module grounding wire [RE-wrenches]

Ray Walters walters at taosnet.com
Thu May 11 20:38:23 PDT 2006


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Hey Tom;

Braided wire is our preferred method for module grounding. I love the 
stuff because after several years it still works. Bare copper does very 
odd things around Aluminum. Plus it doesn't like to bend. I've seen 
several installations with the copper grounding snapped off either from 
corrosion or strain or both. Somebody on this list (sorry I don't 
recall) said to stick a screw driver in between the braids and open up a 
hole. (Works great) We then bolt that via a combination of stainless 
flat washers and star washers to the frame.  UL and code needs to 
address this better. There are ways to bond modules to their mounting 
frames that provide adequate bond their just not UL listed, because of 
the plethora of module manufacturers and frame manus. Since things are 
less strict here, we use mounting hardware, add star washers to 
penetrate through the oxidation and anodized coatings, tie it to the 
grounding system with braided tinned copper. The braided stuff has been 
used for decades on commercial PV systems like Entech's Fresnel lens 
concentrators. Those systems were DC rated for over 600 volts. Grounding 
was critical.  As far as its rating, I believe the stuff we use (3/8" 
flat braid) is the equivalent of #4, but if you're hoping for UL or NEC 
blessing: take a number and keep waiting; my braid doesn't have UL 
listing, or  any markings what so ever.  Flat Braided Tinned Copper is 
still the best product for module grounding, IMHO, but we keep regular 
bare copper, and those lay in SS lugs from IlSCO in case a picky 
inspector ever asks.

Ray


>good day Wrenches,
>  Has anyone used flat braided tinned-copper wire for module grounding 
>ilo the 'standard' # 6 bare stranded? If so, how are you sizing this 
>wire for this application?
>
>thanks,
>Tom
>
>
>
>  
>


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