hpeyerl
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2022
- Messages
- 58
Good point. These are from a few years ago. 100A breaker behind the flap. I've been told there's a neutral-ground bond in the non-homeowner section that is above the terminal blocks.
N-G Bonding
- Thread starter Anteclansing
- Start date
I do not see a NG bond in your meter panel. Typically there will be a bare heavy copper wire running from the panel where the neutral wire connects to the bus bar and it is connected to the bare copper wire running down the pole to a copper bottom plate.
ETA: Incidentally I have never seen it allowed to use bare wire as a Neutral feed like you have from your pole panel. Where I am at I had to run 4 wires with one being the bare ground.
ETA: Incidentally I have never seen it allowed to use bare wire as a Neutral feed like you have from your pole panel. Where I am at I had to run 4 wires with one being the bare ground.
Last edited:
B-Mod
Solar Enthusiast
Is the bar on the right directly bolted to the enclosure, or is it isolated? Can't tell by picture.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
Not the meter base. But the panel below it.
And there should be 4 conductors to each building, if done correctly. (L1, L2, N, G)
And no other N/G bonds.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
There should be an EGC (Equipment Grounding Conductor) ran between all equipment.
And a GEC (Grounding Electrode Conductor) from the main panel to the ground rod/s.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
Correct
All metal frames, supports, raceways, and enclosues should be connected (grounded/bonded) to the grounding system.
I'm confused by these two statements.
Yes
Or install the provided (with the panel) green bonding screw.
Correct
Only for fault current.
The primary purpose of the grounding system is to provide a low impedance (resistance) path back to the source. So that faults can be cleared quickly, before anyone can get hurt.
The N/G bond provides this path.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
Maybe I misunderstood. But I thought that you didn't have any other power sources (utility), other than the inverter.
If there is already an electrical system in the house. That changes everything.
You already have an exciting grounding system. And everything new should be connected to it.
There should only be one grounding system. And only one N/G bond per system.
Last edited:
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
Bolted and bonded.
But the 4th conductor is missing.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
I just realized that there are two people asking about two different systems, in this thread.
This is getting confusing, trying to keep track.
This is getting confusing, trying to keep track.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
You need to start your own thread.
This is too confusing.
B-Mod
Solar Enthusiast
Wow, I was only half paying attention this morning. I did not realize this either.
Anteclansing
New Member
First and foremost. I cannot thank you enough. What I meant by saying the panels are connect is that I have a total of 12 solar panels and I connect them 6 in series with 2 string parallels.
1. I thought that means the panels are already bonded? But I got shocked while cleaning them. So maybe it’s because I don’t have a ground? Do I need to connect all panel frames together and run a wire from that to a ground rod?
2. The inverter isn’t grounded but connected to panels, both electrical panel and solar panels and the electrical panel is grounded. Do I need to ground the inverter?
Anteclansing
New Member
My inverter is hybrid and allows me to charge from solar AND grid together. I don’t use grid at all but I can if I want to. If I bond my system then when I connect to grid, if I want to use grid + solar, then I’ll have two bonding correct?
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
Bonding and grounding are pretty much the same thing.
Everything metal should be grounded/bonded.
Ground rod connects to main panel.
N/G bond happens at the main panel.
Everything else should have a ground wire ran with the circuit conductors. And connected between all equipment.
Once a ground wire is connected to the grounding system it becomes part of the grounding system. And can be a connection point for other ground wires.
Basically, everywhere you run circuit wires (AC or DC) there should be a ground wire ran with them.
All ground wires connect together at each location and connect to any metal enclosues or parts (solar panel frames and racking, inverters, service panels, and so on).
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 18,610
If you have grid. That is your first means of disconnect. And the location of the ground rod/s and the N/G bond.
There should always be only one grounding system for everything.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
wheisenburg
Independent Solar Consultant
Without knowing your exact setup, it is hard to say for sure. I can tell you that as a general rule, separate buildings will have separate electrical systems. They should only be supplying three wires to each building. Two hots and a neutral. At the entrance to each building you should have ground rods installed and tied into the panel at each building. That is where the ground neutral bond should be established.
This ground neutral connection is important because it provides two things. One is it helps prevent induced currents from nearby lighting strikes from damaging equipment in your house and possibly injuring people. It is also what clears a fault and prevents any metal objects in your house from becoming electrified. A grounding rod without a ground neutral connection, may have too high of an impedance to trip a breaker.
In general you do not want separate buildings sharing the same grounding system. When you have a main panel in one building, suppling a subpanel in another building the situation becomes more complicated, but I don't believe you have that.
Anteclansing
New Member
Mine doesn't have that option.
wheisenburg
Independent Solar Consultant
Unless an inverter is setup up specifically for off grid use, they generally will not have a ground neutral connection inside an inverter. Portable inverters may have such a connection if they are designed to have equipment plugged directly into them. Generally transfer switches only change the source of the hot conductors in the system. Generators, especially portable ones may actually have a ground neutral bond also. If you are using such a generator to tie into your homes electrical system it really should be unbonded. It is fairly rare to actually use 3 or 4 pole switches that will switch ground and neutral conductors from one source to another. Any equipment in the same building or immediately adjacent to it like A/C and generators will generally share the same ground and neutral system. This system should only have a single connection at the first disconnection point.
Before an inverter is installed or a generator is used, it is easy to check for continuity between the ground and neutral with a standard multimeter.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
Might want to reach out to SRNE. The contact info is on their website.
It could be a different setting number on the HF / HYP models
