Newbie Grounding Question

[RomoJack]

Hello Everyone

So I went through the forum doing a fair amount of reading on Grounding and its importance has surely been pointed out in great detail but there is something I haven't seen said and I'm assuming everyone is doing it the same way

So the question

Does it makes sense separating AC grounding from DC grounding to two grounding rods or is combining AC and DC Grounding not a major issue?

[Halfcrazy]

I would say completely seperate grounds for AC and DC would have the potential to cause major problems. The real issue in grounding is you want "Everything" to be at the same potential. So you used a Single Unified Ground.

Ryan

[TomW]

I would say completely seperate grounds for AC and DC would have the potential to cause major problems. The real issue in grounding is you want "Everything" to be at the same potential. So you used a Single Unified Ground.

Ryan

That is what we did here. Buried #6 continuous bare copper with my conduit from the panels and between the garage (power room) and the house and that ground is where they all go. Including the Service Panel of the garage and house. Beats those silly copper rods that only can go in 4 feet here before the rock starts.

Just what I placed my bet on. That and a small herd of Midnite SPD's.

Seemed the sane choice recommended by the electrician, the guys here and most reputable sources. DC ground is whatever the Classic does internally nothing direct from actual battery to earth ground.

Tom

[Tons001]

I have a grounding rod at my solar array and another grounding rod at my service entrance. I ran a bare 6awg copper wire from my array rod to my service entrance rod and kept it OUTSIDE my house. I wanted a grounding rod at the array so lightning would have a very short distance (4 feet or so) should my array get struck. (Not that it would matter with a direct hit) I also have a SPD at the combiner, at the e-panel and on the AC side of things.

[RomoJack]

Thanks for the advice guys. There maybe some excavation in my yard soon, if that happens I was thinking of burying a copper sheet (4 x 4) with a copper rod welded to it to serve as a ground. So if the separation of AC and DC made sense I would have done this for both but now that I know its not necessary one will be enough

[Halfcrazy]

At the cost of copper I would use wire not sheet. Criss cross it at maybe 12 inch intervals. As Tom pointed out there can never be to much bare wire in the ground. Coming from a guy who has a 100ft radio tower 30ft behind his office and a 90ft wind turbine tower 600ft in the other direction and lives on the top of the hill

Ryan

[WizBandit]

As a owner of a Licensed Florida Solar Company we always create a new DC grounding system for our Solar Systems. This includes a new 5/8" copper clad 10 ft ground rod. The code requires a minimum #6 bare copper bond between the new DC ground system and the existing AC ground system. I have had the AC ground rod end up in my hand while bonding, rotted off 12" under the sand. A lot of these ground rods were galvanized and not copper clad. Most home owners have no problem paying for a new copper-clad rod for the AC system. While chatting with Bill Brooks I discovered the requirement for a ground rod at the array for ground mounted systems was removed from the NEC. He seemed to think it was an unnecessary added expense. I still always put one there here in Florida...