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Axpert - bonding neutral to earth


Eugene

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If this is done the ELR can only be installed downstream of the neutral/earth connection.

 

On the Victron inverters there is an earthing relay that bonds neutral to the case of the inverter (which should be grounded) when the external AC is not being used (ie when it is in invert mode rather than bypass mode). This allows installing a second ELR downstream from your inverter without causing a problem if there is another ELR upstream from it. The bonding is "applied" only where it is needed, and removed where it will cause trouble with the upstream ELR :-)

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On the Victron inverters there is an earthing relay that bonds neutral to the case of the inverter (which should be grounded) when the external AC is not being used (ie when it is in invert mode rather than bypass mode). This allows installing a second ELR downstream from your inverter without causing a problem if there is another ELR upstream from it. The bonding is "applied" only where it is needed, and removed where it will cause trouble with the upstream ELR :-)

Excellent solution, I was thinking about utilising the dry contact for operating a contactor for that purpose but unfortunately its programmed only for battery monitoring.

 

Hence the conundrum, legality of bonding the neutral to earth on the consumers side of the installation.

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I don't see a problem with doing it a second time. It's already been done once on the consumer side, on the premises just before it enters the DB. The important bit is that your inverter's AC connection has to be "unprotected", no earth leakage on that side. Then bond it on the output side of the inverter and add an ELB. As far as I know that's the legal proper way to do it.

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SANS does not allow for the neutral to earth bond a second time on the same circuit. 

 

Okay, IANAE (I am not an electrician), but does this actually mean that there is a specific requirement for one and only one neutral to earth bond?

 

Because it sounds to me more and more as if the Victron "boat solution" is the only way do do this 1) safely and 2) according to SANS? I'm going to do it this way anyway, because I like the idea of having earth protection built in for the inverter too (the inverter has a metal case, so it should be earthed and protected by an ELB if you view it as an appliance of sorts).

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