Solar light in bus shelter question

[nietzj]

I have a small project to install a solar powered light fixture in a 16 ft bus shelter. Seems easy enough but since this is the first time I've worked with solar I have a couple questions. The solar panel will be mounted on a pole adjacent to the bus shelter, would I need to add a ground rod and bond the pole and shelter to the ground? Also, I do not have the equipment yet but I assume I will need some sort of disconnect to isolate both the solar power as well as the battery. (hoping the equipment package comes with some instructions)

 

[petersonra]

I have a small project to install a solar powered light fixture in a 16 ft bus shelter. Seems easy enough but since this is the first time I've worked with solar I have a couple questions. The solar panel will be mounted on a pole adjacent to the bus shelter, would I need to add a ground rod and bond the pole and shelter to the ground? Also, I do not have the equipment yet but I assume I will need some sort of disconnect to isolate both the solar power as well as the battery. (hoping the equipment package comes with some instructions)

Would the shelter structure qualify on its own as a GE? If so, no rod would be needed.

Personally I can't imagine why one would have to ground such a thing anyway.

There is no service involved so there is no service to be grounded.

It might qualify as an SDS if one stretches that definition, although a battery would also be an SDS if you stretched the definition that far.

personally, i think it is closer to an appliance more than anything else and the code does not require a GE for an appliance.

 

[pv_n00b]

I would think it would depend on the voltage level you are using. It sounds like this is going to be a low voltage DC system. It's also dependent on the AHJ.

 

[pv_n00b]

Would the shelter structure qualify on its own as a GE? If so, no rod would be needed.

Personally I can't imagine why one would have to ground such a thing anyway.

There is no service involved so there is no service to be grounded.

It might qualify as an SDS if one stretches that definition, although a battery would also be an SDS if you stretched the definition that far.

personally, i think it is closer to an appliance more than anything else and the code does not require a GE for an appliance.

I was helping an electrician who was working with a non-profit that was putting together shipping containers with built in automated collection systems for people to drop off donations. The shipping containers were to be put in parking lots and were not permanently installed or connected to any outside power. The collection system was powered by a small PV system with battery and an inverter and several AHJs were requiring the shipping container to have ground rod installed. I'm not convinced that the ground rod added anything to safety.

 

[petersonra]

I was helping an electrician who was working with a non-profit that was putting together shipping containers with built in automated collection systems for people to drop off donations. The shipping containers were to be put in parking lots and were not permanently installed or connected to any outside power. The collection system was powered by a small PV system with battery and an inverter and several AHJs were requiring the shipping container to have ground rod installed. I'm not convinced that the ground rod added anything to safety.

it seems to me that once you have a PV system like this it triggers the requirements of 690.47 to have a grounding electrode system, while a standalone PV light is not a system.

 

[jaggedben]

If the whole PV and light fixture kit comes as a listed assembly with its own wiring, then in my opinion you have a better argument that you're not obligated to do anything that's not in the instructions for the assembly. 2014 has an exception for grounding if the load is 'integral to the array' which I take to mean essentially the same thing