Do you guys ground your RV solar panels?
I mean electrcially ground?
I’ve been reading online that they need to be grounded, but how do you do this? And is it actually really necessary?
Assuming you mean grounding panels and not other components such as batteries - if your voltage is under 50v and typical panels are being used they don’t need to be grounded. You can ground metal frames of the panels to chassis but there’s no reason in most RV systems. You need fuses in your system.
1 Like
Thanks cordelisse0.
There seems to be conflicting evidence out there. Some guides say they need to be grounded, (like this one: grounding rv solar panels), and others say there is no need. I guess if they are low voltage there is no real risk.
About grounding to the chassis. With this actually create an electrical grounding to earth? The vehicle is sitting on rubber tires, so there’s no direct route to earth. Would this not just lead to charged vehicle chassis/body, assuming the charge cannot escape to earth??
Havent been online for a month.
Some who say they want to ground the frames of their panels - they seem to be concerned about static electricity accumulating on the frames and shocking someone who gets up on the roof. Personally I wouldn’t ground. The best answer should be obtained from the manufacturer of the panels. If they do not recommend additional, frame grounding it shouldn’t be needed. If frame grounding would be needed but not in instructions/no connection point provided on the panel manufacturers would be awash in lawsuits, I believe.
Regarding grounding to chassis: it doesn’t need to have the path to earth, chassis is the ground, whete negative battery terminal goes too