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case, it is recommended that the solar positive be hooked up to the turbine input, not the solar input. This will prevent
the solar panel from being switched off when the solenoid is engaged. The downside to this is that the solar input will
obviously be “seen” by the controller as a turbine input, causing the solar amperage to be reported as turbine
amperage on the LCD. This however, may be absolutely acceptable to you if the primary function of the controller is
to control a real word load of some type and you want to utilize all available power at all times.
Grounding your HVAD and alternate energy system.
A properly grounded system is extremely important, for both safety and reliability. An ungrounded system is
significantly more likely to be damaged during an electrical storm than a properly grounded system.
Solar panels and wind turbines act as lighting antennas or “magnets” as they are always mounted in manner that
opens then up and elevates them in some manner or another which often makes them the most likely target for a
lightning strike.
It is important to note, that due to the relationship between the earth’s ground and the electrically charged sky during
an electrical storm, the lighting bolt does not actually seek the highest object, but the highest object actually attracts
the lighting bolt to it, with an initial burst of conductivity that starts from the ground up, not the sky down. So, putting
it simply, if you put a wind turbine up in the air and that tower is not grounded, then you can fully expect it to be hit
by a lighting strike, which will result in equipment failure. This is a “not if, but when” scenario and then “how often”.
When a lighting bolt hits an ungrounded tower, the entire voltage/current spike will travel down the wires that lead
directly to your HVAD controller, looking for a ground. On the way through, untold damage can be done. The
HVAD incorporates multiple over-voltage surge protection devices and circuits, but they may be no competition to a
direct lighting hit. Many of our controllers have survived direct lighting hits due to the internal protective circuits yet
the connected equipment like meters, inverters, etc. are damaged beyond repair. Proper grounding is paramount!
To make matters worse, the lighting strike does NOT have to be direct. Highly charged atmosphere may be present for
many miles around an active lighting area. This super charged air is more than sufficient to damage the sensitive
equipment used in an alternate energy systems, where the solar panels and towers act as antennas for this energy.
Additionally, indirect electrical charges can be present at other times, including a stand-storm, high wind event, very
low humidity conditions etc., that are more than sufficient to generate static electricity that far exceeds hundreds of
volts. Without grounding, this static electricity alone can damage any piece of equipment used in your system.
A properly grounded system is comprised of (at the very minimum) ground rounds and large (6 to 8 gauge) wire that
ties the enclosures and system negatives directly to the ground rod. Ground rods (plural) should be placed as close to
turbine towers and solar panel installation as possible. The towers and panels should be tied directly to the ground
rods, with few or no splices. The battery bank’s negative (or buss) should also be tied to a grounding rod.
There is a great deal of information on this subject and you really should take the time now to research this before you
learn it the hard way. This is knowledge you will be forced to garner, it’s really just a matter of being proactive or
reactive and then how costly will such an education be.
Please research “solar wind grounding” on your favorite search engine.
Please also see “ground loops” to ensure you are setting up a grounding system that is not subject to ground loops,
which can introduce a new set of problems.
An ungrounded system is also a safety hazard for a multitude of reasons that are outside of the scope of this manual.
No safety conscience installer will ever design and/or install a system that fails to include grounding.
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