Proper Grounding.

[jbkrntrprz]

Just had an electrician out for advice on getting everything grounded. I have my solar panels mounted on the Brightmount racks sitting on a wooden frame. Two EG4 6500 Inverters (240V) (Split Phase) and six Lifepower4 Batteries. I have the Main Breaker panel that was never grounded, feeding into the Inverters. Did not connect ground wire from main breaker into inverter input due to neutral ground bond. Output from Inverters I did bring the ground over to critical loads panel.

My plan- Ground the Main Panel and separate neutral ground bond, then run the ground wire into Inverter inputs. Ground the critical loads panel. Ground the PV rack by running ground wire 150 ft to grounding rod. This will be the only grounding rod used. Everything grounded to this one point. Does this sound ok?

My questions- How do I set up the neutral/ground bond in the inverters? Is there a need to protect the batteries from lightning since I will have an arresting device on main breaker panel and each PV string. Batteries are tied into inverters which will be protected from main panel. Sounds good to me? Electrician didn't have a clue how to ground the PV system. Also didn't think I needed to run ground wire from PV rack to main grounding rod. Just ground it with 2nd rod at Solar rack. I read you ground everything to one point, no matter the distance. Sorry to show my ignorance here but any expert advice much appreciated. Thanks

 

[EG4_Jared]

To enable the neutral-ground bond on the 6500, you would want to be in standby and go to setting 42. After this you would want to set this to "DIS" to enable the neutral-ground bond or "ENA" to disable.

 

[jbkrntrprz]

To enable the neutral-ground bond on the 6500, you would want to be in standby and go to setting 42. After this you would want to set this to "DIS" to enable the neutral-ground bond or "ENA" to disable.

Since the input and output will be neutral-ground unbonded, I assume I would want the neutral ground bond to be disabled (ENA) in step 42?

 

[timselectric]

Ground rod/s should be connected to the main panel.
N/G bond should also be at the main panel.
(Also any that exist > domestic water system, gas pipe, UFER)

From the main panel to the 6500's AC inputs.
There should be L1, L2, N, and G.

From the 6500's AC output to the critical loads panel.
There should be L1, L2, N, and G.

Setting #42 should be set to "DIS" (N/G bond enabled). Please verify this as it's confusing.
So that they create a N/G bond for the critical loads panel, when running on battery. (It automatically disables when connected to grid)

Neutral and ground must be separated in the critical loads panel and everywhere else (after the main panel).

Everywhere you run circuit conductors (AC or DC) there should be a ground conductor (EGC) ran with them. At each location all ground conductors should be connected together and connected to the equipment or enclosures.

 

[jbkrntrprz]

Ground rod/s should be connected to the main panel.
N/G bond should also be at the main panel.
(Also any that exist > domestic water system, gas pipe, UFER)

From the main panel to the 6500's AC inputs.
There should be L1, L2, N, and G.

From the 6500's AC output to the critical loads panel.
There should be L1, L2, N, and G.

Setting #42 should be set to "DIS" (N/G bond enabled). Please verify this as it's confusing.
So that they create a N/G bond for the critical loads panel, when running on battery. (It automatically disables when connected to grid)

Neutral and ground must be separated in the critical loads panel and everywhere else (after the main panel).

Everywhere you run circuit conductors (AC or DC) there should be a ground conductor (EGC) ran with them. At each location all ground conductors should be connected together and connected to the equipment or enclosures.

That answers all my questions and then some. The electrician I had come out said separate the bond at main breaker if I want? but I always thought as you are telling me. I just think it is weird to have the neutral go to ground in the main panel. Thank you Timselectric. Wish you worked in my area!

 

[SSC00]

I'm not even sure that my panel is grounded. my home was built in the late 60s early 70s and my main panel (only panel) is a 125 amp max panel I think (my service is 100 amps) and its kind of smallish and its a bit of a birds nest. Just looking at the panel, I do not see some kind of obvious ground wire going down somewhere. I also assume that grounding doesn't automatically mean literally sticking into ground, but that its the most effective way to ground.

Also, i am not sure how to connect solar to a subpanel. will just any cheap breaker panels from like home depot or lowes work?

 

[jbkrntrprz]

I'm not even sure that my panel is grounded. my home was built in the late 60s early 70s and my main panel (only panel) is a 125 amp max panel I think (my service is 100 amps) and its kind of smallish and its a bit of a birds nest. Just looking at the panel, I do not see some kind of obvious ground wire going down somewhere. I also assume that grounding doesn't automatically mean literally sticking into ground, but that its the most effective way to ground.

Also, i am not sure how to connect solar to a subpanel. will just any cheap breaker panels from like home depot or lowes work?

My home was built in 1998 and was not grounded either. Asked an electrician once and he said I was using the ground from the grid. Just grounded my house with grounding rod to main panel, and critical loads and everything else is connected to same ground. Next step lightning protection. Just ordered from Midnight Solar last night. Will be posting a question on that here shortly.

When it comes to your question on solar, you sound like me a couple years ago. Fairly clueless on how to start. Right now I have an off grid with grid assist setup. 2 Inverters, 6 batteries, 22 panels all going into a critical loads panel and done it myself with assistance from Youtube and here. How you set it up is what equipment you have and how you want to use it. I'm not the right person to help you unless you are using the exact equipment I have.
Good luck, and yes I got mine from Lowes for my critical loads panel.

 

[SSC00]

My home was built in 1998 and was not grounded either. Asked an electrician once and he said I was using the ground from the grid. Just grounded my house with grounding rod to main panel, and critical loads and everything else is connected to same ground. Next step lightning protection. Just ordered from Midnight Solar last night. Will be posting a question on that here shortly.

When it comes to your question on solar, you sound like me a couple years ago. Fairly clueless on how to start. Right now I have an off grid with grid assist setup. 2 Inverters, 6 batteries, 22 panels all going into a critical loads panel and done it myself with assistance from Youtube and here. How you set it up is what equipment you have and how you want to use it. I'm not the right person to help you unless you are using the exact equipment I have.
Good luck, and yes I got mine from Lowes for my critical loads panel.

I am still learning some of the basics. I get some but dont get others. right now i don't understand what it takes to connect the ac output wire from the inverter to the breaker panel. it is not clear to me if it just works with a standard breaker or not or how that is all supposed to work

 

[EG4_Jared]

Since the input and output will be neutral-ground unbonded, I assume I would want the neutral ground bond to be disabled (ENA) in step 42?

Yes, apologies, I've just come across this message.

 

[jbkrntrprz]

Yes, apologies, I've just come across this message.

I've been told I want to disable (dis) meaning neutral ground bond disables when on grid or bypass mode. Also to be sure I have my grounds connected to input and output. My input had no ground because I thought it did not need it because of neutral ground bond in main panel but it does need it.

 

[jbkrntrprz]

Ground rod/s should be connected to the main panel.
N/G bond should also be at the main panel.
(Also any that exist > domestic water system, gas pipe, UFER)

From the main panel to the 6500's AC inputs.
There should be L1, L2, N, and G.

From the 6500's AC output to the critical loads panel.
There should be L1, L2, N, and G.

Setting #42 should be set to "DIS" (N/G bond enabled). Please verify this as it's confusing.
So that they create a N/G bond for the critical loads panel, when running on battery. (It automatically disables when connected to grid)

Neutral and ground must be separated in the critical loads panel and everywhere else (after the main panel).

Everywhere you run circuit conductors (AC or DC) there should be a ground conductor (EGC) ran with them. At each location all ground conductors should be connected together and connected to the equipment or enclosures.

Was going to run 130 ft of grounding wire from my solar rack to the ground rod to my house, but was told by SS it was ok to just leave the solar racks grounded where they sit. Do you agree. Thought everything should be grounded to 1 rod.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I didn't see @timselectric address it, but the references I've seen indicate:

Ground rod at the array bonded to all panel frames.
Ground conductor ran with PV wires to bond array ground rod with dwelling ground rod.

If Tim disagrees, listen to him.

 

[EG4_Jared]

Was going to run 130 ft of grounding wire from my solar rack to the ground rod to my house, but was told by SS it was ok to just leave the solar racks grounded where they sit. Do you agree. Thought everything should be grounded to 1 rod.

The decision often hinges on the local code of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ); usually, connecting the PV ground to the earth ground at the home is preferable. Nonetheless, a separate grounding rod for the PV system may be installed if the rod is situated more than 1.83 meters from the home's ground.

 

[jbkrntrprz]

The decision often hinges on the local code of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ); usually, connecting the PV ground to the earth ground at the home is preferable. Nonetheless, a separate grounding rod for the PV system may be installed if the rod is situated more than 1.83 meters from the home's ground.

Thanks Jared. I have a question to ask you about settings on the 6500s. Getting conflicting info here. Steps 2,11, and 41. Is this amps per inverter or total amps per how many inverters connected in parallel.

 

[EG4_Jared]

Thanks Jared. I have a question to ask you about settings on the 6500s. Getting conflicting info here. Steps 2,11, and 41. Is this amps per inverter or total amps per how many inverters connected in parallel.

This should be per inverter.

 

[timselectric]

Was going to run 130 ft of grounding wire from my solar rack to the ground rod to my house, but was told by SS it was ok to just leave the solar racks grounded where they sit. Do you agree. Thought everything should be grounded to 1 rod.

An auxiliary ground rod at the array is not required or recommended.
An EGC (equipment grounding conductor) is required.
The EGC is to be ran with the PV circuit conductors, back to the existing grounding system.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Sometimes I open my mouth just to be corrected...

 

[timselectric]

a separate grounding rod for the PV system may be installed if the rod is situated more than 1.83 meters from the home's ground.

The 6' minimum rule is for two rods used as a single point of connection to earth. (At the service)
There's no distance requirements for an auxiliary ground rod. You can drive ten in the same hole. Or place them 100 miles apart. The reason that there are no requirements is because they serve no purpose.

 

[jbkrntrprz]

This should be per inverter.

Looking back I see that I had step 41 set at 50 amps and the inverters would convert back to bypass when I reached 60 amps between the 2 inverters. It was causing me all kinds of problems until I set that value to 100 amps. All problems disappeared. That tells me that at least step 41 setting would be total amps between all converters, not per inverter. Am I looking at this wrong?

The 6' minimum rule is for two rods used as a single point of connection to earth. (At the service)
There's no distance requirements for an auxiliary ground rod. You can drive ten in the same hole. Or place them 100 miles apart. The reason that there are no requirements is because they serve no purpose.

Except I would not have to use 130 ft of wire to run from my PV array to my main EGC, which unfortunately I already bought.

 

[timselectric]

Except I would not have to use 130 ft of wire to run from my PV array to my main EGC, which unfortunately I already bought.

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