Racking grounding wire to main ground rod - Interior or Exterior?

[TropicalTodd]

I am installing my own 9.5 KW system on my roof.

28- 340w Suniva panels connected to a Sol-Ark 12K. I will have 4 strings of 7 panels to the MMPT.


My question is about the grounding for the Iron Ridge racking system. I know I need clips attached to each row that will run down to the grounding rod at the main service panel. What is the best method to accomplish this? Using bare copper 6AWG. Do I run the line in conduit (Metal, PVC ? ) through the roof and down. Do I run the line on the exterior and just hug the contours of the roofline and gutters? Do I penetrate the gutter but still run exterior. If I use conduit, do I use the same conduit as the wiring for the panels down to the Inverter or do I need a separate conduit? I have read a LOT of feeds, but nothing that seems to answer my specific issue.

-Todd

 

[goldserve]

One thing i can say is that you only need one grounding clip per panel row. The entire iron ridge system is bonded through the UFOs and pv panel frames and the rail splice connector.

I run the ground wire into the same conduit as the ac wires and eventually into the enphase combiner where the ground from main breaker is also tied together. I don’t have a separate rod for the solar. Not needed if on the house roof I believe.

 

[PreppenWolf]

I would run a second PVC conduit personally. If you have a lightning strike and it's run in a conduit with other wires, you're going to fry those too.

 

[TropicalTodd]

I would run a second PVC conduit personally. If you have a lightning strike and it's run in a conduit with other wires, you're going to fry those too.

PVC through roof down through soffit or exterior and over the gutters then down side of house?

rigid PVC or flex?

 

[PreppenWolf]

I prefer rigid and exterior.

Never put a hole in your house that isn't absolutely necessary. Especially in the roof.

 

[TropicalTodd]

I prefer rigid and exterior.

Never put a hole in your house that isn't absolutely necessary. Especially in the roof.

Thank you.

I feel the same. Hardest part of this entire process was drilling that first hole into the roof.

 

[Quattrohead]

The most direct path possible right to the ground without sticking holes in your house and keeping it away from other electrical wires.
This will protect you from static electricity build up and induced voltage from nearby strikes but if you take a direct hit none of it matters.

 

[x98myers7]

grounding and earthing are two different things. lightning protection is pretty much impossible and NOT something you should be worrying about. in FL, I hope you are using UL certified everything for racking given possibility of near hurricane winds; glad to see it's IronRidge.

all PV, DC and AC systems need to have common ground back to the main AC service panel. nothing EVER connects to earthing rods. that should all be established by the grid power connection. that means you need a bonded ground from your main home AC service panel all the way to the rack and panels.

how you accomplish this is debatable. check with your AHJ for requirements. the NEC is not very specific, actually.

 

[x98myers7]

You may use this for reference... I may no claims that this is to code or NEC requirements:

residential DIY grid-assist install -- 2kw roof array + Growatt 3k 24v + 24v chins batt bank

hey everyone, I am starting this thread to document my progress on installation. so, here we go. I will post updates as I complete work. I'm in michigan. Suncalc shows 208deg azimuth and 28deg tilt. PVwatts estimating peak production of 6500wh per day. Core components: 2kw PV array - 8x...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Calsun]

I am installing my own 9.5 KW system on my roof.

28- 340w Suniva panels connected to a Sol-Ark 12K. I will have 4 strings of 7 panels to the MMPT.


My question is about the grounding for the Iron Ridge racking system. I know I need clips attached to each row that will run down to the grounding rod at the main service panel. What is the best method to accomplish this? Using bare copper 6AWG. Do I run the line in conduit (Metal, PVC ? ) through the roof and down. Do I run the line on the exterior and just hug the contours of the roofline and gutters? Do I penetrate the gutter but still run exterior. If I use conduit, do I use the same conduit as the wiring for the panels down to the Inverter or do I need a separate conduit? I have read a LOT of feeds, but nothing that seems to answer my specific issue.

-Todd

Being in an area with a large number of lightning storms I would check with a couple of local electricians. The NEC is OK but a bare minimum in terms of requirements.

Often a cluster of ground rods are wired together to provide sufficient grounding for a system. The gauge of the wire depends in part on the length of the run.