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

[Jim Lux]

On 10/9/12 9:45 AM, David Robbins wrote:
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>> The NEC rules (and similar.. NFPA 780 for lightning) are evolving fairly
>> rapidly for solar panels. Solar panels raise all sorts of complex
>> issues.. For instance, you can't turn them off.. if there's light on
>> them, there's power coming out.
>
> John's, like mine and many other new installations, use a system that does kind of turn-off... each panel has a micro-inverter that takes the output
> from the one panel and converts it to 220vac and feeds it back into the house and grid.  they sync with the grid and if they don't sense the incoming
> grid voltage they shut off.  this is a safety requirement to prevent backfeeding the street in case of power outage. see http://enphase.com/products/microinverters/
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yes.. the microinverter systems are great for just the reasons you 
list.. The firefighters especially like them.  They're none-too-wild 
about taking an axe to a conduit with HV DC at many amps..