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7.0 Wiring‎> ‎
7.1 Grounding
Grounding is extremely important (and can be extremely confusing) - so it warrants a sub-chapter. Everything metallic has to
be grounded. Let's see how this can be done correctly. The key thing is to follow the manufacturer's installation instructions
exactly and check with the applicable code or standards to ensure compliance and reliability. Incorrect methods may result in
a valid electrical bond but that bond may not last the lifetime of a solar system. Worst case it can result in a safety issue.

Resources
NEC Requirements for Grounding PV Systems - John Wiles, Solarabcs.org
Photovoltaic Module Grounding: Issues and Recommendations - Solarabcs.org
Grounding PV Modules: The Lay of the Land - Greg Ball, Solarabcs.org
Unirac Technical Bulletin TB-130402-1455-1: Comparison of UL 467, UL 1703 and UL 2703 - Unirac

The standards that govern grounding (besides NEC) are:

UL 467 - Generic, not application for PV systems
UL 1703 - Primary standard for module grounding and devices. Renesola is UL1703 certified.
UL 2703 - New standard for PV rack mounting systems, based on UL1703

Solving Solar Panels' Installation Challenges with Bonding - Wiley Electrical

WEEBs and Corrosion in Solar PV Grounding and Bonding - Wiley Electrical
Alternate WEEB Layout - Wiley Electrical
WEEB-PMC Installation Manual for ProSolar Products - Wiley Electrical
Grounding Washer Installation for Enphase Microinverters - Enphase Technical Brief

Solar Panel Grounding

Figure 7.1.1: Incorrect panel grounding

The above picture looks neat and nice. Heck, the wire is even correctly green colored but it is not acceptable.

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Figure 7.1.2: Correct method to ground a panel

The use of Lay-In Lugs is required by both the panel manufacturer and UL 1703. NEC 250.166(A) specificies "....the
grounding conductor shall not be smaller than the neutral conductor and not smaller than 8 AWG copper or 6 AWG
aluminum." OK, that means I have to use a Lay-In Lug for every panel and a lot of 6-8 AWG copper running around all the
panels. Sounds OK but not too practical - not easy to avoid the bare solid copper wires from rubbing on the panel frame or
the mounting rails. Copper touching aluminum is not good. It's OK for the Lay-In Lugs because they are usually plated (with
tin).

Figure 7.1.3: Wiley's Washer, Electrical Equipment Bond (WEEB) Clip

A fairly recent method is to use the above WEEB clip to bond solar modules to solar mounts. It has little teeth that breaks
the aluminum coating and forms a gas-tight electrical bond. See above resources for the Ins and Outs of using this product.
There are many variants of this product, I will use WEEB-PMC as it is the correct type to use for my ProSolar rails.

Figure 7.1.4: Correct method to bond PV modules to mounting rails

The WEEB-PMC will be installed in a Mid-Clamp assembly such that it sits below the solar panels. The clamp will force the
WEEB to bite into the panel's frame. One WEEB will bond 2 panels. Wiley has a drawing showing acceptable configurations
but I'll do it nice and safe like the diagram below.

Figure 7.1.5: WEEB installation for my array of 16 panels

ProSolar Roof Trac Rail Grounding

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Figure 7.1.6: Using WEEB products to ground a ProSolar-based system

Each row of rails will be made of up to 3 rails spliced together. A WEEB-6.7 Bonding Jumper is used to electrically bond the
2 spliced sections. Although the splice kit itself connects 2 rails with screws and a metal body, that cannot be relied upon as
an electrical bond.

Next, each row of rails will have a WEEBLug-6.7 Lay-In Lug attached. A run of 6 AWG bare solid copper wire will connect to
each of these lugs, thus grounding all 4 rails. The end of this copper wire will be brought into the Junction Box and then
transition over to 10 AWG Green THHN/THWN-2 wire in conduit.

Enphase M215 Grounding

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Figure 7.1.7: Grounding M215 with solid bare copper wire

The above picture shows the usual method for grounding the M215 microinverter (in addition to grounding the Green wire
inside the Engage cable). Enphase also allows for an alternate method using WEEB-PMC washers that can be more cost
effective, less labor intensive and aesthetically pleasing.

Figure 7.1.8: Using WEEB washer to ground Microinverter

The above picture from Enphase conveniently shows the use of WEEB-PMC washers to ground the microinverter to a rail
that looks very much like the ProSolar Roof Trac. The newer M215 only requires 1 fastener and 1 washer.

So this way, the only solid bare copper wire will be the run linking all 4 rails together and terminating at a junction box to
transition to regular insulated wire. This part here is open to confusion. I have seen installers citing the need to continue the
solid bare copper wire (8 AWG to 1 0AWG) through the Junction Box and into the conduit, terminating only at the service

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panel. Some even go to the extreme step of insisting that it be unspliced (e.g. by looping it around a ground screw terminal
in a box).

Grounding for Microinverters - International Association of Electrical Inspectors

The EGC must be started (originated) in the transition box on the roof where each set of inverters has the final factory ac
output cable connected to another wiring system. The ac EGC should also be attached to the microinverter enclosure. This
ac EGC must be routed all the way back to the service-entrance bonding point as it is in any other ac circuit. There is no
requirement that it be unspliced and the size will typically be 14 AWG per Table 250.122. - John Wiles, IAEI Blog,
01/16/2012.

This is probably because installers experienced with the traditional string inverter are used to NEC 250.166 - DC System
Grounding. That calls for a min 8 AWG GEC.

Solarabcs.org's Expedited Permit Process for PV Systems has a couple of line diagrams for microinverter systems. 

Those diagrams too show the 6 AWG solid bare copper wire transitioning to appropriately rated THWN-2 Green wire via the
Junction Box.

Additional clarification from John Wiles, IAEI about inverter grounding:

Section 690.47(C) in the 2008 NEC permits the use of a combined ac EGC and dc grounding electrode conductor (GEC)
from the inverter. The 2011 NEC has this requirement in 690.47(C)(3). UL 1741 requires the dc GEC terminal on the outside
of the inverter. If this option is elected, then the 8 AWG minimum (250.166) conductor from each inverter must be bonded to
the input and output of each metal conduit and metal box that it travels through until it gets to the main grounding bar in the
service entrance equipment. The bonding requirement and 8 AWG size would appear to rule out the use of 10-3 with ground
type NM cable for the ac output circuit inside the building. The bonding requirement may also be cumbersome to implement
multiple times and the routing of this combined conductor may induce lightning surges to enter the main load center and
other branch circuits. The permissive method of grounding described in 690.47(C) in the 2008 NEC may also be used under
the 2005 NEC.

Alternatively, the permissive grounding method described in the 2005 NEC 690.47 may also be used under the
2008 NEC as an alternative to the 2008 NEC 690.47. Section 690.47(C) in the 2005 NEC and 690.47(C) in the 2008 NEC
are based on the general requirements of Article 250.

Section 690.47(C) in the 2011 NEC combines and clarifies the grounding methods described in the 2005 and 2008 NEC.

The Exception in 690.47(D) in the 2008 NEC regarding array grounding is not clear. The subject of the section refers to
array grounding electrodes. It is not clear if the Exception removes the requirement for an additional array grounding
electrode only and leaves the requirement for the array GEC or removes the requirement for both. The intent of the submittal
was to use a new array GEC to ground the array to an existing electrode or for a ground-mounted array, to a new grounding
electrode at the array location. This would be particularly important in a high lightning area, but that is a performance issue,
not a safety issue. This section was not in the 2005 NEC and was removed from the 2011 NEC. An auxiliary grounding
electrode is always an option under 250.54.

The size of the dc grounding electrode conductor is determined by 250.166, and this section has been clarified in the
2008 NEC. In many cases, but not all, a 6 AWG bare copper conductor will meet the requirements. Where a UFER
(concrete-encased electrode) is used, a 4 AWG grounding electrode conductor will usually be required. A short 6 AWG
conductor may have to be irreversibly spliced to the 4 AWG conductor at each microinverter and connected to the
microinverter grounding terminal if the inverter grounding terminal will not accept a 4 AWG conductor directly. An alternative
would be to drive a single ground rod six or more feet from the UFER ground, ground the inverters and modules as
described below with a 6 AWG bare copper grounding-electrode conductor and then bond the ground rod to the UFER with
a 4 AWG bonding jumper (690.47(C)(1) in 2005 and 2011 NEC).

The dc grounding electrode conductor may terminate at the service-entrance grounding electrode or at a grounding
electrode associated with any subpanel where the inverter dedicated circuits end in backfed breakers under the 2005NEC.
Under the 2008 NEC, the combined conductor dc GEC/ac EGC can be terminated at the main service grounding bus bar or
at any subpanel bus bar that has a grounding electrode attached and where the inverter backfed breaker terminates. The
2011 NEC allows either location to be used.

Source: "Microinverters and AC PV Modules Are Different Beasts" - John Wiles, IAEI Blog Perspectives on PV,
published 01/16/2013.

Conduit Grounding

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Figure 7.1.1: Insulated Ground Bushing

The above bushing is designed to provide a means of grounding conduit through an insulated bushing. It is used inside any
box. This is the part where I am not sure if I need this to ground my EMT conduits, as I already have a ground wire running
in the conduit and all metallic boxes will be connected to my EGC, so I am not relying on the conduit as EGC.

Let's see what the code says:

NEC 250.92(B)
1) Electrical continuity at service equipment, service raceways, and service conductor enclosures shall be ensured by one of
the following methods:
2) Bonding equipment to the grounded service conductor in a manner provided in 250.8.
3) Connections utilizing threaded couplings or threaded bosses on enclosures where made up wrenchtight.
4)Threadless couplings and connectors where made up tight for metal raceways and metal-clad cables.
Other listed devices, such as bonding-type locknuts, bushings, or bushings with bonding jumpers.

NEC 250.97
For circuits of over 250V to ground, the electrical continuity of metal raceways and cables with metal sheaths that contain
any conductor other than service conductors shall be ensured by one or more of the methods specified for services in
250.92(B), except for (B)(1).

300.4(G)
Where raceways contain 4 AWG or larger insulated circuit conductors and these conductors enter a cabinet, box, enclosure
or raceway, the conductors shall be protected by a substantial fitting providing a smoothly rounded insulating surface, unless
the conductors are separated from the fitting or raceway by substantial insulating material that is securely fastened in place. 
Exception: Where threaded hubs or bosses that are an integral part of a cabinet, box, enclosure or raceway provide a
smoothly rounded or flared entry for conductors.
Conduit bushings constructed wholly of insulating material shall not be used to secure a fitting or raceway. The insulating
fitting or insulating material shall have a temperature rating not less than the insulation temperature rating of the installed
conductors.

Let's see what the electriciantalk forum says:

Yes, if it is a service entrance

Any pipe over 1.25" and also any wire over #4awg.
Concentric Knock-Outs connected to smaller conduit. Not required if largest knock-out is used with metal reducing
washers per UL Whitebook.

Since I am wiring a solar branch circuit into my Service Panel, it is not a service entrance, it is not #4awg or larger, it
appears that I do not need to use this.

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Figure 7.1.2: Rain-Tight EMT Connector (left) and Insulating Bushing (right)

Furthermore, while 250.118 says EMT can be used as the EGC in general, for solar, 690.45(A) supersedes this and only
references Table 250.112 for sizing. So EMT cannot be used as the EGC.

So I will connect my EMT conduit into my Junction Box and Load Center using the above fittings and not worry about
grounding my EMT conduit.

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