Proper Grounding Of Solar Panels

First it is required to ground all pv systems.

Proper grounding of solar panels. Solar installation the grounding portion of the system may well be the most important. Solar panels may be damaged by a lightning strike if they are not properly grounded to the racking array. Your solar power needs to be grounded to help protect the components from power surge and lightening protection. Damage do your inverter may also spread out to your system if proper system grounding is not in place.

While understanding exactly how much voltage is required in an electrical ground to offset the natural earth voltage is complex when done correctly it can prevent corrosion before it becomes visible. Although all components of a pv system may not be fully functional for this period of time the basic pv module can produce potentially dangerous currents and voltages for the life of the system. Grounding improves the safety in an off grid system and allows the transient protection to function properly. Here s how we ground our solar water pump systems.

Of all the elements of a u s. Earth grounding is the way to help protect. The soil tends to stay moist the deeper you go due to reduced evaporation. Proper grounding of a photovoltaic pv power system is critical to ensuring the safety of the public during the installation s decades long life.

Regardless of system voltage equipment grounding is required on all pv systems. For outdoor grounding you need to use thick bare copper wire that can. Third it can help prevent fires in the system post installation avoiding potential lawsuits from angry homeowners. Other environmental factors can cause power outages if the system is not properly grounded.

Photovoltaics produce power when the angle at which the sun s rays hit the panel surface the angle of incidence is small or when light strikes the panel as close to perpendicular as possible. Drive a grounding rod at least 8 feet deep into the earth near the system. Appropriate bonding and equipment grounding limits the voltage imposed on a system by lightning line surges and unintentional contact with higher voltage lines. Each grounding pipe should be around 8 feet deep but no less than 6 feet.

In order to collect energy more efficiently solar panels should be angled to face as close to the sun as possible.