ThePog Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 I have built a wee cabin as an office space, I am currently sitting in that chair writing this The cabin has a 230v caravan plug for the power connection. However, I am going to power this with solar so things are independent, and I intend to connect from the inverter to the caravan plug with a protected cable I bought. The question I have is what happens to the 230v earthing? Do I treat the whole system as floating and ignore it or tie it to earth somewhere....? Or am I too dumb to be doing this and should seek out a professional? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 What kind of solar inverter have you got? Is it panels => 230v? Or is it panels => battery => 230v inverter? You can't run the first option without some kind of battery storage. Usually on a little cabin like that, you have the incoming earth bonded to the metal part of the structure as well as wired to all the power points. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePog Posted November 2, 2023 Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 Panels/battery/inverter. There are no metal parts but there is a stake from the previous building for earthing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 If you are plugged into the inverter it's basically a closed system. An earth peg is not necessary. If you have rcd's in your hut, you should bond the inverter body to an earth peg and ensure the earth and neutral is connected inside the inverter. It can, but it shouldn't be done inside the DB of your hut as then it can't be plugged into a mains connected supply without causing rcd rcd tripping issues. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePog Posted November 2, 2023 Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 11 minutes ago, fletch said: If you are plugged into the inverter it's basically a closed system. An earth peg is not necessary. If you have rcd's in your hut, you should bond the inverter body to an earth peg and ensure the earth and neutral is connected inside the inverter. It can, but it shouldn't be done inside the DB of your hut as then it can't be plugged into a mains connected supply without causing rcd rcd tripping issues. Ok right. There is an RCD/overcurrent on the caravan plug circuit, but it shouldn't be an issue plugging into shore power as that will totally disconnect the solar setup from everything else. The inverter has a body earth post, so this can/should be hooked up to the 230v side earth circuit before the caravan plug right...? I am also assuming I can just test for a connection between the the inverter earth and neutral with a multimeter? It is a decent quality 700w Nomad pure sine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Just re-read what ya said. Yea just jam your rcd lead into the inverter. It will give you rcd protection, and the the pdf for that inverter says it has ground fault protection, so your double protected. I would bond the inverter to the frame of the hut and your all good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePog Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 The 3 pin plug to caravan plug has a overcurrent breaker in a box halfway along. I can do the earth neutral connection in there (and probably mark it as modded so no future wrongness). The inverter datasheet says this needs to happen for rcd protection and i confirmed that with them. Lets hope the main wiring has been done by a competent professional. It has but just dont ask which profession. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin'joe Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 usually panels/frame and charge controller are earthed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePog Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 24 minutes ago, smokin'joe said: usually panels/frame and charge controller are earthed Im genuinely not being sarcastic, how do you earth the frame of a 100% wooden building? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bling Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Solar panels / frames? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePog Posted November 4, 2023 Author Share Posted November 4, 2023 Oh man I can tell I'm caring too much. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin'joe Posted November 6, 2023 Share Posted November 6, 2023 On 04/11/2023 at 08:12, ThePog said: Im genuinely not being sarcastic, how do you earth the frame of a 100% wooden building? a crimped lug attached to frame of panel, and/or the roof/ground ali mounting frame (often sandwiched) to a cable to a driven earth stake, i could be wrong, but the charge controller is earthed to same stake........... if am wrong about coupling the panel and controller earths.... best some tell me, at that is how i was told to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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