Maniac_Powerwall
Member
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2018
- Messages
- 214
Where should I locate lightning protection for my solar panels? Before the breaker, to the panels? Or behind them, to the inverter side?
A common place is at the combiner box / outside. Panels ------> combiner-box/quick-disconnect/lightning-arrestor(outside) ------> Charge Controller (usually inside)Maniac_Powerwall said:Where should I locate lithning protection for my solar panels? Before the breaker, to the panels? Or behind them, to the inverter side?
I believe the ideais a lightning (or other) surgewill 'fry' (melt) a breaker before it can tripand that's why you wire it upstream from the breaker.Maniac_Powerwall said:My thought is that a lightning would most likely pop the breaker and the protection is useless afterwards if placed behind the breaker to the gear.
The Midnite Solar youtube suggested (and showed behind they guy) that you can have them 'at the charge controller' - e.g. inside and downstream of the breaker out at the combiner box. On the other hand, he discussed having it 'first thing' (ahead of the breakers)at the main house panel for surges from lightning hitting the power line near your house - and sending a surge into your house wiring.Maniac_Powerwall said:But it will be still available if the breaker is melt. I do understand why two of them would be better. But still think having only one on the panel side of the breaker is better, right?
BTW those midnite SPDs look really fancy
OffGridInTheCity said:The Midnite Solar youtube suggested (and showed behind they guy) that you can have them 'at the charge controller' - e.g. inside and downstream of the breaker out at the combiner box. On the other hand, he discussed having it 'first thing' (ahead of the breakers)at the main house panel for surges from lightning hitting the power line near your house - and sending a surge into your house wiring.
Redpacket said:You also need a good earth cable connected to the arresters.
The important thing with lightning is to bond all the cables (eg with arrestors, etc) to a common earth point to stop/calm voltage differential.
Eg lightning hits array, whole system gets voltage on it, Ethernet cable leaving towards house goes PC, PC > house ground
Ethernet cable gets voltage on it, damages gear at each end of the cable because house ground is different to shed system.
Doin it said:I agree having the dc surge-lightning protection after pv panels-before equipment is a good idea.., but isnt lighting going to take the easiest path to ground which would be directly to a ground rod thats connected to pv panels