Setting up ground to Solar Panels on Ground wood mounts gage wire.

[Dskvid]

Hello I currently have 6 panels on unistrut on a Wood base. I have a small 16 gage wire connected to a point on the unistrut running to my nearby pool equipment ground wire. I am researching for panel ground connectors and wire but wasn't sure of how large of a gage I will need if i put a grounding rod at the panels. Thanks

 

[millsan1]

6

 

[Hedges]

Run a wire from the Unistrut/PV panel frames back to your inverter/SCC.
That is the key to prevent shocks. Many inverters drive 60Vrms on PV+/-. Also if a DC fault develops to frame.

 

[pvgirl]

You generally don't want or need a ground rod at the panels. Per US electrical codes, you need all your panels and structure, bonded to a ground wire that runs from the array with the PV wires to the inverter or charge controller and connected to the ground wiring for the building there. Inside the array where the ground wire is exposed it must be at least 6 AWG for protection, when running in conduit, etc it can be smaller 10awg or the size of the PV wires if they are less then 10 awg.

 

[Dskvid]

thanks for the replies sorry I took so long to say that