Floating system- Victron inverters

lazza
lazza Solar Expert Posts: 336 ✭✭✭
HI Forum

I recently posted about an installation on the beach without grounding. The safest option and avoiding putting metal plates in the sand etc... as we had to be mobile anyway.... was to leave the system "floating".

I therefore disconnected the neutral cable from the ground connection within the inverter which is recommended by the manufacturer (see page 8 and Appendix B of the manual http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/...%20ES%20SE.pdf). However, when doing tests, whereas when the Neutral is connected to the Ground within the inverter, the voltage difference between the live wire and the inverter chassis was 230V. When "floating" it didnt drop to 0V... it was in fact at half that voltage ie 115V for both live and neutral wires.

As I didnt connect any PE wire to the inverter, there is no risk of potential difference between a plug socket ground and a plug socket live or neutral wire. However, between the live or neutral wire and the chassis of the inverter there IS a potential difference.. allbeit only 115V.

Why would this be? Is this dangerous

Thanks
Larry

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