Discuss Earthing of array (cable size) in the Solar PV Forum | Solar Panels Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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powervan

Lads when ive earthed an array TL invertas ive always used 10mm G/Y to earth rod! another company i have fitted one for had inspection and were told it should be 16mm ?? thats b----ks is it not?
 
rubbish. It's clear from all the guidance that it's 10mm2 (or equivalent).

the poor understanding of many assessors bugs me.
 
Perhaps the MCS inspector is switched on and noticed that the supply neutral is over 35mm2 and up to 50mm2 in which case a protective bonding conductoer would be 16mm2. (Table 54.8 assuming it is going back to MET)

Or that the cable is directly buried underground on its way to a rod.

On the other hand he might be dozy.
 
only if it's burried in the ground or otherwise liable to mechanical damage. If it's not subject to mechanical damage you could use a 2.5mm according to that table!!
 
bonding of array! they just being pain in ear!!! i thought the fact that i had EARTHED the array would impress them LOL its only thing they could find so i will cover with conduit 1mtr up the wall (that should keep them happy:) how many TL instals dont have any!! let alone a nice new 10mm G/Y to a new eath rod!!
 
I had my annual inspection yesterday and took him to several Pv installs and he commented that the conductor from the array should be cream , ie functional earth and not green / yellow in colour .
I asked him to define a functional earth and he side tracked onto something else and I forgot to bring it up again .

So my question , Is he right, I'm thinking along the line that as this conductor is intended to provide a means of discharge to the array frame it will be carrying some current in normal use and so he would be right in what he's saying.
 
From 7671:
Functional earth. Earthing of a point or points in a system or in an installation or in equipment, for purposes other than electrical safety, such as for proper functioning of electrical equipment.

So I would say he was wrong. It is there for safety (bonding/earthing) reasons not just to provide an earth reference for something to operate correctly.
 
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Cream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! only place for that is on my PUDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!come to think of it its FUNCTIONAL as it makes it slide down easier:)
 
Thanks Bruce
I said to him at the time that for it to be functional even though I'm unfamiliar with the definition and use of a functional earth, I thought it needed to somehow fulfil another purpose more to do with how the equipment worked, to which he replied it does because the inverter will shut down if it detects residual currents on the Dc side, therefore it was functional as the equipment relied on it for correct operation
I said that this was not necessarily true as I know of systems fitted by other installers which don't have an earthed array which do work (even though there may be other issues here) and this is where he started to explain and then digressed on to other things but I will email him and ask for a more indepth explaination .
Another point is that I've had 2 MCS and 2 NICEIC inspections on my Pv installations all different people and none of them had commented before that the array earth was the wrong colour and it was talked about whether or not it was required, and I expect most other installers would say the same thing.
 
ask him to show you tthe reg
Ask him to show you someone who can supply you with a 10mm cream cable
Ask him to do one!
never heard of it, never had it on my inspections.
 
As with others my understanding is that the cream wire is used only when the "apperatus will not function at all" without an earth in this case it will function. I have already had many arguments with the NICEIC and The IET reference earthing of other devices and now this argument is becoming more common reference earthing of arrays on TL inverters.

My opinion forgetting V3 of the DTI guide and forgetting the manufacturers guidelines, the panels and their connections are class II and to add an additional circuit to that apperatus could actually create an electrical hazard rather than prevent.
 
Totally Agree with U but this is the one subject that has so many opions! also the book followers wont be swayed!! but its always a laugh looking at the subject on here just sums up the solar industry at MO !A JOKE)
As with others my understanding is that the cream wire is used only when the "apperatus will not function at all" without an earth in this case it will function. I have already had many arguments with the NICEIC and The IET reference earthing of other devices and now this argument is becoming more common reference earthing of arrays on TL inverters.

My opinion forgetting V3 of the DTI guide and forgetting the manufacturers guidelines, the panels and their connections are class II and to add an additional circuit to that apperatus could actually create an electrical hazard rather than prevent.
 
ask him to show you tthe reg
Ask him to show you someone who can supply you with a 10mm cream cable
Ask him to do one!
never heard of it, never had it on my inspections.

I've sent him an email asking him to clarify what he means the trouble is you get opinions instead of facts sometimes
I think that you would be able to get cream coloured 10mm might cost a bit though as its a little unusual ,possibly used somewhere on ships any ex navy sparks might know
I wired a couple of narrow boats a few years ago and they used this colour 6mm as an identifying colour for parts of the Dc circuits along with numerous other colours .
 
May I ask if it is protective earth as well as a functional earth ?, as Iam not in the solar industry, but have had a similar argument (un-related subject) in the past.

Reg. 543.5.1 where earthing for combined protective and functional purposes are required, the protective measures shall take precedence. (including the G/Y colouring).
 
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