Inverter ground?

chrismberry

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2024
Messages
3
Location
Fort Collins
I installed a 2000w Renogy inverter today on our '23 E19 to power Starlink, and I ran a port to mount Starlink under the dinette. However, after examining the wiring and digging through the forums, I am still unclear on whether or not I can (and should) ground the inverter to the bus above the WFCO. See photo. I ran the positive to the battery with a 250 amp ANL fuse, attached the negative to the battery shunt, wired a single 120 outlet below the dinette, and plugged in the Starlink direct to the router.

Please let me know if I can attach the ground to the bus in the photo which has an 8 awg to the frame. Renogy recommends a 12 awg ground wirel.
 

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I've included additional photos of the job.
 

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Best practice is run a dedicated ground from the inverter to a frame grounding point. In fact the ground should be one gauge less or the same as the cable size feeding the inverter. In my install I have 2/0 feeding the inverter and a 1/0 ground . I’m sure I’ll get piled on for this, but that’s the recommendation from Victron. However your inverter may not have large enough grounding lug. In the case I’d say use the largest wire that will fit. Lots of lethal dc voltage flowing to that inverter, proper grounding is paramount.
My ground is the largest wire on the bundle.

It looks like you’ve done a nice job and a proper fuse. ANL or T class are both acceptable, though most people on this forum prefer class t. I’m debating changing mine out.
 

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Best practice is run a dedicated ground from the inverter to a frame grounding point. In fact the ground should be one gauge less or the same as the cable size feeding the inverter. In my install I have 2/0 feeding the inverter and a 1/0 ground . I’m sure I’ll get piled on for this, but that’s the recommendation from Victron. .....
FWIW the installation manual DC grounding recommendations for my Xantrex Freedom XC 2000W inverter are consistent with the Victron recommendations you describe.

Folks can pile on me, too, I went with that perhaps safety-conservative guidance.
 
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Best practice is run a dedicated ground from the inverter to a frame grounding point. In fact the ground should be one gauge less or the same as the cable size feeding the inverter. In my install I have 2/0 feeding the inverter and a 1/0 ground . I’m sure I’ll get piled on for this, but that’s the recommendation from Victron. However your inverter may not have large enough grounding lug. In the case I’d say use the largest wire that will fit. Lots of lethal dc voltage flowing to that inverter, proper grounding is paramount.
My ground is the largest wire on the bundle.

Thanks for the advice. It’s interesting that Renogy only recommends 12 awg and provides a 1/4 in lug for ground. Once I determine the largest wire I can get on that lug, is it acceptable to take it the bus in the photo or is it required/much better to take it to the post on the frame. On my trailer, ETI ran a 8 awg from the bus to the frame. (I have spray insulation and I’m trying avoid having to pull it away in that area).
 
Thanks for the advice. It’s interesting that Renogy only recommends 12 awg and provides a 1/4 in lug for ground. Once I determine the largest wire I can get on that lug, is it acceptable to take it the bus in the photo or is it required/much better to take it to the post on the frame. On my trailer, ETI ran a 8 awg from the bus to the frame. (I have spray insulation and I’m trying avoid having to pull it away in that area).

Better to be direct but I understand the practicality. Perhaps an approach might be to beef up the ground bus to a proper bus bar from blue seas that has a higher rating. Both the victron and xantrex are low frequency inverters with large transformers and perhaps the renogy is a high frequency inverter making the need for a massive ground less critical, someone with more electrical engineering might chime in. One big difference is you are lightly using this inverter while the victron and xantrex are multi function with chargers and transfer switches and my load is the entire panel. It sounds like following the manufacture requirements should be ok. Still think you’ve done a fine job and concerns for ground safety is commendable. That being said the last inverter on my old escape I did with a subpanel was from progressive dynamics and there was only room for a 10 gauge ground.


https://www.bluesea.com/products/category/28/3/PowerPost_Connectors/PowerPost

Something like this could accommodate a connection to the existing bus bar . Still it may be over kill .


Ps Renogy lists two inverters in the 2000 watt class the more expensive requires an 8 gauge ground. I suspect it’s low frequency. Ymmv
 
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