[TowerTalk] Urgent: Should solar panel array be grounded to station ground and/or house ground?

[John W]

Hi Chas,
 
The current plan is this:
 
They are going to run a #8 ground stranded wire down from the rail system, following the same route as the electric wires, attaching it to the ground bar inside the load center subpanel up in the attic, then continuing from there down through the conduit to the ground bar inside the outside safety disconnect box, which will be installed a few feet above ground, and then continuing from there and attaching to the ground bar of the main house panel where the electrical connections are also being made.  Then relying on the ground from the main house panel out to a ground rod or two.  (Not sure what the builder has installed, it was 1998 and I wasn't here, but I'm going to email him and see if he remembers.)
 
In addition to the above, for lightning protection, I am also having them run a #6 stranded ground wire from the roof rail system straight down the side of the house to a 5/8" 8' ground rod which I am about to go and drive into the ground. 
That rod will eventually get tied to my perimeter ground as well, once I install it and the towers.
 
My question now is:  How many feet away from the house foundation should this rod be installed?
Also, a cad weld connection is probably ideal, but I don't have any OneShots on hand yet.  Should I clamp it for now and cad weld it later, or wait until I get my hands on a OneShot?  
Also, this being my first time using OneShots, how far below the ground surface should the connection be made? Does it matter?
 
Speaking of OneShots, who do you guys recommend as a good source for them?  I am going to need a LOT of them.  Do you do it yourself with a "no mold required" type, or is it worth getting the type that needs a mold, or is it better to hire a pro to do it?
I will have three towers all 70' to 120' and a perimeter ground hundreds of feet long, plus the three radial ground lines on each tower. So with ground rods every 15' that adds up to a LOT of cad welds.  It will be prudent to get them at the lowest available cost.
 
 
Thanks,
 
John
W2ID

 

> Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2012 10:07:55 -0500
> From: chasm at texas.net
> To: xnewyorka at hotmail.com; towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Urgent: Should solar panel array be grounded to station ground and/or house ground?
> 
> On 10/9/12 8:13 AM, John W wrote:
> > Hoping for very quick answer to this question, because they guys are here
> > now and they need a decision today so they know where to run the wires.
> > (If you are reading this after 5 PM EDT on Oct 9, then you don't need to
> > spend any time replying, because it will be too late to change the
> > design.)
> > John W2ID _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> John, what did you end up doing isfa grounding your Solar Panel rails???
> 
> Personally, I would have pulled an 8ga from each roof corner down the side of
> the house to a point about 3' above g.l. and then from there in a 45* angle
> out to a ground rod. Then below ground, tie the corner ground rods together
> around the house perimeter.
> 
> And, I do NOT like the above suggestion I have just made either. So, what is
> the better suggestion???
> 
> 73 chas k5dam