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diy solar

Multiple grounding rods for solar panel install and electrical devices?

timselectric said:
10 will be too many. VOC is a do not ever exceed number.
9 might be ok, if you are in an always warm climate. (Depending on your record low temperature)
Click to expand...
the inverter said it was 500 VDC and the panels say they are 49.45 V each

did I mis calculate something?

thanks
 
stevenforti said:
the inverter said it was 500 VDC and the panels say they are 49.45 V each

did I mis calculate something?

thanks
Click to expand...
As the temperature goes down, the panel voltage increases.
You have to leave room for the increases.
If it goes beyond 500v , the magic smoke escapes.
 
timselectric said:
As the temperature goes down, the panel voltage increases.
You have to leave room for the increases.
If it goes beyond 500v , the magic smoke escapes.
Click to expand...
Oh ok.

We're down to about 65 degrees down here in Florida during the day right now. This is about as cold as I've ever seen it
 
Just to be clear. You place a grounding rod at the ground mounted array. A single bare copper wire is connected from the grounding rot to all of the panel frames. the panel frames are properly bonded to the metallic array structure. After connecting to all of the panels, the bare wire enters the combiner box with the circuit breakers. Her is is connected to a grounding buss bar and then back to the ground rod. One big circle of ground. The grounding buss bar in the combiner box passes next to the DC disconnect switch and grounds that switch. Then this ground passes into the conduits carrying the PV +/- wires into your charge controllers where there should be another grounding buss bar. That grounding buss bar has the ground wire in the loop from the second and third ground rods as close to the inverter and batteries and sub-panel as you can get. The batteries, their cabinets, charge controllers, inverters, sub-panel and anything else that is electric and could be the source of an electric shock must be attached to the grounding buss bar. Metallic conduit, when properly connected, carries the ground itself and should be terminated with metallic boxes only, not PVC.
 
glandpuck said:
Just to be clear. You place a grounding rod at the ground mounted array. A single bare copper wire is connected from the grounding rot to all of the panel frames. the panel frames are properly bonded to the metallic array structure. After connecting to all of the panels, the bare wire enters the combiner box with the circuit breakers. Her is is connected to a grounding buss bar and then back to the ground rod. One big circle of ground. The grounding buss bar in the combiner box passes next to the DC disconnect switch and grounds that switch. Then this ground passes into the conduits carrying the PV +/- wires into your charge controllers where there should be another grounding buss bar. That grounding buss bar has the ground wire in the loop from the second and third ground rods as close to the inverter and batteries and sub-panel as you can get. The batteries, their cabinets, charge controllers, inverters, sub-panel and anything else that is electric and could be the source of an electric shock must be attached to the grounding buss bar. Metallic conduit, when properly connected, carries the ground itself and should be terminated with metallic boxes only, not PVC.
Click to expand...
Is this all the same if I am building the solar panel frame out of wood?
 
jmjack said:
@timselectric , can you explain more about the "gradient pulse".
Click to expand...
When lightning strikes. It produces a high voltage pulse that travels outward from the striking point. (Like ripples in water)
This pulse decrease in intensity over distance. (Due to the high resistance of earth/dirt)
If you place two rods in the earth and connect them together. You create a lower resistance path for the pulse to take. Which means that when it reaches your house/equipment. It's stronger than it would have been, had it only traveled through the earth/ dirt.
 
timselectric said:
When lightning strikes. It produces a high voltage pulse that travels outward from the striking point. (Like ripples in water)
This pulse decrease in intensity over distance. (Due to the high resistance of earth/dirt)
If you place two rods in the earth and connect them together. You create a lower resistance path for the pulse to take. Which means that when it reaches your house/equipment. It's stronger than it would have been, had it only traveled through the earth/ dirt.
Click to expand...
So with a wood mount, you’re saying that this happens with metal ground mounted supports then? Not just grounding rods.
 
Balrog006 said:
So with a wood mount, you’re saying that this happens with metal ground mounted supports then? Not just grounding rods.
Click to expand...
Correct
The possibility still exists, with array supports that include metal posts in the earth.
 
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