grounding a Magnum inverter and epanel

ldiorio

just completing installing a 48V Magnum inverter with E-panel
ran a ckt from the main house panel to the e-panel which included a copper ground that i termenated on the epanel grd bar--
ran a grd wire from that grd buss to the inverter

do i need to run a separate copper stranded ground wire from the epanel grd bar to the main earth grd wire that grounds the main panel--i could run a #10 copper stranded ground wire over to the main panel ground(if needed)
the diagrams are knid of confusing with 3 different grounding options

lou

vtmaps

ldiorio wrote: »

ran a ckt from the main house panel to the e-panel which included a copper ground that i terminated on the epanel grd bar
<snip>
do i need to run a separate copper stranded ground wire from the epanel grd bar to the main earth grd wire that grounds the main panel

If I understand what you are saying, you already have the epanel ground bus connected to the main panel ground bus. Another, separate connection would be redundant and could set up an undesirable ground loop.

How far apart are the epanel and the main house panel? Are they in separate building? You MAY need a ground electrode at both locations.

--vtMaps

ldiorio

hi,
thanks for the comment --i was thinking the same thing---panel 15 feet away from the inverter/epanel

i see you have a trimetric unit --am thinking of getting a battery monitor and was trying to decide whether i should get the Magnum monitor or the Trimetric
could you give me your thoughts on this

thanks
lou
Magnum 4448Pae-epanel-8 Fullriver 415AH AGM -awaiting 6 -255 watt panels

vtmaps

ldiorio wrote: »

\
i see you have a trimetric unit --am thinking of getting a battery monitor and was trying to decide whether i should get the Magnum monitor or the Trimetric
could you give me your thoughts on this

I don't know much about the magnum monitor. If the magnum monitor can control things, that may be an advantage. For example, a decision to charge the batteries when the sun shines could be made on the basis of SOC (i.e. if the SOC is 90% in the morning, perhaps you don't want to charge the batteries that day). A monitor can also start a generator based on SOC. Another use for a monitor is to allow end-amps control of absorb time.

On the other hand, the trimetric doesn't control anything... it is an independent auditor of your system performance. That can be a good thing... if it can't control anything it can't make any mistakes. I have read all sorts of horror stories about generators being turned on or off inappropriately by monitors, or batteries being undercharged by inappropriate end-amps settings.

--vtMaps

ldiorio

thanks
good point may tend toward the Trimentric---looks like i have to get a good understanding of battery charging and should cycle the batteries when i get my panels as opposed to just having them float-i want to uae the sun to power some appliance /light on an ongoing basis --try to strike a balance power some household appl not the whole house
i have wired a 12 ckkt manual transfer switch so i can select the elec items i want to put on solar

ldiorio

hi all,
revisiting grounding ---i was looking at the scehmatic that came with the e-panel and it showed a DC grounding bar and DC grounds terminated on that bar--but the epanel that was sent to me does not have this DC grouding bar

so i am just using the AC grounding bar--with the Magnum inverter attached to the epanel it looks like everthing is bonded togetherwhy would the schematis show a separate DC grounding bar