350 feet to barn- grounding [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

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You will get better lightning protection if you connect the array and house 
panel and any other grounds together and also put a ground rod on the same 
grounding conductor at the array to minimize the potential between the array 
and the house panel. The mindset to have is all electrical and chassis 
grounds should have the same minimum resistance and all ground tied 
together. Copper conductors and ground rounds are still the lowest cost and 
best lightning and grounding protection.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Walters" <walters at taosnet.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2008 3:18 PM
Subject: Re: 350 feet to barn- grounding [RE-wrenches]


>
> Steve;
>
> For lightning protection purposes, you're right. It would be better  to 
> not connect the grounding systems. For grouchy inspectors though,  I think 
> you'll need that ground wire. You may be able to run a bare  copper 
> conductor outside the conduit, which would help reduce your  impedance to 
> ground.
> If it helps....Article 690 is more confusing than ever regarding  ground 
> requirements. Get the 2008 NEC Handbook with illustrations,  and try to 
> make sense out of it all: you and the inspector will be  crying in no 
> time....
> Have some tissues and donuts on hand, and he may just walk away  without 
> giving you a hard time.
>
> Ray Walters
>
>
> On Jun 29, 2008, at 3:34 PM, Steve Johnson wrote:
>
>>
>> I have a grid tied installation where the panels are 350 ft. from the
>> inverter.  This is not a voltage drop problem because I have 370  Vmp DC
>> to work with so wire is sized < 1% Vd.
>>
>> Is there any reason to run a ground wire from the barn to the house in
>> the underground conduit?  I can't think of one.  The 4 strings on the
>> barn will be combined at the barn, with a lightning arrestor and  ground
>> rod installed.
>>
>> At the house the DC disconnect will be grounded on the AC and DC side.
>> This seems fine to me but there is a gnawing subconcious feeling that
>> makes me ask this question.  Or maybe its the grouchy inspector.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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