<div>Hi All -</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I would just add that having a good c-tap crimping tool on hand is just about as valuable as it gets in the solar business. I remember holding off on getting one because of the $200 or $300 price tag but once you have it you won't believe you lived without it. The possibilities are almost endless, but we use our crimpers to bond our GECs to the other existing GECs all the time. Ctaps almost always replace wire nuts when dealing with bare copper EGCs. The c-taps typically cost less than $5 a pop and always save that much on labor. Most time when we have a multiple string inverter installation is makes sense to irreversibly crimp the GECs together and run one wire back home. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Greenlee, Panduit, etc make good tools and taps. Let me know if you would like part numbers... -August</div>
<div> </div>
<div><br><br> </div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 8:41 AM, Bill Brooks <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:billbrooks7@yahoo.com">billbrooks7@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote">
<div lang="EN-US" vlink="purple" link="blue">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Mark and Rebekah,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The term “continuous” is a requirement for any circuit and implies electrical continuity and current-carrying capability. Both the GEC and EGC must be continuous or you don’t got one. It is not defined in NEC Article 100.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">What most people are referring to when they say that a GEC must be continuous is “unbroken” or the NEC talks about “irreversibly spliced.” Splicing of a GEC is usually a last resort because there is no other option. For instance, multiple bonding jumpers coming off of multiple inverters would need to be irreversibly spliced to the main GEC that should proceed unbroken from the farthest inverter from the grounding electrode. 250.66 for ac and 250.166 for dc are consistent in requiring the minimum GEC to be 8AWG copper. Since the GEC for Enphase starts at the inverter on the roof, you must have a minimum of 8AWG running among the microinverters and down to the grounding electrode system. In the 2008 NEC and 2011 NEC, this conductor can serve the purpose of the ac EGC as well and can be terminated on the service panel grounding bus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Bill.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</span></b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Rebekah Hren<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 14, 2010 7:25 AM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches
<div>
<div></div>
<div class="h5"><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] GEC for Enphase inverters</div></div></span>
<p></p></p></div>
<div>
<div></div>
<div class="h5">
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in" valign="top">
<p class="MsoNormal">The code does require the GEC to be continuous (250.64C), and I believe that the AC EGC for the Enphase metal inverter cases is in fact the same as the DC GEC since the point of system bonding on the DC side is inside the inverter. </p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">See art. 100 definitions:<b>Grounding Electrode Conductor. A conductor used to</b></p></div>
<p><b>connect the system grounded conductor...to a point on the grounding electrode</b></p>
<p><b>system.</b></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>So this means that for Enphase systems the AC EGC (which is also the DC GEC) should be at minimum 8 awg (250.66) and continuous? Seems like it to me. </p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rebekah Hren</p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br><br>--- On <b>Tue, 9/14/10, Mark Frye <i><<a href="mailto:markf@berkeleysolar.com" target="_blank">markf@berkeleysolar.com</a>></i></b> wrote:</p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal"><br>From: Mark Frye <<a href="mailto:markf@berkeleysolar.com" target="_blank">markf@berkeleysolar.com</a>><br>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] GEC for Enphase inverters<br>
To: "'RE-wrenches'" <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br>Date: Tuesday, September 14, 2010, 10:05 AM</p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="COLOR: blue; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I believe the AC GEC runs from; the point where the ungrounded current carrying conductor is bonded to the enclosure of the service enterance equipment; to the connection to the ground electrode system. Conductors that run from the service enterance equipment, thru the premis to the Enphase are bonding jumpers that are not required to be continuous.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Mark Frye</span> <br><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Berkeley Solar Electric Systems</span> <br><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">303 Redbud Way</span> <br><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Nevada City, CA 95959</span> <br>
<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">(530) 401-8024</span> <br><a href="http://www.berkeleysolar.com/" target="_blank"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">www.berkeleysolar.com</span></a><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </span> </p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
</div>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</span></b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>William Miller<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 13, 2010 9:46 PM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] GEC for Enphase inverters</span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal">Friends:<br><br>According to the 2005 NEC 250.64(C), the GEC for an AC system needs to be continuous without splices unless they are irreversible. I am not clear where this conductor starts and ends. Is it from the ground buss in a sub-panel to the disconnect switch on the roof, or to each inverter?<br>
<br>Also, non-reversible splices need to be listed for use in grounding systems. Any suggestions on make and model of splices so listed?<br><br>Any advise from those more experienced is much appreciated.<br><br>William Miller</p>
<p><u>Please note new e-mail address and domain:<br><br></u>William Miller <br>Miller Solar<br>Voice :805-438-5600<br>email: <a href="mailto:william@millersolar.com" target="_blank">william@millersolar.com</a><br><a href="http://millersolar.com/" target="_blank">http://millersolar.com<br>
</a>License No. C-10-773985</p></div>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal"><br>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----</p>
<div>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class="MsoNormal">_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address: <a href="http://mc/compose?to=RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>Options & settings:<br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>List rules & etiquette:<br><a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" target="_blank">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br><br>Check out participant bios:<br><a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/" target="_blank">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a></p>
</div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </span></p></div></div></div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>Options & settings:<br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>List rules & etiquette:<br><a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" target="_blank">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br><br>Check out participant bios:<br><a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/" target="_blank">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>August Goers<br>VP, Engineering<br><br>Luminalt Energy Corporation<br>1320 Potrero Avenue<br>San Francisco, CA 94110<br>O: 415.641.4000<br>M: 415.559.1525<br><a href="mailto:august@luminalt.com">august@luminalt.com</a><br>