Connecting Solar System Ground To House's Ground Rods?

[Sunking]

Edit
From the link sdold provided, if I use multiple ground rods in my property, or add a grounding rod, I need to bond all the grounding rods together. But, if a grounding rod is already pretty close to where I have my small PV array, I would think it should be fine to use the house's grounding rod connection? If I install a "separate" ground rod too close to my house's grounding rods, I could run into noise issues, and other issues I probably haven't read about or have little knowledge about?

No you will not run into noise issues.

OK here is how you can tell what to do. One simple question must be answered to determine what to do.

Does your solar system i have any conductive items between point of use and your home structure or anything attached to your house?

This could be gas or water pipes, telephone/CATV, fence or anything in common with both locations. Understand?

If the answer is NO, then there is no requirement to bond it to you home AC Service Ground. You can if you want, but not required to.

If the answer is YES, then you know the answer right?

[sdold]

Thanks. I assume you know I am KF5LJW right? You forgot Part Two and Part Three

I know, I figured they would see part two and three. I like those posts, they are easy to understand.

[organic farmer]

I never said not to ground them.

I said you cannot have isolated or separate Ground Electrode System aka GES per NEC definitions. The GES must be common for all electrical systems. Otherwise if you were to have a fault or more importantly lightning strike near by, (does not have to hit your house, anywhere near by) would create a potential difference of thousands of volts. That is a recipe to be killed or have a fire start.

I understand.

I thought someone was saying to avoid grounding. That by following the wiring diagram was some how irresponsible. I must have misunderstood.

[sdold]

I just finished watching an excellent Mike Holt video that is related to this, there is even a solar example at 17 minutes in.

Moderators, I hope this is OK:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNZC782SzAQ

[nova]

Interesting, you do not ground the array....

great link

[thastinger]

Interesting video but the guy doesn't know anything about internal combustion engines. Yes, you should not use higher octane fuel than what the engine requires but not because it will "damage" the engine, because higher octane fuel burns slower (what gives it more resistance to detonation) and thus will likely give reduced performance and decreased fuel eco. Some of the most modern engine management systems will adjust engine timing based on octane, so even my argument is becoming less and less relevant.

Anyways, I wonder if I should remove my 6Ga copper wire from my array to my ground rods, I initially didn't have it but the inspector wanted one there so I put one in. I certainly follow the logic of Mr. Holt because now I have provided a path for the lightning to reach my internal equipment (CC,Inverter etc) from the outside lightning strike source (the array itself). If left ungrounded, the PV array should have the same potential as the building itself, by adding the ground rod, I've given the lightning bolt a target...experts concur?

[nova]

Well consider what lightening rods do on roof tops,

He did say to protect the area around the array I believe.

So how about putting a few rods near the array and run the big cables (not #6) to ground rod(s)

That makes sense to me what do you think about that idea?

[organic farmer]

Well consider what lightening rods do on roof tops,

On one hand, lightning rods may tend to attract more lightning. On the other hand, lightning rods direct where the lightning happens, protecting other features.

I served on subs for 20 years. Every sub pier has wooden 'power poles' every 40 foot, no power lines [those are strung underneath the piers], instead they have street lights and lightning rods on them. By walking on the pier, you are underneath a string of lightning rods, each rod has it's own ground, and each rod is connected to each other rod via grounding cable.

Today, I am a farmer. I have miles of electric fencing. All of that wire will attract strikes. I do not want any of those strikes to send a power surge toward my house. So I must provide preferred paths for those surges to go to the ground.

You can provide a preferred path for strikes to follow, away from sensitive features, if you want to.

[Sunking]

Anyways, I wonder if I should remove my 6Ga copper wire from my array to my ground rods, I initially didn't have it but the inspector wanted one there so I put one in. I certainly follow the logic of Mr. Holt because now I have provided a path for the lightning to reach my internal equipment (CC,Inverter etc) from the outside lightning strike source (the array itself). If left ungrounded, the PV array should have the same potential as the building itself, by adding the ground rod, I've given the lightning bolt a target...experts concur?

You guys do know I am a current moderator for Mike, and was an instructor for him on grounding right?

No you should not remove the down wires. Current NEC specifications of allowing the EGC provide the path is a huge blunder sneaked by John Wiles to reduce installation cost. It will be removed next code cycle. John means well, but he lets his passion for green energy get the best of him and does stupid stuff like this. He lost a lot of credibility over this. Only way it got through was a lobby effort of John and the manufactures to carry the vote. Fortunately this is not Obama Care and will be repelled. Many Jurisdictions amended it out thankfully.

[Sunking]

Well consider what lightening rods do on roof tops,

Make you are target and attract lightning.

[Sunking]

I served on subs for 20 years. Every sub pier has wooden 'power poles' every 40 foot, no power lines [those are strung underneath the piers],

I did not serve on a sub for 20 years thank God, only 6 and that was 5-1/2 years too long for me.

However those are there to prevent ships and subs from being a target. Any sub or ship has super low resistance to earth which is what lightning is looking for to discharge through. They are called SHIELDS. A Shield is anything like a tower or structure placed high above an area you want to protect under the Cone of Protection. Disney Parks in Orlando are a Master in th eart of Cone of Protection and is the model used in many schools under UL Master Label. It is so good you cannot even see it at the parks unless you know exactly what you are looking for. Airports also use the technique. Picture is worth a thousand words.

[sdold]

No you should not remove the down wires.

I think they go to ground rods that are not bonded to the ground rod at the service entrance. Isn't this unsafe, and wouldn't it be safer to either a) bond those rods together, or b) remove the GECs?

[organic farmer]

I did not serve on a sub for 20 years thank God, only 6 and that was 5-1/2 years too long for me.

However those are there to prevent ships and subs from being a target. Any sub or ship has super low resistance to earth which is what lightning is looking for to discharge through. They are called SHIELDS. A Shield is anything like a tower or structure placed high above an area you want to protect under the Cone of Protection. Disney Parks in Orlando are a Master in th eart of Cone of Protection and is the model used in many schools under UL Master Label. It is so good you cannot even see it at the parks unless you know exactly what you are looking for. Airports also use the technique. Picture is worth a thousand words.

I understand completely.

Since we can not simply ignore lightning strikes, it is better to control them and direct the surges in a safe manner where I want them to go.

btw; I have two lightning rod towers up over my solar-panel array, providing their shield effect over the array. But I admit I may be a bit over-board on the topic, living in a Faraday Cage as I do.

[Sunking]

I think they go to ground rods that are not bonded to the ground rod at the service entrance. Isn't this unsafe, and wouldn't it be safer to either a) bond those rods together, or b) remove the GECs?

They have to be bonded for a couple of reason, but only bonded at one location, not two, just once. NFPA 780 is the document you want to follow, not NEC.

Another good one for free is UL Application Guide which conforms to NEC and 780. Here is a good overview of LPS

[sdold]

They have to be bonded for a couple of reason, but only bonded at one location, not two, just once.

Should he disconnect the array from the rod(s) close to the array and bond them instead to the ground system at the service entrance?

NFPA 780 is the document you want to follow, not NEC.

Thanks, I'm looking through it now.