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*My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:*
*Signature Solar*
Creator of EG4 and the largest DIY solar store online!
(automatically save $50 by using my link below)
https://signaturesolar.com/?ref=cPwLcVc0SW-BjN
*Current Connected*
Victron, EG4, Midnite and so much more! Fast shipping and great prices:
https://currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
*WattCycle*
A very budget friendly 12V battery that works great!
【🔥Best Seller】12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery (Group 24 / Group 31)
*Litime*
Classic and reliable 12V batteries for solar! Bestseller for many years:
https://www.litime.com/?ref=XBIA62RFcalHns&utm_source=affiliate
*Epoch Batteries*
High-quality, marine grade 12V batteries that can survive anything!:
https://www.epochbatteries.com/products/12v-460ah-lifepo4-battery-ip67-heated-bluetooth-victron-comms?rfsn=7352625.50494d
*IntegraRack*
DIY Friendly Solar Panel Mounting Kits! Easy to assemble and super strong:
https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/ground-mount-racks.html
*Ecoflow Power Stations*
The most popular plug-n-play mobile power station! I have been using these for years:
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*Anker Power Stations*
Highest efficiency and best performance. The biggest challenger to Ecoflow yet!
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*Watts247*
Need international shipping for large batteries and inverters? Check them out!
*Rich Solar*
One stop shop for budget 12V systems!
https://richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
*Battery Hookup*
Cheap used lithium cell deals:
https://bit.ly/2mIxSqt
5% off code: diysolar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Contact Information:*
I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com
Join the forum at https://diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar
*FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:*
Every video includes paid promotion or sponsorship (such as free products for review). Some links on this YouTube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :) DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
source
I contacted MPP and they agreed with my conclusions in this video. Keep grounds and neutrals separate. Treat it like a sub panel.
When ac output is in series, the bond between neutrals needs to be perfect.
Furthermore, only tie earth ground to ac input. Not the panel. If you connect the panel instead, you must ensure that the ac input is not used.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does off-grid solar confuse you?
Save time and money with my DIY friendly off-grid solar kits, my latest product recommendations and so much more!
http://www.mobile-solarpower.com
Join our DIY solar community
#1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike. 130,000 members and counting!
https://www.diysolarforum.com
Check out my free book
Best-selling and beginner-friendly guidebook to off-grid 12V solar!
https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/the-book.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar Products:
Signature Solar
Creator of EG4 and the largest DIY solar store online!
(automatically save $50 by using my link below)
https://signaturesolar.com/?ref=cPwLcVc0SW-BjN
Current Connected
Victron, EG4, Midnite and so much more! Fast shipping and great prices:
https://currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
WattCycle
A very budget friendly 12V battery that works great!
https://www.wattcycle.com/collections/all/products/wattcycle-12v-100ah-group-24-lifepo4-battery?ref=aaezwkkc
Litime
Classic and reliable 12V batteries for solar! Bestseller for many years:
https://www.litime.com/?ref=XBIA62RFcalHns&utm_source=affiliate
Epoch Batteries
High-quality, marine grade 12V batteries that can survive anything!:
https://www.epochbatteries.com/products/12v-460ah-lifepo4-battery-ip67-heated-bluetooth-victron-comms?rfsn=7352625.50494d
IntegraRack
DIY Friendly Solar Panel Mounting Kits! Easy to assemble and super strong:
https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/ground-mount-racks.html
Ecoflow Power Stations
The most popular plug-n-play mobile power station! I have been using these for years:
https://amzn.to/4gID4j0
Anker Power Stations
Highest efficiency and best performance. The biggest challenger to Ecoflow yet!
https://amzn.to/4k0yhMM
Watts247
Need international shipping for large batteries and inverters? Check them out!
https://watts247.com/?wpam_id=3
Rich Solar
One stop shop for budget 12V systems!
https://richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
Battery Hookup
Cheap used lithium cell deals:
https://bit.ly/2mIxSqt
5% off code: diysolar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact Information:
I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com
Join the forum at https://diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar
FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:
Every video includes paid promotion or sponsorship (such as free products for review). Some links on this YouTube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :) DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Any tips on Connecting up my Solar Pip 6048MT to my Cerbo Gx ( so it can use my Victron Smart Shunt) — to control my LifePo4 Battery Bank?
I just bought a Victron Inverter 1200VA for my solar setup in my garage and have a question on grounding. From the factory the Victron has a floating neutral and with moving an internal jumper it can bond the neutral to ground. Since this will never be connected to my existing service panel how do I ground my Victron without creating a ground loop or affecting my existing service panel?
Can you do two lv2424 im having the issue of them not charging from the grid but I'm seeing power on watch power
Meanwhile there are evse’s not required ground.
Does the ground wire from the panel frames and rails of the array go to separate ground rod at array or to the inverter ground bar?
There can only be one ground neutral bond for any system, so shouldn't all inverters and generator back up input be floating and the one neural ground bond be in the main AC panel as one grounding point for everything in the system? That's my understanding for off grid. In new zealand all home AC circuits are ground neutral bonded, so when you install solar and link into the AC system you have to have only that ground neutral bond operating. So shouldn't all other components in that circuit be floating? It's something often overlooked and not often specified in inverter manuals, or in generator manuals. It has me scratching my head a lot.
So the grid transformer, is it ground bounded? And house meter/main bounded? Is that a loop?
I consider myself above the novice level and have connected a eg4 6000xp system consisting of two controllers, pv panels, and 30 kWh of batteries. When i installed my ac output panel, I kept the neutral and ground separate. So here is my question, when I connect the ac input from my main panel (2 hot wires. 1 neutral, and 1 ground) to each 6000xp will this establish a proper ground? Do i need to do anything else? Thanks in advance for help.
Great video, Will. I agree with your assessment. In my case, I've created a hand-truck solar generator with EG6000XP (Luxpower) and EG LL-S battery. But my biggest concern has been this neutral-ground topic. Most of the time I will back-feed my home electrical panel through a 50A interlocked breaker. In that scenario I am wanting to use the neutral-gnd bond in the 200A panel and DISABLE the n-PE (setting 26) in my inverter. That will ensure I am relying on the house panel's n-PE connection. BUT…when I want to use the hand-truck solar generator in stand-alone mode (not connected to my house panel), I then need to ENABLE the n-PE (setting 26) in my inverter. But there are scenarios where this can be muddled. What if I forget to change the setting? What if I still have setting 26 ENABLED and I plug the solar generator into my 50A grid (to charge the battery without PV, or to just use it to provide bypass)? If setting 26 is still ENABLED, then I've created a ground loop. Another scenario is where I still have the output of the solar generator connected to my "Generator Input" wall receptacle and I haven't flipped the interlock over. In other words, I'm not backfeeding my 200A panel. I'm using it in stand-alone mode – but kept the output cord plugged in. This is a problem because only the two hots are disconnected at the 50A breaker. BUT, the neutral and ground wires ARE connected to the 200A panel because I left it plugged in. If I turn on my solar generator and still have setting 26 ENABLED, then I have a ground loop. Some may say… "Well, how can that be? You can't use your solar generator anyway, because the output isn't being used. It's still plugged into the Generator receptacle." EXCEPT, that I have a 20A power strip on the solar generator. If I use any of those plugs, the n-PE connections are both in my inverter AND in the 200A panel. It is paramount that I remember to change the n-PE setting, depending on the scenario. One more thing. Just this afternoon I had a journeyman electrician tell me I would need to drive two 8 ft copper ground rods, spaced 6 ft apart, each time I use my solar generator in stand-alone mode. I thought, "Man, you have got to be kidding. Have another beer." In stand-alone mode I'll want to establish a n-PE connection in my inverter by ENABLING setting 26. But I do not want a ground rod. I have discussed this with Signature Solar and they agree with my approach. What say you?
Does “earth ground at the input” mean that the power from the solar panels connect also to a ground rod?
It is a problem I also have though my AC input is on a relay only activates when the battery is near 0 so I chopped the ac input Earth cable and put a TN-S bonding system in place for offgrid operation. It only goes on grid < .5% so the risk is very low, also I put the ac input via a breaker so effectivley only the cable run to the wall outlet (< 1 meter) is ungrounded.
Nice information. But what about if the grid fails. Maybe something happened and there is no power from the grid. How will the system be bonded to ground. Because now we just loose our grid. Where our ac input. Ground and neutral is bonded.
4:03 i’d agree
I left this comment on another video but thought I would leave it hear as well. We recently discovered that we are feeling tingles inside our home when neighbors solar is on, mostly in feet and legs. Confirmed when neighbor turns off solar the tingles go away. We don't have to touch anything in our home to feel tingling. Its felt all day from when the solar comes on and stops when the solar goes off. We have power company coming to check it out as our electrician has confirmed (so he says) its not a problem within our home. Neighbors deny any issues on their side. Any idea what's going on in this situation and how to solve? Thank you
This would a great subject for a longer in depth video, @WillProwse.
so if I'm reading this right you earth ground the inverter and not in your main breaker box? I am totally off grid………..
All so confusing! I have a generator going to the LV6548 imput AC with the AC output going to a service panel, do I need an earth ground and if so where should it go?
You are your own utility, to copy what happens at your home, your main service bonds the neutral & ground at the main panel after utility to a ground rod. Seems logical you would bond each inverter to the ground rod.
The problem I'm having is with my. POW-LVM3K-24V-H There's three spots for a AC input, but only two for AC output and of course I can't find anything in the manual about the ground that is needed for the AC output
So is it ok to connect AC input Ground to AC output ground within the inverter?
Question I have 2 PowMr 24v hybrid inverters 3000w each I have 24v 600ah Lipo4 battery bank can I connect both inverters to the 1 battery bank?
But can I connect 4000w solar panels to 1 Inverter to charge the batteries ?
The reason why because I don't want to split the panels in half and run another set of wires from my roof down to the garage it's to much work
Great discussion, Will. Just to clarify when you are using the AC input (and grounding through the AC input), are you still grounding the inverter chassis? Or are you saying we don’t need to ground the inverter chassis? If we should ground inverter chassis, would tying the ground to the ground from AC input suffice? Thanks for all you do!
good day i lives in jamaica where the ground an neutral is bond in the main breaker box can i setup an offgrid solar system with a chinese inverter off alibaba
If I have 2 pv inputs to the inverter , should the the solar panels on each pv input be earthed separately?
Hi ! I’m as lost as last years Easter egg … I have a RV . Shore power gets turned off automatically when generator is started (factory) ….. I added big batteries, some solar , ac inverter, (my charger) and a mechanical switch to turn off shore-generator and turn on inverter and batteries ….. the ground from inverter plug ties 120 house-120 shore-120 inverter
On top of all that I want to occasionally use a Honda generator for shore power ?
I’m thinking that’s a big question (with a few choices) ?
Any direction would be appreciated
3:10 You can indeed connect a ground rod to the AC output of the inverters. But it must be done to the ground terminal, not to the neutral terminal (to avoid ground loops and objectionable current).
Similarly, in telecommunication systems, the NEC requires you to add a new ground rod to the grounding/bonding system (but not the neutral) of the telecom system if the distance between the telecom grounding system and the power grounding system is greater than 6 meters.
Introduction: Each inverter has its own current flow path, each one needs a reference ground point and a short current path. Two of them are combined to make a split phase system which shared the neutral wire. In this split phase system, current flows from each hot wire of it's own inverter and return back itself through the neutral wire. The ground is for reference point and a short current flow path. If the voltages of two hot legs are different, there will be current flow from one inverter to the other, does not matter you have one or two ground-neutral bond(s).
1. For transfer mode (Inverters using power from grid to supply power to the main panel by built-in relays), ground-neutral bond should be at the first panel (after the meter). This was already done when you have electric meter installed. The inverters are using ground-neutral bond from grid, this is correct. Do not create any ground-neutral bond to any panel in your house.
2. For off-grid, the ground-neutral bond should be at the inverters (grid neutral wire should be disconnected). If in case there is a short, the current flow will be terminated at the inverters. Remember, ground-neutral bond is used for reference point and short current flow path. One ground-neutral bond will work, but two are better. Current loop occurs only if your neutral wires are so small and two inverters are mounted far apart (long distance). For conclusion, keep the ground-neutral bonds on all inverters. You cannot count all inverters have bonding as multiple points, it is still single point of bonding because they are together as one power source.
I have two LV6548 units connected to the grid for bypass mode, so the neutral and ground are bonded at the grid master breaker. It is important to not bond the neutrals and grounds anywhere else, including any subpanels, thereby avoiding current sharing between the neutral path and ground path. Current sharing is bad – high currents may result in voltages appearing on the ground, which leads to the possibility of electric shock from equipment cases. No current should flow through ground during normal operation. The LV6548 units disable ground-neutral bonding when in bypass mode – so far so good. However, in battery mode, each unit will connect its output neutral to ground using a relay. This works if there is only one LV6548 in your system, but for multiple units, the extra connections need to be disabled. If you remove the case of an LV6548, you will see a small inverted circuit board just left and below the center. If you peer vertically down along the top edge of that board, you will see a screw head on the circuit board below. Remove that screw to disable any bonding.
I'm struggling with the same issue. My camper has a 3000 powmr all in one system. I just have a camper plug on it and plug the camper directly to it. I sometimes use the ac input in ac bypass and sometimes charge thru it and sometimes use batteries. I have sometimes I have 14 volts running thru the frame sometimes I have about 40 volts running thru frame. It's enough to feel when it's raining. I've been trying to figure out how to correct this I wish I could have a real conversation where someone could tell me what I'm doing wrong.
Thanks Will as I have been of grid for thirty years and to earth at inverter and distribution panel made no sense and equipment suppliers were vague about this also. All information I read or watched stated to ground but I decided for the reasons you outlined to use the "floating earth" at the equipment end. Using the Inverters internal GN bond. And to quote part of Chris's comment " The reason we don't bond them in subpanels isn't to avoid ground loops, it's to avoid neutral current being carried on the ground conductor". Finally getting some sense on this important issue.
I have an all in one inverter using the reliance 6 circuit transfer switch. The transfer switch is using my utility ground so therefore no need for a ground for the inverter. My panels have their own ground to limit a static charge and prevent a lightning strike but it stays separate.
In an off grid only, do we remove the bonding screw in both LV6548 inverters and not ground the panel?
One ground above one ground below simple rule.
Will, would you still suggest the new LV6548"V" as the overall best unit to start out with (assuming the 6000w is what one needs) ?
DC terminals should be floating if their is no isolation between the grid and the DC side. Otherwise, if you see the voltage between one your DC terminals to the ground is oscillating at exactly half of you grid voltage. This is for Single phase.
When my growatt 3000 LVM-48P is running just off the battery, there also is a GN bond created… However the bond is CRAP. I see continuity, but there is a TON of resistance there. so much that my furnace won't run unless i re-create my own GN bond.
It's pretty sad a month after this?? Everyone watched your video that is doing these videos just redid this like they found it 🤷🤷
Ground wire is a backup track from any device to the source in case a live wire is shorted to the panel of the device. And there should be only one return path to the source and at the source ground wire is bonded to the neutral( either it is a battery based source or a transformer). In case of battery, it is a neutral bond inside it. In case of utility it is at the main panel. In your case when inverter is transferring utility power to house, it should connect ground of utility ( coming from main distribution panel of house) side to its loads. When in battery mode, it should disconnect that ground and instead source a ground from neutral bond. But I don’t know if your inverter has this switching happening inside. My two cents…
I'm running 7 350W solar panels in series directly to a 24k BTU EG4 mini split. The panels will be mounted on a new alumiwood patiocover. I was thinking I should ground the panels by running a wire from the array back to the main panel ground bar. Is that the best option for this sort of AC/DC system? There is 10/2 Romex going to the heat pump which is 240V.
Wow I would have to watch this video 20 times I don't get the ground at all. If I'm completely off grid. I wonder how I should hook them up
Not sure what is the right way. but this ground bond is for sub panels so so don't have voltage going on the ground wire like you did with that one. you getting feed back from the nature. Here the AC panel should have it's own ground rod and the DC have it't own and all DC grounded. who is right who knows