The solar panels are from Renogy. They don't have a ground as far as I can tell. They came with there own connectors, but nothing related to the ground.
You need to get a grounding lug like a Lay-in-Lug or Grounding Split bolt to ground the frames. There is likely a hole in the frame to install it, look for the ground symbol.
Thanks Amy. That picture helps a lot. When you show the earth ground coming from the big baby box and the ground coming out of the AC box, can they be going to the same grounding rod?
I see what you are saying with the battery cables. I will go with the terminal fuses.
As far as not doing this setup, was that do to the size of the invertor or the dc breaker box?
Also on the ground. I read quite a few places online where you should terminate the dc and ac grounds to the same grounding rod with a separate wire for each, but seems to be hard to find a definite answer.
Here is the updated drawing.
Arnold I drew that up for you a couple of pages ago. Both AC and Dc must share a common ground. Personally I would not ground the system.
Sunking, sorry I missed that. On the "Personally I would not ground the system.", are you referring to just the DC side (controller, inverter, and panels) and is the reason cost, safety or something else.
Sunking, sorry I missed that. On the "Personally I would not ground the system.", are you referring to just the DC side (controller, inverter, and panels) and is the reason cost, safety or something else.
Thanks.
The DC side. Being under 50 volts there is no requirement to ground the system. By SYSTEM I mean bonding one of the circuits conductors like the Negative Battery to ground. Chassis either way require Bonding. Look at the two methods. One is FLOATING where you see both polarities of the battery with fuses, and the Grounded System has the Negative Battery Polarity bonded to ground. See that?
Floating systems are safer and more reliable, but cost more to implement because you have to have over current protection on both polarities, where as Ground Systems only require one polarity with over current protection. But there is a CATCH you will need to check. With an Ohm Meter and with the Inverter and Charge Controller in your hands disconnected from everything, measure between the Negative Battery Input Terminal and the Chassis Ground Terminal for continuity. If you see Continiuty you have no choice other than a Grounded System. Manufactures are notorious for doing that.
The DC side. Being under 50 volts there is no requirement to ground the system. By SYSTEM I mean bonding one of the circuits conductors like the Negative Battery to ground. Chassis either way require Bonding. Look at the two methods. One is FLOATING where you see both polarities of the battery with fuses, and the Grounded System has the Negative Battery Polarity bonded to ground. See that?
Floating systems are safer and more reliable, but cost more to implement because you have to have over current protection on both polarities, where as Ground Systems only require one polarity with over current protection. But there is a CATCH you will need to check. With an Ohm Meter and with the Inverter and Charge Controller in your hands disconnected from everything, measure between the Negative Battery Input Terminal and the Chassis Ground Terminal for continuity. If you see Continiuty you have no choice other than a Grounded System. Manufactures are notorious for doing that.
or just read the charge controller manual. Page 10 clearly states all of the negatives are connected, and that DC grounding is required. It also indicates that positive ground models of the charge controller exist, so if you do Sunking's test and find no continuity on negative, if you check for continuity between the solar + and the battery + you will probably find it there.
Many times, an RV uses the chassis as a "ground" and "- battery return". Which is sort of OK when you just have a couple 10 w lights. But if you start putting any power currents through the poor electrical connections in the chassis, with all the rubber buffers and isolators, you get problems. So you always have to run hard wires for all your added on stuff + & -.
Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
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