Ruff
New Member
I am in the country but will still follow NEC code.
I have two objectives.
1. Decrease my dependency / cost of the local electrical coop.
2. Reliable power to essential items in the winter when the ice storms take down the grid.
I plan to install it as an off grid system first and see how much power I use throughout the summer months. I will add solar / battery capacity as needed then move non essential circuits to the grid powered panel that I will power up at a later date.
My two main questions are:
1. How does code address two independent power systems in the same building? Will my electrical coop even allow that? I can keep the circuits separate and easily identifiable as to which power source it has but metal boxes and EMT in the shop side are grounded back to the respective panels.
2. How do I build a grounding system that will not be unhappy?
If I build a true grid tied hybrid system I am required by the Electrical Coop to have a $1,000,000 umbrella policy to connect the inverter to the grid. This may be my best option, but I am exploring the two system approach to avoid this added monthly fixed cost. The insurance company says I have to raise the covered limits of my cars to the highest limit they offer and double the insured replacement cost of the house. This is not a small increase in monthly premiums.
I am an amatuer radio operator and will have three main antennas around the property. They are all more than 200 feet away from the building and will be independently grounded as required by NEC for transmitting tower installations. I know how to DC / RF ground towers and how to isolate the antenna feed cables with lightning protectors coming into the building. I also plan to use a UL listed lightning protection system on the metal building itself that will have roof spikes with braided grounding cables that run to grounding rods at all four corners of the building as well as feeding three rings of grounding wires that circle the building at 50 ft and again at 100 ft radius.
I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to tie the grounding systems together without making the CGFI or arc breakers unhappy. Ground loops cause RFI and dangerous voltage potential and I do not want that.
I know there are a lot of details I have left out. Some are firm, others are still in the planning stages. Please let me know if my plan is viable or if my plans are all wrong and it is best I just get the insurance and grid tie the inverter and keep things as simple as possible.
Jeff
I have two objectives.
1. Decrease my dependency / cost of the local electrical coop.
2. Reliable power to essential items in the winter when the ice storms take down the grid.
I plan to install it as an off grid system first and see how much power I use throughout the summer months. I will add solar / battery capacity as needed then move non essential circuits to the grid powered panel that I will power up at a later date.
My two main questions are:
1. How does code address two independent power systems in the same building? Will my electrical coop even allow that? I can keep the circuits separate and easily identifiable as to which power source it has but metal boxes and EMT in the shop side are grounded back to the respective panels.
2. How do I build a grounding system that will not be unhappy?
If I build a true grid tied hybrid system I am required by the Electrical Coop to have a $1,000,000 umbrella policy to connect the inverter to the grid. This may be my best option, but I am exploring the two system approach to avoid this added monthly fixed cost. The insurance company says I have to raise the covered limits of my cars to the highest limit they offer and double the insured replacement cost of the house. This is not a small increase in monthly premiums.
I am an amatuer radio operator and will have three main antennas around the property. They are all more than 200 feet away from the building and will be independently grounded as required by NEC for transmitting tower installations. I know how to DC / RF ground towers and how to isolate the antenna feed cables with lightning protectors coming into the building. I also plan to use a UL listed lightning protection system on the metal building itself that will have roof spikes with braided grounding cables that run to grounding rods at all four corners of the building as well as feeding three rings of grounding wires that circle the building at 50 ft and again at 100 ft radius.
I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to tie the grounding systems together without making the CGFI or arc breakers unhappy. Ground loops cause RFI and dangerous voltage potential and I do not want that.
I know there are a lot of details I have left out. Some are firm, others are still in the planning stages. Please let me know if my plan is viable or if my plans are all wrong and it is best I just get the insurance and grid tie the inverter and keep things as simple as possible.
Jeff