Lightning

verdigo
verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Just had a pretty bad electrical storm yesterday. I had everything in the solar shed shut down with all the breakers turned off. In the house I lost the cable modem, wireless router, and one small TV. The Classic and the inverter are fine (knock on wood). Even had a power outage for an hour or so but I missed it.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Lightning

    Sounds like you have a few lucky stars.
    I also shut down breakers and switches to my controllers and inverters during lightening storms - - - unless it's during the night and I sleep right through the storm.
    Used to wake at the slightest sound, now I've slept through a couple of nasty storms, knowing nothing about them until neighbors mention them the next day, and that bothers me. Even my Black Labrador dog doesn't wake me during thunder storms, she couldn't care less if it's thundering and doesn't even bother to lift her head.
    · Share on Twitter
  • zoneblue
    zoneblue Solar Expert Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Lightning

    Do you have spds on your system? Inverters can be quite vulnerable to lightening, epsecially the output stage, where a spd or two is peace of mind.
    1.8kWp CSUN, 10kWh AGM, Midnite Classic 150, Outback VFX3024E,
    http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar


    · Share on Twitter
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Lightning
    zoneblue wrote: »
    Inverters can be quite vulnerable to lightening, especially the output stage, where a spd or two is peace of mind.

    And especially inverters without (like mine) an output transformer that provides at least SOME isolation between the output electronics and the AC output lines.
    I have SPDs on the outputs of both inverters. So far so good, but we are also very lucky that we usually don't have many lightening storms, usually only a couple or so per year, and they're USUALLY not severe.
    · Share on Twitter
  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    #5
    Re: Lightning
    zoneblue wrote: »
    Do you have spds on your system? Inverters can be quite vulnerable to lightening, epsecially the output stage, where a spd or two is peace of mind.
    As of yet I don't. Right now I only have dedicated ground rods for the pv frames and racking.
    · Share on Twitter
  • nsaspook
    nsaspook Solar Expert Posts: 396 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Lightning
    verdigo wrote: »
    As of yet I don't. Right now I only have dedicated ground rods for the pv frames and racking.

    How/where is the grounding block of the cable modem coax connected? It should be bonded to the utility ground electrode at the point of entrance.
    http://ecmweb.com/code-basics/tune-requirements-art-820
    · Share on Twitter
  • Organic Farmer
    Organic Farmer Solar Expert Posts: 128 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Lightning

    Our junction panel [combining all PV panels] has a SPD, then where it goes into the power center panel is a second SPD. Panels are grounded and racks are grounded. We have two 20' tall lightning rods above the PV array.

    I have worked in facilities where we had power poles every 50' with lightning rods on top of every pole, and bare steel cable strung taut between them. Every pole had it's own grounding strap going down to a grounding rod.
    · Share on Twitter
  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: Lightning
    nsaspook wrote: »
    How/where is the grounding block of the cable modem coax connected? It should be bonded to the utility ground electrode at the point of entrance.
    http://ecmweb.com/code-basics/tune-requirements-art-820

    I will check. I don't recall seeing a ground conductor to the house's grounding rod.
    · Share on Twitter
  • CDN_VT
    CDN_VT Solar Expert Posts: 492 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Lightning

    I bought a few of these , Here !!
    [video=youtube_share;vkeFYuHxJoU]http://youtu.be/vkeFYuHxJoU?t=2m41s[/video]
    Real Video info starts at 2:49 min in
    I had my Sail boat hit in the 90's down in Coal Harbour ,WesternBayshore , Myself and a bunch of "boast"s, lost lots of electrical gear.
    I fared well to what I heard of the rest , (Many used this to up there toys from claims ) . I didn't do a claim ( I want the full meal deal on my claim) . I now run one of these on the mast / rigging / lifelines to salt & shore earth plus another on the power system. There CHEAP !!

    VT
    · Share on Twitter
  • nsaspook
    nsaspook Solar Expert Posts: 396 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Lightning

    Even in sunny California there's always that bolt out of the blue that can zap your systems or in this case people.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2707852/At-nine-people-struck-lightning-California-beaches-summer-thunderstorm.html

    It's always a good idea to do a grounding audit and check every wire that enters the facility for proper shunt protection and grounding.
    · Share on Twitter

Categories