Shocking

[MesaGuy]

I have an new EG4 6500 and 6 new Canadian 315 watt solar panels in series mounted to Unistrut.
I noticed that I get shocked if I touch the frame and the rain drip cap. Pictures included. I also get a reading between 60 and 100 volts. I am not sure what the issue is. Anyone have any ideas?
Thank you!

 

[MurphyGuy]

Your array isn't grounded to earth?

It seems to be floating.

 

[timselectric]

Grounding is important.
To the existing buildings grounding system.

 

[Hedges]

We usually recommend learning from other's mistakes, but I guess seconding them is OK too.

Voltage Between Grounded Ladder and Roof

I just a had a weird experience. We recently installed 36 panels on two different roofs. Main house (27) and Garage (9). have two EG4 6500EX inverters in the garage powering a sub panel in the garage for now. These two inverters are not playing well with each other in split phase mode...

diysolarforum.com

 

[MesaGuy]

Your array isn't grounded to earth?

It seems to be floating.

It is floating.
Should I connect this to the ground that goes back to the main panel or do something else?

 

[timselectric]

It is floating.
Should I connect this to the ground that goes back to the main panel?

Yes
That looks like a metal roof. You might want to also check if it's grounded.

 

[MesaGuy]

Yes
That looks like a metal roof. You might want to also check if it's grounded.

I don't think it is.

 

[timselectric]

I don't think it is.

It would be a good idea.

 

[MurphyGuy]

It is floating.
Should I connect this to the ground that goes back to the main panel or do something else?

Yup.. the darn green wire is probably the most important part of the entire system. It's the one that keeps you alive anyhow.

Connect everything to the main panel, and make sure the main is well grounded to earth.

 

[T-486 Ashepoo]

Looke like a wood beam between the metal roof and unistrut so you are making the ground connection between the roof and the panel rack. Could be a pinched cable somewhere. Make sure cables are clipped to panels or in conduit and ground only the panels and frame to a separate ground rod close to the array and not back to the main panel.

 

[Hedges]

I think the meter is reading 63Vrms AC.
You want the frames wired back to chassis of equipment including AC breaker panel. Which should be grounded.
It is probably high impedance capacitive coupling.
If it was low impedance (a short) and separately grounded, then you could have high voltage between the two ground rods.
You want both systems and the earth all at same potential.
If an AC short, it will trip breaker. If DC from PV, it will just pull voltage down but not trip anything (depending on where short is.)

 

[T-486 Ashepoo]

I think the meter is reading 63Vrms AC.
You want the frames wired back to chassis of equipment including AC breaker panel. Which should be grounded.
It is probably high impedance capacitive coupling.
If it was low impedance (a short) and separately grounded, then you could have high voltage between the two ground rods.
You want both systems and the earth all at same potential.
If an AC short, it will trip breaker. If DC from PV, it will just pull voltage down but not trip anything (depending on where short is.)

Thanks Hedges. Bad eyesight here. Thought I saw DC voltage.

 

[740GLE]

Look like DC reading to me, hard to tell due to glare.

 

[timselectric]

Looke like a wood beam between the metal roof and unistrut so you are making the ground connection between the roof and the panel rack. Could be a pinched cable somewhere. Make sure cables are clipped to panels or in conduit and ground only the panels and frame to a separate ground rod close to the array and not back to the main panel.

The purpose of a ground is to provide a low impedance path back to the source. A separate ground rod doesn't do that.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

separate ground rod doesn't do that.

But it does make a circuit!

 

[timselectric]

But it does make a circuit!

Only if the earth is conductive. (Wet enough)

 

[Hedges]

62V / 0.030A = 2k ohms is all we need (for you to be part of the circuit.)

Typical ground rod is 25 ohms to earth.