how to, grounding photovoltaic panels

[electricalchief]

hi

i m going to install some pv panels, renesola, and i am wondering how can i grounding them. I mean how can i connext earth wire on each panel. Can i use some self tapping screw with some kind o cable terminals? What about of anodized chassis?

 

[dansk]

Hi - most solar panels have grounding holes underneath, i would use some Stainless Steel Nuts and Bolts and crimp a "ring" onto the cable such as these Insulated Crimp Blue Ring 4mm Pack of 100 | NoLinkingToThis

 

[Gavin A]

but also, are you sue you need to ground them?

What are you doing with them that means you need to ground them?

99% of the time they shouldn't be grounded, and it actually makes it more dangerous to ground them in a lot of situations, especially with isolating transformer inverters.

 

[electricalchief]

i will use solaredge. But i want to ground them just for lighting protection. if there is any posibility for direct strike hit on them, to minimize any damage.

 

[malcolmsanford]

By ground I assume you mean "Earthing" them .......................you should not be earthing a panel as it is a class II piece of equipment.

If you feel that there is a chance of a lighting strike on your property then you should install a lighting protection device/system, that would be autonomous to the array.

But I think you maybe worrying too much here unless you the only structure on top of a big hill

 

[Gavin A]

i will use solaredge. But i want to ground them just for lighting protection. if there is any posibility for direct strike hit on them, to minimize any damage.

earthing them won't protect them from lightening, if anything it'll make them more likely to be hit. All that would happen in a lightening strike is that the earth cable will burn out / be vapourised - if you want protection from direct lightening strike you need to get a lightening protection specialist in to fit a proper LPS system, like the ones they run down church steeples etc

If a 10mm earth cable would do the job then that'd be what the LPS guys used as well, the fact they don't should give a bit of a clue that it might not be up to the job really, or do people think they install these big strips of metal instead of a standard earth cable for the hell of it.

If you want additional protection against an indirect strike then you want to be looking at surge protection, but I understand the Varistors in the inverter already do that job anyway (though they may well sacrifice themselves in the process in particularly close strikes)

 

[steve Leese]

speak to andy o`leary from Sibert he will tell you everything you need to know about class one and two surge protection for lightning protection, met him at the NEC knows what he is talking about, which makes a nice change from some people that are at these shows.

 

[shallsss]

im with malcolm the panels are class 2, double insulated wire connecting them together. if lightning is going to hit them a bit of earth cable is not going to achieve anything. if there on an array frame in a field for example they are connected to earth through the frame even though you have steel posts aluminium frames, its still gotta path. wouldnt worry to much about it myself.