do i have to ground the negative wire of my 100w solar array?

Question

and should i have 2 separate grounds one for DC from array and one for AC from inverter and should they be connected together or just use the ufer from my house for everything?
This is not a grid tie it's a battery charger that i invert for lighting purposes

Answer 1

I do not know what country you live in but in the USA.



All electronics must be UL Listed. That includes the solar modules, inverter and charge controllers. You must have DC breakers and disconnects for the DC side of the system and AC breakers and disconnects on the AC side. You must have a neutral ground in the main switch box on the AC side. You will need an equipment ground on every thing including the solar array. And you must ground the neg from the battery bank on any system above 12 volts.



Most people I know that do it them self's will do the complete install and then call an electrician and pay for an inspection and them to get the permit. Or just do it and never tell anyone which is not such a good idea. If you are not an electrician your insurance will not cover your home should you burn it down. And you could end up in jail the rest of your life if someone is in the home when it burns down. Someone could touch it and being you did something wrong you could kill someone.



Here is a diy page with pictures to help you out.



http://www.oynot.com/solar-info.html



Oh yeah. You should drive an 8 foot ground rod in the gound. One for the array and one for the power side.

Answer 2

You do not ground the negative wire of a DC system. On the inverter and beyond you will need a ground. If you run cables through a metal pipe or sheathed cable to solar panels you may wish to ground the pipe/sheathing for safety reasons.



Im sure you got a permit for this stuff and the inspector will let you know or somebody qualified did the work, RIGHT?

Answer 3

Grounding is for noise and safety issues.