and thanks for your help!
Try this:



If that indicates bonding neutral to ground is OK, do that and ground to earth and pipes.

Try this:



If that indicates bonding neutral to ground is OK, do that and ground to earth and pipes
 
Just to confirm… bulb between neutral and ground coming out of inverter. Also, inverter should be “on” position?
 
Yes.
You're seeing 50V or 60V between L and G with DMM.
I think G is already wired to inverter chassis.
Connect a light bulb between N and G with inverter on.

If light bulb pulls that 50V to 0V, then inverter has no objections to neutral-ground bonding.

(meter was meg ohm. Light bulb is about 100 ohms, not enough current to harm the inverter. Dead short (bonding) could cause harm to some types of inverters. I'm pretty sure your model is OK, but need to check.)
 
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