Am I going in the right direction?

[Buzz Lighting]

Yup, I like the MRBF on the battery post of single or double batteries. If more batteries are in parallel I want a MRBF at the post and at the bus bar. Might even do class T per battery then another on the other side.

I agree as you could never be too careful.

 

[Buzz Lighting]

You didn't say you were off grid and implied you are on-grid by saying you don't want to export power. If there is ever any chance at all that you will backfeed the grid you need to be totally up to code, inspected and sign an interconnect agreement. If they catch you connected without it there could be consequences.

I’m sorry but I missed this question. I’m not off grid and am grid tied. No plans on ever selling back to the grid. I’m going to take my chances for now but want to have everything wired up correct just in case something happens that they come knocking.

 

[Buzz Lighting]

I was able to make some progress and get the right side gutter on and cleaned up the Emporia Gen 3 wiring. To get a cleaner look, I moved the Emporia units into the wireway but still have to make some knockouts on the wireway for the antennas. I also numbered the sensors to make it easier when doing maintenance or moving sensors around if need be. It was close, but I was able to get the maximum wires allowed from conduit fill table into that 1” conduit for the Emporia sensor wires. 36 - 14 AWG wires from the main panel. The 1st subpanel was easy as they weren’t many wires on that side.

The wall on the right side where the main panel is not perfectly square so I had a small drop off of less than maybe a 1/4” or slightly more. That was enough to cause me some grief and I was not able to get the locknuts on and just installed the grounding bushings on two of the connections on the two right panels but they are on pretty tight and making good contact. I was able to get locknuts above though on all four. My main question is - is this legit as each grounding bushing has two set screws that I was able to secure? After doing some searching, I found multiple threads but this thread on Mike Holt’s forum is why I proceeded and appears that I should be good. Any thoughts on this? https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads/bonding-bushing-without-a-locknut.47061/
All five parts of the wireway will also be bonded with ground lugs and one ground bar. It might be overkill but gives me a peace of mind.

Also, my plan is to feed the Eaton 100A Switch from the main panel with a 100A breaker with 2 AWG wire and feed both Victron 5k’s AC inputs via a 60A DP breaker from the first subpanel on the right of the main panel. Does this sound good or should I be doing something different like using the main panel to feed both the Eaton Switch and both Victrons from the main panel? I have more space on the 100A subpanel and the reason that I’m using it to feed the Victrons.

Then the two Victron 5k’s AC outs are going to the Eaton switch. The Eaton switch will have grid and inverter power to it and feed the generator transfer switch which will have a Pulsar 9500 watt inverter generator and grid/inverter from the Eaton switch. The generator transfer switch will feed the critical loads panel. I will be using 2 AWG wire in between inverters and all panels. Again, any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Still a work in progress and have to install some more HardieBacker board, installing an additional 8x8x48 wireway on the left side where I will be installing the batteries under, replace Wagos using some set screw connectors instead when moving over circuits to the CLP amongst a bunch of other things. The Lynx Class T, Power In and Shunt will go above the battery wireway. I have those on hand and will install them once I receive the additional wireway.

So the three questions that I have are:

1. Are the bonding bushings fine without the locknuts? Again, there are two set screws that are making contact and the bushings themselves are on pretty tight.
2. I plan on feeding the Eaton switch with a 100A breaker from the main panel and feed the Victron Multiplus’ with a 60A DP breaker from my 1st sub-panel. Is this fine or should I be using the main panel to feed both the Victrons an Eaton panel?
3. I plan to move over circuits from the main panel over to the CLP. Can I get away with just moving over the hot wire or do I have to move the whole conductor wire over? If I added an additional N and G line from the main panel as pictured below the wireway, can I then move over just the hot line?

Again, thanks for any help or advice as it’s greatly appreciated.



This picture is how the grounding bushing fit perfectly with the locknuts:





This pic is with the other two connections on the main and subpanel where I couldn’t for the locknuts.



Emporia wiring cleanup:








Work in progress:

 

[Buzz Lighting]

I forgot to add the currently in progress diagram.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Type X drywall or cement board behind the equipment/over the plywood.

 

[Buzz Lighting]

Type X drywall or cement board behind the equipment/over the plywood.

Currently behind the panels is just cement from our foundation. Panel was already installed behind the plywood when the house was built. I installed 1/2”HardieBacker board on the left side and intend to do so all the way up to the CLP.

The battery and DC side of the wall will all be 100% cement board. In the wire way I plan on using a barrier kit to separate the DC and AC side and in our area it’s acceptable.

 

[robbob2112]

I’m sorry but I missed this question. I’m not off grid and am grid tied. No plans on ever selling back to the grid. I’m going to take my chances for now but want to have everything wired up correct just in case something happens that they come knocking.

Been a while -

The fine for pushing even a watt of power over the grid is typically several thousand dollars depending on where you are at.

So if you are grid tied I would set everything to zero export but use a transfer switch and run your critical loads from the solar.

MUCH better to have an interconnect agreement with the inspection and be done with it.


Questions you had -

1. I am unsure, but @timselectric would be a great source to answer that. He is Mr. Grounding around here. From what I can find the lock nut is required on both sides of the box (inside and outside), but there is an exception when using the bonding bushing - The bonding bushing itself does not need a lock nut so long as both screws are fully engaged. It also says the lock nut is optional if using it interfers with having full contact on both screws.

2. This is another @timselectric question - but as far as I know you are not allowed to daisy chain sub panels. So both should be fed from the main panel. Or am I not understanding your question?

3. This one I know for sure - you need to move over the whole conductor verse just the hot. I asked an electrician about it when doing my hottub wiring. I had to install a subpanel and move the dryer circuit over to it and feed the sub with a 100amp breaker.

 

[Buzz Lighting]

Been a while -

The fine for pushing even a watt of power over the grid is typically several thousand dollars depending on where you are at.

So if you are grid tied I would set everything to zero export but use a transfer switch and run your critical loads from the solar.

MUCH better to have an interconnect agreement with the inspection and be done with it.


Questions you had -

1. I am unsure, but @timselectric would be a great source to answer that. He is Mr. Grounding around here. From what I can find the lock nut is required on both sides of the box (inside and outside), but there is an exception when using the bonding bushing - The bonding bushing itself does not need a lock nut so long as both screws are fully engaged. It also says the lock nut is optional if using it interfers with having full contact on both screws.

2. This is another @timselectric question - but as far as I know you are not allowed to daisy chain sub panels. So both should be fed from the main panel. Or am I not understanding your question?

3. This one I know for sure - you need to move over the whole conductor verse just the hot. I asked an electrician about it when doing my hottub wiring. I had to install a subpanel and move the dryer circuit over to it and feed the sub with a 100amp breaker.

Thanks. Yeah, I’ll move over the whole conductor to the CLP. It will just make it easier and probably cleaner overall.

I also agree from my from what I’ve read and understanding that I should be good on the grounding bushings.

Now on the daisy chaining, I too hope that Tim will chime in with his advice. I can go either way here as it’s not yet wires up. No, I think we’re on the same page. I just want to know if both must be absolutely be fed from the main panel.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[robbob2112]

Thanks. Yeah, I’ll move over the whole conductor to the CLP. It will just make it easier and probably cleaner overall.

I also agree from my from what I’ve read and understanding that I should be good on the grounding bushings.

Now on the daisy chaining, I too hope that Tim will chime in with his advice. I can go either way here as it’s not yet wires up. No, I think we’re on the same page. I just want to know if both must be absolutely be fed from the main panel.

Thanks for the feedback.

This chain might help

Daisy chained sub panels?

I'm a general contractor working on a remodel. My electrician in trying to resolve a panel tap informed me that you can't Daisy chain sub panels. He said the inspector might consider the solar panel too be the main panel which would mean the house panel is a sub and it has a sub panel. He...

forums.mikeholt.com

And something else I am reading, you can use a pass-through panel (lugs on top and bottom of the bus bar) for the first subpanel then the second can be a plain panel. The caveat is the second sub can't be in an outbuilding without having a disconnect in it. And if the first is in an outbuilding you can't use a pass-through, instead it needs to be a standard panel with disconnect and the second panel would be off a breaker.


Typical code, there seem to be lots of conditions depending on what you are doing.

 

[Buzz Lighting]

This chain might help

Daisy chained sub panels?

I'm a general contractor working on a remodel. My electrician in trying to resolve a panel tap informed me that you can't Daisy chain sub panels. He said the inspector might consider the solar panel too be the main panel which would mean the house panel is a sub and it has a sub panel. He...

forums.mikeholt.com

And something else I am reading, you can use a pass-through panel (lugs on top and bottom of the bus bar) for the first subpanel then the second can be a plain panel. The caveat is the second sub can't be in an outbuilding without having a disconnect in it. And if the first is in an outbuilding you can't use a pass-through, instead it needs to be a standard panel with disconnect and the second panel would be off a breaker.


Typical code, there seem to be lots of conditions depending on what you are doing.

Thanks for the link (good read) and the additional info.

To provide some insight and additional info on our setup - Our main panel is 200 amps and is currently feeding the first 100a sub panel. The third 100a sub-panel 100 (not pictured) to our garage is fed from the second sub-panel. Feed from the from the second sub-panel to our garage is fed using SER 2/2/2/4 with a 90 amp breaker due to the derating.

The CLP will only be fed via the generator /grid/ inverter transfer switch. Solar will only be feeding the CLP via the inverters / charge controller and not ever feed the main panel or any of the other sub-panels nor will it ever make it there. I’m not sure if that makes a difference.

I also prefer using standard panels with disconnect breakers in the panel for ease of shutting things down and isolating panels. Easier for troubleshooting IMO.