[RE-wrenches] grounding of hot water collectors

[Darryl Thayer]

Some water systems are all plastic except for the solar water heating system.  I agree atmospheric energy I would think would effect the absorber plates more than frames, but I am not atmospheric energy.  Then grounding the piping system should be adequate, and a copper pipe should be better than any wire you can run. The NEC says all conductive systems should be bonded.  If you have a all copper water system just bonding at the service ground.  In my location the water systems are becoming plastic pipe underground.  I had an Inspector tell me I could not use the water system as ground.  We had a problem a few years back an electrical storm wiped out about 10 plus differential controllers.   
DT

--- On Mon, 9/21/09, SOLARPRO at aol.com <SOLARPRO at aol.com> wrote:

> From: SOLARPRO at aol.com <SOLARPRO at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] grounding of hot water collectors
> To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> Date: Monday, September 21, 2009, 10:36 PM
> 
> 
>  
>  
> 
> 
> This seem ridiculous to me..... the idea that an
> inspector is having you 
> ground a hot water collector is akin to requiring a
> pressure relief valve on a 
> pv module.  Or am I missing something here?  Ask
> the manufacturer of 
> the hot water panel where in the UL listed 
> connection point for the 
> bonding point is.  If required (oh the
> horror) then there will be 
> one.  They manu will most likely just laugh or say
> "wha?" In any case, the 
> plumbing (copper?), unless isolated from the
> household by di-electrics, is 
> grounded quite nicely and can serve as your
> 'ground' path.
>  
> Pat Redgate
> Ameco Solar, Inc.
>  
> 
> In a message dated 9/21/2009 8:21:21 P.M. Pacific
> Daylight Time, 
> daryl_solar at yahoo.com writes:
> I have 
>   seen problems if the array is not grounded.  
> dt
> 
> --- On Mon, 
>   9/21/09, Kirk Herander, VSE <kirk at vtsolar.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > From: 
>   Kirk Herander, VSE <kirk at vtsolar.com>
> > Subject: [RE-wrenches] 
>   grounding of hot water collectors
> > To: "'RE-wrenches'" 
>   <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> > Date: Monday, September 21, 
>   2009, 12:50 PM
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >  
> >  
>   
> > 
> >  
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > 
> > 
>   
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > 
> > 
>   
> > We have a local
> > electrical inspector who insists that 
>   hot
> > water collectors be grounded, regardless of roof type.
> I
> > 
>   have received
> > exemptions from this individual before by documenting 
>   that
> > it would void the
> > collector warranty by putting a hole in 
>   the collector to
> > mount a ground lug, but
> > this person is 
>   persistent and doesn’t really accept
> > the explanation.
> > Anyone 
>   have hassles / solutions with OEM’s or
> > inspectors with this?
> > 
>   Thanks 
> > 
> > 
> >   
> > 
> > Kirk
> > 
>   Herander 
> > 
> > Vermont Solar
> > Engineering 
> > 
> > 
>   802.863.1202
> > 
> > 
> > NABCEP(tm)
> > Certified Solar 
>   Installer 
> > 
> > NYSERDA-eligible
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> > 
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