This Device Can Save Your Life (GFCI for Solar Systems)

[@cleversolarpower]

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[@DougBernitt]

I’m praying for you my friend! Thanks for your knowledge Sir! I love your videos! Great information!

[@cleversolarpower]

Thanks for your comment and your sub!

[@thefpvlife7785]

Your book is so helpful. Glad I purchased it.

[@cleversolarpower]

Glad i could help!

[@volvogt21]

Id love to see a video on identifying a dying battery in a battery bank. Love your channel!!!!!

[@Detour4it]

Thank you for all professional instruction. Goes along with helping to better understand dc and ac, and your book, along with these videos is priceless 👌 👍

[@moonhand8311]

Your videos are of the highest quality

[@cleversolarpower]

I try to, thanks.

[@canyondan]

very useful information that everyone should know

[@imevbore]

I love this explanation

[@cleversolarpower]

Glad you liked it!

[@THue-pr1rl]

This IS important info. I was not home when electricity came through the house. It fried his Kindle, and my recliner assisted with electricity had to be re-established. Can’t imagine what would occur had I been home. Just noted Prior to The SALES tomorrow has ITEMS to Keep Safe, but the ad is either encouraging safety, or for shock of ill eagle items? After this last disaster, who is being prepared for this amount of disaster?

[@rpsmith]

Great video! Thanks!

[@cleversolarpower]

You're welcome!

[@JFK666666]

Great info!

[@cleversolarpower]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ΠΑΝΑΓΙΩΤΗΣΓΙΑΝΝΑΚΑΚΗΣ-ε7μ]

Your videos are great When the converter doesn't have a ground jack do we? Could it work by running the ground wire to any screw from the inverter chassis?

[@cleversolarpower]

Normally every inverter has a ground screw. You can use the ground of the AC out because that will be connected to the casing (measure to be sure).

[@robertjohnson-mt8pz]

Most off-grid inverters have 60v from neutral to ground and 60v from line to ground. It is not advisable to ground them and they won't work properly with a GFCI. That also means a kill-a watt meter will not give you a proper reading as well.

[@cleversolarpower]

You need to establish a neutral ground connection, check out my video about it.

[@KellyKennedy-c5v]

Can you send a link to that GFCI device? When do I need it or not? For instance, do all inverters and generators need GFCI's added or extra grounding. Thanks for the great info.

[@cleversolarpower]

I have made a video about grounding and ground neutral bonding. I recommend checking these out to get the full picture.

[@subhobroto]

Nick, are these the typical consumer grade GFCIs that work off AC that you can purchase at any Big box store or are these special "DC capable GFCI"?

[@cleversolarpower]

Yes, this GFCI is from a well known brand. I wouldn't trust others. There is no DC capable GFCI, its only AC.

[@henkmeiring01]

"Electricity will only take path of least resistance".False.It take path of least resistance (with relative higher current),also any parallel paths with higher resistance(relative lower currents).Just like parallel resistors with different values.The lowest value resistor dont allows all the current to flow. That is exactly what you are saying.And you are 100% correct.And i just get full picture what you are exactly saying .🤯 I am truly glad that you cant see me blushing.Working for decades on electronic stuff(including inverters,buck/boost chargers-mppt), know about parallel,serie resistors,resistors as voltage deviders in dc circuits since i was child,and somehow this very important fact slips my mind.That current WILL go through you even if you have higher resistance than other roleplayers in circuit.Can you believe it? And i did install solar totally off grid system for myself 3yrs back.With earth leakage GFCI circuit breakers for 220/50 system here in SA🇿🇦. But i think my ground part of my system totally wrong.Allready downloaded your other videos regarding this extremely important topic. Thanks. PS: As i always jokingly says when somebody points out my mistakes: "Dont blame me.Blame Dunning-Kruger effect"😂.

[@cleversolarpower]

Indeed, the voltage takes parallel paths. And depending on the resistance it has a different current.

[@ColinPLennon]

The gfci fuse breaker you are showing, can you provide information on where to purchase it? I have a 2000w Renogy Inverter.

[@cleversolarpower]

Siemens 5SU13566KK16, 16A 0.03A 230V (I use the European version). If you are in the US, you can search for 'gfci din' (din is the mounting on DIN rails).

[@ColinPLennon]

@@cleversolarpower thank you, I was able to find and purchase a gfci din for my American 120v system. I appreciate the information and help. Keep up the excellent videos that you are doing, they really make things easy for us beginners. Thanks again.

[@ColinPLennon]

Hello again, sorry to keep inquiring, but I am curious about the device you have right next to the GFCI breaker. What is it and what does it do? Can you share where to purchase it? Thank you.

[@mikemosc3254]

could it be that we have a ground fault in my home that causes the OticsRE monitoring system to register that the house pulls 23kwh when we flip the double throw from generator to state power? we mostly pull 1.5-1.8kwh per hour depending on how many people are home and playing videogames. and i do remember us having to replace the old plastic double throw that had a plastic casing with a porcelain one due to the plastic casing melting once and stopping the prongs from making the proper connection.

[@cleversolarpower]

measure the current with a current clamp meter at your service entrance to the house and multiply by the voltage. then you know how much watts you consume in that moment.

[@audiophilesland969]

is it working at a system running only with battery and no ground?

[@cleversolarpower]

The appliances need a ground conductor, otherwise you won't have a T-T network, and this is required for the proper working of a gfci.

[@ronethridge9875]

great /great/thanks much

[@KellyKennedy-c5v]

I have looked at your grounding videos but still need to buy the actual device and know how to size it. Is it a GFCI circuit breaker? If so, any recommendations?

[@cleversolarpower]

It's called a gfci breaker or residual current device or rcd. It has many different names in different countries. use the 30mA version. Some have a built in breaker like mine. Only use trusted brands, I use siemens.

[@retrozmachine1189]

Yeah, two main types of supply. Except for the deployments of TN systems. You know, the TN-S deployed mostly in England and the very widely deployed TN-C-S across the world. The N/E link you advise people to fit to portable inverters brings them closer to the definition TN-C-S system than IT / TT but it is not a TN-C-S system for obvious reasons. Without the N/E link of course the RCD will not operate unless the fault occurs across the RCD which is highly unlikely, but nor can you be shocked unless a double fault exists. The answer is to use the inverter as intended and not connect it to your premises wiring.

[@andywong9354]

it is mandatory to use an GFCI for inverters with built-in transformer

[@cleversolarpower]

Yes indeed. Most people don't read a 1000+ page book to get their off grid system going, and I don't blame them. It can get overwhelming.

[@andywong9354]

Thank you for your reply i have anthor question if an inverter already have grond protection is an GFCI mandatory

[@moonhand8311]

I'm confused. You say IT systems are not for domestic, yet most of Europe's domestic systems have no earth ( just L & N) and NO GFCIs on most sockets? How is this ultimately safer? In the UK there is TT i assume, with earths always? So confusing.

[@cleversolarpower]

Are you saying Europe's domestic systems have no earth? Are you European? The GFCI is in the main breaker box as shown in the video. In the us, the GFCI is in the socket. I think you are a bit confused 😉

[@Detour4it]

​@cleversolarpower Isn't the big difference between europe and the US the way they provide power via their transformers: Delta vs Wye? Maybe this is the misunderstanding? Thanks

[@retrozmachine1189]

Not sure about what you are saying here. Most of Europe has earth pins in the outlets. With IT the T indicates earthing at the consumer end by means of taking the exposed metal components etc to mother earth. There are nordic countries that do have areas of IT supply but by and large the supplies in Europe are T class, that is the 'neutral' is earthed at the supply source. Full IT in a public network is a bit difficult to achieve since aggregate leakage will increase the earth fault current to the point where RCDs are required for personal protection, and if you look at the IT in these countries, they indeed do have RCDs even though in the purest sense there is no possibility of shock from an earth fault.

[@retrozmachine1189]

In a separate comment since different topic, the power queen and similar are intended to be used in a fully isolated configuration, ie no earthing system at all, or at worst IT. In either of these configurations there is no earth fault path. Technically you can hold any one of the 'live' conductors (line, neutral or for the USA split phase L1, L2 neutral) coming out of the inverter and not receive a shock. To receive a shock you must be across two or more conductors, ie a double fault. These inverters are intended for direct plug in of appliances or having additional sockets via the terminal strip which are mounted in a plastic housing . They are not intended for attaching to a fixed wiring system such as a house. Many countries require that there is no wire connected to the earth pin in the sockets / terminal strip inside the inverter unless the inverter has integral RCD functionality.