Solar is complete

[LD1]

Very nice Install!

What do you have for lighting protection?

Just the grounding. No surge protectors or arresters or fancy stuff

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Congrats!! Beautiful install!

 

[garry1p]

I figure you must have some experience using "home run" for end to end wiring.

 

[sd455dan]

Auger extension and racking delivery


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Wow that is awesome think I am going to steal this extension idea.

Yes aluminum URD wire. Bout all that is used here for service installs. And yes the wire ends were coated with the no-ox stuff

Other than where it exits the ground did you go with direct bury? All our existing URD is that way and want to do the same with the PV install- but getting advice to run all of the PV to Inverter which is 370 feet plus through conduit, and Not seeing the necessity.

Yes aluminum URD wire. Bout all that is used here for service installs. And yes the wire ends were coated with the no-ox stuff

Same here. I have been taking heat on going with 6-6-6 URD using 3 runs for 9 conductors. Run will be in excess of 370 feet, and that much Copper THHN #8 or Even #10 gets pricey also all that required conduit.

Your Install Really looks Great. I Like the crushed rock under the install as well.

I take it the system is a micro inverters at panels design?

 

[LD1]

I figure you must have some experience using "home run" for end to end wiring.

Thanks.

Yea I have wired more than a few things.

Years being industrial multicraft. Had many job titles from electrician, millwright, machinist, fabricator, etc

 

[LD1]

Wow that is awesome think I am going to steal this extension idea.


Other than where it exits the ground did you go with direct bury? All our existing URD is that way and want to do the same with the PV install- but getting advice to run all of the PV to Inverter which is 370 feet plus through conduit, and Not seeing the necessity.


Same here. I have been taking heat on going with 6-6-6 URD using 3 runs for 9 conductors. Run will be in excess of 370 feet, and that much Copper THHN #8 or Even #10 gets pricey also all that required conduit.

Your Install Really looks Great. I Like the crushed rock under the install as well.

I take it the system is a micro inverters at panels design?

No idea with direct bury PV wire. Not sure voltage or potential v-drop with dc.

I used micro inverters. So technically my PV wires are just the length attached to the panels and plug right into the inverters.

From there the trunk lines are 10/3 TC-ER cable.

But I have no issues at all with aluminum.

I'd wager a bet that significantly more service and infrastructure wire In this country is aluminum.

The ONLY people that push copper is the electricians that don't have to buy it.

But copper is no better at all IMO. When sized appropriately...it don't matter. And they both face the same corrosion issues.

But for me....direct bury the urd because it's so cheap. Maybe $1.50/ft for 100a (2-2-4).

For the price of conduit I can dig it and replace it 5 times. Which is unlikely to ever happen in anyone's lifetime

 

[sd455dan]

No idea with direct bury PV wire. Not sure voltage or potential v-drop with dc.

I used micro inverters. So technically my PV wires are just the length attached to the panels and plug right into the inverters.

From there the trunk lines are 10/3 TC-ER cable.

But I have no issues at all with aluminum.

I'd wager a bet that significantly more service and infrastructure wire In this country is aluminum.

The ONLY people that push copper is the electricians that don't have to buy it.

But copper is no better at all IMO. When sized appropriately...it don't matter. And they both face the same corrosion issues.

But for me....direct bury the urd because it's so cheap. Maybe $1.50/ft for 100a (2-2-4).

For the price of conduit I can dig it and replace it 5 times. Which is unlikely to ever happen in anyone's lifetime

That is so funny...
almost exactly what I said to the guys hammering on me that I needed to use 10 or preferably 8 AWG Copper and put it in conduit which adds several hundred more to the cost. I ordered 1400 feet of 6-6-6 URD.

Said if it fails I will have to jump on the backhoe and replace it in a day. The cost of 10 AWG Copper wire alone would have been over 3K and then another 700+ for conduit the full length. #8 copper is running a $1.40 a foot, that would have been over $4600 for just the wire.

I put in our underground URD service wire about 16 years ago.

Never had a problem of any kind with any of it, either.

 

[ponytug]

@LD1 Nice job! Thanks for posting this.

I would at least consider surge protection at your solar and the house. That is a chunk of change in sensitive electronics, not to mention hard work.

I like the Siemens ones because they are available in large capacities for areas with thunderstorms.

All the best,

Peter

 

[LD1]

@LD1 Nice job! Thanks for posting this.

I would at least consider surge protection at your solar and the house. That is a chunk of change in sensitive electronics, not to mention hard work.

I like the Siemens ones because they are available in large capacities for areas with thunderstorms.

All the best,

Peter

I'll have to do some research. But honestly the topic hasn't come up much at all in any of the reading I have done about solar. And none of the companies I priced inverters from and/or asked questions about mentioned anything about it.

I would have thought one of them would have tried to sell me something. But I have a full whole house of sensitive electronics. Tvs, computers, projectors. Hell even washers dryers, stoves, fridges, etc all have electronics. Not like they get replaced frequently.

Makes one question the effective or necessity of such devices.

But if it has merit.....and worth doing....it's worth doing this calendar year and add it to the bill I get a 30% credit on

 

[kenmbz]

A Ground rod on the array and a large surge protector where it connects in the house should be enough.

We've had hits here and they have taken out the surge protector, but not my devices.

Friend had everything in his house fried by lightning.

I did lose some LED lights during a brown out though even with the whole house surge.

It's good to keep Ground at ground, why should have ground rods at house and array.

I have ground rods at my pool and my house for the same reason.