Such a relevant question! How many of us have installed inverters or solar chargers without grounding the case. I have 🤦🏻 thanks for the thorough explanation.
Jeff, thanks for wize personal advice. It’s very comforting to know my donuts and worries about understanding grounds are normal, I shall return to NC’s manual, again
Thanks for the great tutorial. My inverter ground terminal connector is way too small to accommodate the 1 size smaller regulation ground wire. I believe this is a common problem. Is there a fix to overcome this issue?
You did not mention shore power. I have always been taught to "NOT" connect the show power ground to the grounds of the RV/BOAT. The RV/BOAT acts like a sub panel when plugged into the shore power
Thanks Jeff your info as always is invaluable. I've a steel boat and have heard comments that it's effectively one big grounding bar. Do you share this view or recommend taking all grounds to a single grounding bar?
I have a certainty mine doesn't comply. Don't think the case clamp was large enough either. Is there a conflict in capacitor bridges and copper strip or flattened copper tube ground sizing? There is a pile of the larger keel bolts to be connected though my intention to capacitor isolate. I am aware ABYC and old standards for protecting wooden boats and Aluminum from unnecessary galvanic induced corrosion seem at odds. Personally only interested in MY vessel complying with CG Auxiliary inspection.
Hi Jeff, bit late discovering the video but belated thanks for posting it :). Couple of Qs from me if I may: - I thought that grounding the inverter is to provide a protective earth for the AC and therefore the cable should be sized based on the AC cables rather than the much thicker DC cables. Please could you explain why we need to size based on the DC supply eg what scenario will need such a thick extra ground cable, esp. if the DC negative is already connected to ground. - I've seen you mention "common ground" in a few videos, but have also see others post that DC should be floating, which appears to be saying the opposite. Is this simply a difference of opinion about best practice or have I misunderstood what they mean by floating ? Thanks, Tim
The notions of ''grounding'' and ''bounding'' are often not well understood as well as the principle of ''single point ground'' and that everything is put at the same potential. The DC output must be floating to ensure compatibility with any type of equipment. The frame of the equipment, on the other hand, of the AC/DC products must be grounded at the same point and not one after the other (not daisy chain). We never ground the battery negative. In a boat, it is virtually impossible to have the equipment all in one place with an SPGP (Single Point Ground Panel). Thus, secondary panels that will be inter-connected can be installed in different places.
Hi Jeff, I'm still confused, I have a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter running off batteries for emergency back up for electronic equipment and on the inverter there is a ground bolt on the side of the casing, what do I ground too, I am not close to a electrical panel but there is a ground rod near the generator , could it be attached to this rod or is it necessary at all to ground the inverter , or should I put in another ground rod, I would appreciate your advice.
I've got 4/0 gauge on a 3000 watt inverter. The chassis ground is very small. Will be weird to install a 2/0 gauge wire to such a small term terminal post. Will the post even handle the current in a worst case scenario? Also, isn't that how galvanic corrosion starts?
for RV's and houses only 8awg is needed so it's possible they did not put a big stud on to handle marine guidelines. I'd have to see a picture. inverters intended for marine use will have big studs.
Such a relevant question! How many of us have installed inverters or solar chargers without grounding the case. I have 🤦🏻 thanks for the thorough explanation.
Jeff, thanks for wize personal advice. It’s very comforting to know my donuts and worries about understanding grounds are normal, I shall return to NC’s manual, again
Can you explain why this case ground is so important? I feel that was the major point of the question..
Very articulate explanation, as usual!
Thank you Jeff. Cheers from Patagonia.
Thanks for the great tutorial. My inverter ground terminal connector is way too small to accommodate the 1 size smaller regulation ground wire. I believe this is a common problem. Is there a fix to overcome this issue?
You did not mention shore power. I have always been taught to "NOT" connect the show power ground to the grounds of the RV/BOAT. The RV/BOAT acts like a sub panel when plugged into the shore power
What a great topic, thank you. Would you mind putting together a quick drawing of your recommendation?
Thanks Jeff your info as always is invaluable. I've a steel boat and have heard comments that it's effectively one big grounding bar. Do you share this view or recommend taking all grounds to a single grounding bar?
Thanks
I have a certainty mine doesn't comply. Don't think the case clamp was large enough either.
Is there a conflict in capacitor bridges and copper strip or flattened copper tube ground sizing? There is a pile of the larger keel bolts to be connected though my intention to capacitor isolate. I am aware ABYC and old standards for protecting wooden boats and Aluminum from unnecessary galvanic induced corrosion seem at odds.
Personally only interested in MY vessel complying with CG Auxiliary inspection.
Hi Jeff, bit late discovering the video but belated thanks for posting it :).
Couple of Qs from me if I may:
- I thought that grounding the inverter is to provide a protective earth for the AC and therefore the cable should be sized based on the AC cables rather than the much thicker DC cables. Please could you explain why we need to size based on the DC supply eg what scenario will need such a thick extra ground cable, esp. if the DC negative is already connected to ground.
- I've seen you mention "common ground" in a few videos, but have also see others post that DC should be floating, which appears to be saying the opposite. Is this simply a difference of opinion about best practice or have I misunderstood what they mean by floating ?
Thanks, Tim
The notions of ''grounding'' and ''bounding'' are often not well understood as well as the principle of ''single point ground'' and that everything is put at the same potential. The DC output must be floating to ensure compatibility with any type of equipment. The frame of the equipment, on the other hand, of the AC/DC products must be grounded at the same point and not one after the other (not daisy chain). We never ground the battery negative.
In a boat, it is virtually impossible to have the equipment all in one place with an SPGP (Single Point Ground Panel). Thus, secondary panels that will be inter-connected can be installed in different places.
As far as copper bus bars are concerned, are there different bars for DC ground, AC ground, DC grounding, and AC grounding?
WOULD LOVE FEED BACK GOOD OR BAD ON THE POST CLINT
Newbie here - so where does the ground bus ground to? Isn’t this the DC negative bus going to the house battery?
Hi Jeff, I'm still confused, I have a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter running off batteries for emergency back up for electronic equipment and on the inverter there is a ground bolt on the side of the casing, what do I ground too, I am not close to a electrical panel but there is a ground rod near the generator , could it be attached to this rod or is it necessary at all to ground the inverter , or should I put in another ground rod, I would appreciate your advice.
How about case grounds on MPPT solar controllers?
I've got 4/0 gauge on a 3000 watt inverter. The chassis ground is very small. Will be weird to install a 2/0 gauge wire to such a small term terminal post. Will the post even handle the current in a worst case scenario? Also, isn't that how galvanic corrosion starts?
for RV's and houses only 8awg is needed so it's possible they did not put a big stud on to handle marine guidelines. I'd have to see a picture. inverters intended for marine use will have big studs.