Love these videos. The only thing I'm not comfortable with is that (not you as a person) you're using metal casings and conduits over there . Here in Europe (the Netherlands in particular) it's all PVC or ABS. I think its much safer
We do have PVC here, and it's a lot cheaper, but I strongly prefer EMT. PVC sags with time, requires more supports, and just looks like crap in general. EMT is much more solid, less prone to damage, can be used for grounding, doesn't burn if a fire starts, etc. EMT is the professional option, PVC tends to be the DIYer route unless you're running underground. We do not have plastic breaker boxes though, only metal, which makes sense. I would never want to use a plastic breaker box...
Metal is fine for commercial or industrial, but for residential where aesthetics are an important factor, plastic offers far better choices for customers in terms of design and flexibility, if it as you say, 'melts, it burns, it catches fire, it sags' then it was installed wrong. it seems that you enjoy the industrial aesthetic, which is fine, but most people wouldn't want a shipping container in their garden or galvanised metal conduit all over their house. also in regards your last point, metal has it's own problems, as other commentators have pointed out with your mistake regarding induction!!
Here in the Netherlands, we don't use bus bars as you do in the USA each breaker is wired separately from the leakdetector ( I don't know what they are called but I think you know what I mean)
i get your consern but i perfer metal casing beacuse its harder for animals a such or small cruios children to get in. (you can use a lighter to get into pvc/abs fast)
Yes! Once it's cut, you can't uncut and good wire isn't cheap! I figured people were going to complain that I left some slack, but glad to here that's not the case :)
@@LithiumSolar A little bit of slack will be always your friend. I think every cable / wire should have enough slack for at least one repaire of connection point. Very nice and informative video. Many people can learn from Your work.
@@LithiumSolar When I first became a journeyman electrician - being responsible for the entire job , I once measured a run through conduit with multiple 90's. It was over 150 feet of (3) 2/0 conductors. I pulled the very difficult run all the way to the breaker panel - when I got there I was about a foot short. Very sick feeling unsued. --> I had to buy all new wire. I measured very thoroughly, but not thoroughly enough. 😀
@@LithiumSolar i have thesame transfer switch going to my house from my inverter i have the renogy 3500 48 volt but everytime i go to inverter mode my gfci trips is there a fix?
You created an inductive heater from your j-box to the inverter and fire hazard. You need upsize your conduit so there are no hot legs without a neutral running in the same conduit. Also the wire size is too small to parallel per code. Not intended as a knock. I appreciate your attention to safety and detail.
I'd like to learn more on this. The conductor only goes up to the meter for the reading, then comes back down the same conduit. It's not technically parallel conductors and the current would be flowing in opposite directions, so there should be no inductance? I don't understand how this would be different from connecting a 240 appliance, such as an air conditioner, where you do not run a neutral at all, only L1+L2 in the conduit. Do you have code numbers by a chance that I can research further?
Hi LithiumSolar, Sorry for the length of this response, but there is a lot here and it needs to have precision. Steve Rosenbaum is mostly correct. It is an absolute code violation to run only a hot leg in a metal conduit or through a metal box such as a panel board. NEC 300.3(B) To be code correct, for the reasons Steve sited, one must run all conductors of a circuit in the same conduit. If, in the USA, one has a 120 volt circuit, the hot and neutral (grounded conductor) must both be in the same conduit (cord, raceway, cable tray, etc.) For a 240 volt circuit, both hot legs, and if present the neutral, must all be in the same conduit. Finally, for 3-phase, the phase conductors, r, s, & t and if present, the neutral, must all be in one conduit. If one is running parallel conductors, all elements of the circuit must be present in each parallel conduit. NEC 366.20. For example, r1, s1, t1, & n1 must all be in conduit 1 and r2, s2, t2, & n2 must all be present in conduit 2. Assuming, of course the circuit uses a neutral. If grounding conductors (green or green with yellow stripe or bare conductor) are present, they must also be grouped with their fellow circuit components. Be well & Best regards, Gottfried
The laws of magnetics are a real PITA and I’m not talking about the bread. You have a neutral with twice the current path as one of your hots so theoretically you’re inducing a magnetic field.
NEC Article 300.20 specifically refers to ferrous induction and NEC Article 310.10h refers to paralling conductors. Thanks Mr. Shuss for a concise explanation.
@@LithiumSolar Thats how its been from the start. I started my project to help with heat in the winter.But I would like to run my oven/dryer in the summer. Soon enough.
Hi there love your video. My knowledge in this area is limited so I want to ask a question. If I have permeant consumer of 2000W what type of grid system (inverter size, no of batteries, and no of solar panels) should I get?
On the flex conduit, the red inserts are not insulators. They are insulation abrasion protectors. They prevent wire insulation damage. Same as the threaded fitting covers. They are protecting the insulation from damage.
Not being an electrician, but have done lots of wiring, just to clarify, your two legs when combined provide 220 volts? And this is reflected in your Air Conditioning breaker, no? How many batteries and types and how many panels do you have?
Correct, L1+L2 = 240V. Either L1+N or L2+N would give you 120V. The AC breaker is a double-pole, so it's both L1 and L2 passing through. I have 51.8V 1300Ah battery bank and 9.5kW of panels.
A very nice video; I'm using the playlist that this video is a part of (your Solar Shed playlist) as a rough guide for my own Solar/Wind Power System. I'm planning to use a combination of MPP Solar AIOs (two PIP-LV6048 units) and MidNite Solar Clipper and Classic Charge Controller, with a different brand of Split Phase inverter to provide 3KW of additional power for a total of 15KW. I'm going to have a 560AH 48VDC pack made with 32 EVE 3.2 VDC Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries in a 16S2P configuration, and possibly additional power using either 18650 or 32700 Cell; I haven't decided if I'm going to try your 14S300P arrangement or not, though.
Excellent video series. I am curious to see what kind of power savings you end up with. Any plans for an auto switching system to utilize maximum available solar, or just going with solar directly to certain circuits?
Thanks! No, I won't have any automated switching. Once everything is running at 100%, I pretty much never need to switch anything during the summer months. I have enough solar and battery capacity to run even when it's rainy for a few days.
Looks like your running an AIMS 48V 10k - and you may want to upgrade ... may I ask to what? Thanks for showing the actual wire installation to the inverter. Most people just assume that’s a “given”.
One question are you separating your solar power from the utility company's control so they can not turn off your solar power to you use when they shut down power to your area? it is what all solar power owners need to do...
No. Any form of grid-tie, including hybrid connections, require permitting in my area, which results in very expensive hardware. Running an off-grid inverter does not require permits.
I am installing a small solar system in my house with a hybrid inverter to have it as a backup, I would like to know, the neutral produced by the inverter (from 120 Volts to 2400 watts) can be connected directly to the neutral bar of the electrical panel of my house Or those selected circuits that go through a transfer switch must be worked completely alone including the neutral? Thanks
I fried my isdt t8 charger this week, trying to balance a 120 ag liion battery, it got it and the 24v power supply, I'm hoping I can repair it, but not likely, that thing looks like a cellphone in its inside, it seems to have a single mosfet, and it seems to be stuck in the on position, so I'd say it's cooked! The input has continuity, like a dead short, it's probably toast, so now I'm using a cc CV DC converter, charging each cell! At 6amps it takes about 24 hours to get it to 4.15v from around 3.65-3.70v this is taking forever!
I wouldn´t have bought the meter enclosure. Instead I would have just gotten a standart high quality DIN-Rail enclosure like for example the Spelberg AK 05, which also is IP65. However I don´t know if Spelsberg is available in the US, because I am from Germany.
I didn't know it was going to be such junk. The Spelberg AK 05 looks like a very nice enclosure! I wish we could easily get DIN-based enclosures like that here...
It is not bonded internally on mine. I have it bonded at the panel which the inverter feeds in to. That said, there are several revisions of this inverter that all look alike. It's best to check with the manufacturer if you're not sure before you do anything.
Thanks for making this video. It's nice to see someone explaining this unit I've had a hard time finding any info about it. I have one of these also, I still can't understand if I have to separate the neutral from the inside ground, (I have the outside ground directly to ground) if I'm connecting directly to my main panel that has both a ground and neutral connected together. We use the same electric system here as the US, two 110 legs, a neutral and a ground, but no 110 just 220, I'm planning on both 110 and 220. Also I'm planning on adding LiFePo4 batteries as well as keeping it hooked to the utility. It works fine with the AGM batteries we have now but I want to upgrade. Does anyone know if there's a way to disable the built in utility charger so only the solar will do the charging and is there a way to close the difference between the switch points from utility to battery and battery to utility. The settings all are either too low switching to utility or too high switching back to solar, I want it to run on solar as much as possible it seems to stay on utility way past the point where the solar provides more than enough power to run everything as well as charge the batteries. Thanks....the dog
It's measuring the magnetic field produced by each leg. Both legs run through the meter, so I imagine it's sampling them separately and doing some maths to figure out the kWh. That's just my best guess...
Thanks.. will this unit run a 50 amp air conditioner. I have two schnieder 4024 inverters and want to add a 10k unit to run my house ac..the sun coast looks good. I have 32 batteries and 48 panels and two gauge cable going too and from the house to the solar shed.
@@LithiumSolari only have 114.1 L1 & L2 and 228.4 across both legs in dont have any AC input and factory set dipps 1-1 2-0 3-0 4-1 5-0 same model as you have and ideas thank you in advance and charger is set to 0 no charge
Another good video but, as one of many who are digesting and learning electrical jargon, would you mind taking a few more moments to explain in layman's terms what exactly each acronym you are referring to does?
I forgot to ask. How many amps is the abb shunt trip of and I didnt see fuses connected to the positive side of the battery bank. Is that circuit breaker the fuse box? Thanks
The fuse box is on the AC output of the inverter. I do have NH00 HRC fuses on the battery bank, but they're not in this video. I also have Class T fuses that will go in once I get the new battery racks and finalize the setup.
Don't see the link for the transfer switch. Do you also have video how to install it? I would like to install transfer switch for a few 120v circuit from grid to solar when needed. Your setup looks great. Would like to mimic it.
Oh, my bad. I neglected to include the one item I actually said I was going to include.It's the Pro/Tran2 A510C amzn.to/2Nud6om You might be able to find it cheaper if you shop around a little. I don't have any videos installing it because it requires work in the mains panel, but it does come with installation and connection instructions :)
@@taniksambo1969 It's pretty much just a SPDT switch with the center pin going to the branch circuit. When you're dealing with large amounts of power like this, I always prefer UL-listed equipment vs the DIY route. You can find them cheaper than the Amazon price. It looks like they're $350 on Lowe's website.
My sub panel (200 ft to an outbuilding) was installed in 2000 with no ground, only L1, L2 and Neutral. All neutrals and grounds are bonded in the main service panel but there was no ground ran to sub panel. I'm stuck on what to do with the neutral output from the inverter. Any ideas?
That will be my next step. The sub panel was installed before NEC changed requirements (2005) to include ground. In my case, the inverter output will provide neutral to all loads on it's own sub panel and have a dedicated earth ground. @@LithiumSolar
And when using metal boxes and metal conduit, you are supposed to ground the boxes, and each conduit connector with bronze abrasion protectors, with ground bonding connections.
All of the metal boxes are grounded. The EMT conduit does not require grounding. I used the proper threaded connections, which bite in to the metal box, thus grounding the conduit.
LithiumSolar By Michael Johnston Published In February 2013 Grounding electrode conductors are essential in the grounding and bonding scheme for services and separately derived systems. They generally must be sized according to Table 250.66 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and are required to be installed in a continuous length or otherwise spliced in accordance with any alternative in 250.64(C). They must also be protected in accordance with 250.64(B) where subject to physical damage. In addition to concerns about physical damage, magnetic fields can affect grounding electrode conductors. Section 250.64(E) includes requirements to address such protection. If a grounding electrode conductor is installed in a ferrous metal raceway, the raceway must be electrically continuous from the point of attachment to the cabinet or equipment to the grounding electrode and must be securely fastened to the ground clamp or fitting. Ferrous metal raceways contain iron or steel content, and examples include rigid metal conduit (RMC), intermediate metal conduit (IMC) and electrical metallic tubing (EMT). These conduits and tubing have a magnetic property that reacts to rising and falling magnetic fields present in alternating current (AC) systems. Varying amounts of current can be present in a grounding electrode conductor during normal operation. During a ground-fault event, the current in a grounding electrode conductor can fluctuate and even be relatively high for the duration of the event. Ferrous metal raceways must be bonded to the contained grounding electrode conductor to reduce the effects of magnetic fields that are present while the system is energized and in use. The grounding electrode conductor for an AC system or service is an AC-carrying conductor with the current flowing in one direction. This current can rise and fall significantly depending on events such as ground faults, short circuits or line surges. As the current rises and falls, the magnetic field of the contained conductor typically gets larger and smaller accordingly. This means the stresses on the contained grounding electrode conductor increase and decrease as the current goes up or down. Because the ferrous metal raceway is enclosing this single conductor, there is an inductive reactance between the ferrous metal raceway and the contained grounding electrode conductor. This inductive reactance is one component of impedance and actually impedes current in the contained grounding electrode conductor. The magnetic field and the capacitance results in a coupling effect between the current in the conductor and the surrounding ferrous metal raceway. In actuality, the majority of the current would be present in the ferrous metal raceway rather than the contained grounding electrode conductor. The magnetic field’s strength increases in proportion to the amount of current in the conductor. In many cases, the magnetic lines of force in the conductor are induced into the conduit enclosing the grounding electrode conductor; they can even surpass the saturation point of the steel raceway. At the point where the grounding electrode conductor exits the conduit, the magnetic lines of force generated by the fault current in the conductor will try to be induced on the end of the conduit, creating a saturation point that exceeds the conduit’s capacity. The steel conduit, in this instance, acts like a steel core of a coil to concentrate the magnetic lines of force. This condition is often referred to as the “choke effect” because it is actually the restriction of a grounding electrode conductor from performing its function. Because of this, specific bonding requirements are necessary for ferrous metal raceways that contain grounding electrode conductors. This is not a concern for grounding electrode conductors that are installed in PVC conduit or other nonferrous metal raceways such as aluminum or brass conduit. Sometimes the type of construction will not permit PVC conduit. Section 250.64(E) requires ferrous metal enclosures for grounding electrode conductors that are not physically continuous from cabinets or equipment to the grounding electrode, such as sleeves or short lengths of conduit used for physical protection, to be made electrically continuous by bonding each end of the raceway to the contained grounding electrode conductor. This action puts the contained grounding electrode conductor in parallel with the enclosing ferrous metal raceway so the two work together when the current in grounding electrode conductors rises and falls in response to various events occurring on the system. The current will actually divide over both paths, but due to the skin effect, the majority will be present in the surrounding ferrous metal raceway. The methods required for bonding each end of the raceway are provided in 250.92(B)(2) through (B)(4). These methods apply to all intervening ferrous raceways, boxes and enclosures containing the grounding electrode conductor. If a bonding jumper is used to accomplish this bonding to intervening metal raceways and enclosures, the size of the bonding jumper must not be smaller than the required contained grounding electrode conductor as provided in 250.64(E). Several manufacturers produce grounding and bonding fittings that are specifically designed and listed for this purpose.
The AC output, can it go back to the house panel into a breaker? I want the solar going back to grid from the sinewave generator. Is that even possible?
would have been a heck of a lot cheaper to use a murray 6 circuit sub box and standard breakers instead of getting a custom 50/15/15 and stuffing everything in what is meant for an a/c unit or hot tub.
Yeah , those plastic insulators are important, I worked for a company doing electrical, and we were told, anyone NOT using them, would be fired on sight!!
Some of my branch circuits are on GFCI breakers or serve GFCI receptacles. I've never had any of them trip as a result of using the transfer switch. The GFCI has been tested and functions fine though.
@@LithiumSolar i am supplying red and black wire with the inverters black wire then white goes to white....there is only black white and ground coming from my inverter
@@LithiumSolar hello so i just tested the new renogy 3500 48volt inverter charger and when i plug the AC input the GFCi trips due to its getting 30volts on both legs is this normal?
@@moneth08able It definitely sounds like something is wrong with your Neutral + Ground bonding. It's either missing, bonded in two places (very bad), or bonded in the wrong location. There are a lot of variables here, including whether or not your inverter even supports N+G bonding, and I am not qualified to give advice like this. If you're not sure, I would highly recommend taking the safe route and finding an electrician to help :)
Splitting the wiring that comes out of the inverter causes two problems. One you create an induction loop and two you are also creating a choke. You can de-rate the neutral if you if you have 240 volt loads.
@@LithiumSolar In Germany these are always non conductive plastics especially outdoors, but then again the grid is 230 V!Of course metal boxes are more durable and UV resistant.
I have two banks of 14s300p. One bank is soldered, the other is spot-welded. The bank currently installed was soldered. I'm waiting for my new shelving unit to reinstall the other.
You should not have split the phases into different metal conduits and metal box openings. It will cause heating and power loss due to eddy currents. When you put them together, the opposite direction currents cancel out.
As an electrician, leaving slack in the wire is called a courtesy for they guy that has to work on it after you, especially because you might be that guy cursing your past self if there wasn't any slack
@@LithiumSolar inverter is consider a source of power aka service entrance wire! Service entrance wire would be consider any source of created /income power as in utility's , generator or solar inverter. The >>>minimum size>1-1/4”
I don't understand your country. Why would you use plastic? It's crap. It melts, it burns, it catches fire, it's cheap, it sags, the list goes on and on. Metal is where it's at. Metal is professional. Metal is solid. Metal is protection and safety.
@@LithiumSolar Metal is fine for commercial or industrial, but for residential where aesthetics are an important factor, plastic offers far better choices for customers in terms of design and flexibility, if it as you say, 'melts, it burns, it catches fire, it sags' then it was installed wrong. it seems that you enjoy the industrial aesthetic, which is fine, but most people wouldn't want a shipping container in their garden or galvanised metal conduit all over their house. also in regards your last point, metal has it's own problems, as other commentators have pointed out with your mistake regarding induction!!
running each leg of your spit phase 240v of your generator through separate conduits will cause induced voltage in the conduit making th.e conduit a transformer. DANGER. A high enough induction can melt the conduit.
I haven't seen any heat no matter if I put 100% load on one leg or both legs. But regardless, you are correct and it will be addressed/fixed shortly in an upcoming video.
You only Reply to electricians giving you electrical advice. I noticed you don't reply to people asking your opinion on certain things. Why did you post the video? To become a better electrician or information on the 10kwh Aims inverter set up? Come on Brosky
