Please share this video! It may save a life If you need further help, check out our beginner section on the forum: diysolarforum.com/forums/beginners-corner-and-safety-check.52/
Going to post photos of my homemade solar generator on the forum. Looking for criticism and advice. It's been working perfectly for 18 months. But it is set up indoors. Think it's too in Vegas to put it outside.
Will, where exactly is the best place to connect those breakers? Before the Charge Controller or on the outside MC 4 connection that comes into the home?
When i was a beginner learning eletronics, the first thing i wanted to know what would hurt me, exactly what and why, no video that preached safety answered my question, they just screaemd DONT TOUCH, ITS THE AMPS THAT KILL YOU!!! ONE HAND RULE!! none of this stuff made any sense and still doesnt, until i got the key concept. You have to complete the circuit. Which was only revealed to me be a amp repair guy telling his story how he got shocked, how his hand brushed up against a floating ground and COMPLETED THE CIRCUIT. Thankfully it was only his hand. Now the 1 hand rule makes sense. This video didnt help either If i were a noob by the way, does 1000 volts hurt you? i still dont know, it has enough volt to overcome your skins resistance, but does it have a path back to the source? Theres the key point. I even listend to carlsons lab long winded story on how he got shocked, in the end he didnt know why. That was the worst when trying to figure this stuff out, here an electronics expert didnt even know why he got shocked. I have a guess,the current found a path back to the source? THATS THE KEY
I watch your teaching style and love how you bounce in with confidence-inspiring smiles as they lead into what is potentially dangerous - it is really beautiful to watch someone at the top of their game.
Follow Jesus Christ and you will never die! John 11:25-26, Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”
This by far is one of your best videos. You may never know it but I am betting down the road you saved someones life who watched this video. I know it was an eye opener for me and I will remember this when I install mine someday
One thing I would add is when working on your solar array, be sure that there is NO continuity between the solar DC-NEGATIVE and GROUND (such as to a metal roof or the grounded panel frame) . Otherwise you risk bad things happening while you are messing with cables up on the roof even though the system might be turned off. The cardinal rule for solar DC grounding is: Don't do it. You ground the solar panel frames, you do NOT ground the solar NEGATIVE. Thus: * Remember that you may end up with an unavoidable GROUND to DC-NEGATIVE bond anyway from the AC side of the system due to the home's ground-neutral bond. * Because of that, ALL solar disconnects must disconnect both POSITIVE and NEGATIVE conductor(s). Not just the positive. * Never purposefully tie DC-NEGATIVE to GROUND beyond the solar disconnect (towards the panel side). * And never work on a live system, even during periods of low generation. Always engage the disconnect before doing any work on the panels, even if you think it is relatively safe to do so. Because a live system may have DC-NEGATIVE to GROUND continuity. -Matt
Being new to solar, and my panels are on the ground (mixed flex and ridge panels), if I need to relocate a panel, can I just disconnect the negative cable first during and render it safe? My panels connect to an Anker power station.
Thanks Will. Following you from Australia. Appreciate all you do. Years ago in the days of wire fuses & before RCDs, I got zapped while replacing a wall switch plate after having pulled the fuse. Investigation revealed that the fuse holders were incorrectly labelled in the fuse box, so I had pulled the wrong fuse. From that moment I implemented "Multimeter must read zero across all combinations of conductors" before commencing any electrical work". I have observed multiple electricians get zapped while working on live systems. Nasty one was a metal watch band that ended up with a hole burnt through it. Electrician was feeling safe using insulated tools. The company I was employed at engaged electrician to check tightness of every terminal screw in the place at 6 month intervals. At first I thought that was overkill, but after following him around a few times changed my mind. Incredible how many screws loosened in 6 months, I am guessing from combination of thermal cylces along with vibration. Blessings from Aus.
It's also amazing that even many electricians are unaware that screws in electrical systems have torque specs, and that there is such thing as a torque screwdriver. And if you want to see some *really scary* loose screws, check the connections on an RV (caravan) sometime 😮
Thank you Will for doing a safety video. I don't think safety is pressed enough when covering this area of DIY. I'm sure this information will save some lives.
Too many DIY'ers I've encountered think "oh, it's DC, I'll be fine" until I show them videos of 500V DC arcing between connectors. Great video, Will. Thanks for sharing.
Yes. I never understood DC rated switches until using solar systems. And to reiterate, the arc stops in AC because of the alternating current passing through zero.
I’ve learned tons from your videos. The safety side is where I lack due to limited experience. Very much appreciate you taking time to cover these topics Appreciate all you do
Just getting started with solar and I didn’t know that disconnecting the connectors could be so dangerous. Really appreciate this info and am glad I subbed.
Very good video to remind the DIY guys. I am a mechanical contractor, and I have worked with two electrical companies in the last month where the tech had severe burns. Do not cut corners or get complacent. Turn off what you can and test with a meter before you touch it !
As more recent inverters have boosted the operating DC voltages, this is a timely reminder! The most common thing I see that worries me is folks running PV wire into their house without enclosing it in metallic conduit. We’ve all done it setting up a system, but 8-12 AWG wires with 300-500 VDC can easily start a fire like a welder when they start arcing. Pets chewing on them or items falling and cutting through wire insulation is all it takes. 👍⚡️☀️🔋🤩
I totally agree. It is my opinion any exposed (outdoor) conduit that carries conductors intended to supply power to a premise should be constructed from RMC (or IMC lol).
Great video, Will. I used to work on residential lighting control systems (low-voltage side) with electricians and one told me to always make sure you hook up your return path first (grounds and neutrals) so you don't become it.
Good video! I'm experienced with electronics and electrical equipment, but mostly in the lower power area. I knew that 4:40 was theoretically possible (having seen styropyro's massively parallel 12V getting shorted video) but I hadn't considered the possibility of heating a wire up so fast it literally explodes into metal vapor IN YOUR FACE. Now I know. 👍 (and will be wearing my eye protection more often.)
UK here. I actually had my first zap last Saturday. Was wiping the cover of a wall light fitting which was dusty and had cobwebs. Was being very careful standing on a dining room stool when my wife quietly walked in and startled me with a frivolous moan about the kids behaviour. I turned my body and the Baby wipes I was using made a circuit behind the fitting. My arm froze up and felt like a jackhammer. Quickly raised my arm and let out a few choice words. Man I partly set up a 13kW grid tied array with 60kW battery storage and this totally unrelated event nearly killed me. What a stupid thing I did 😅
@WillProwse want to say it was nothing I'm a tough guy etc but in that split second you realise you are in mortal danger. Made me reflect on a few things..like turning off lights before I clean the glass enclosures 🤣
Thanks for these tips Will . BITD my brother got shocked by HIGH voltage when I was 10 and he 11 . The electricity followed his hand and up his arm and entered in his armpit and blew out a huge hole . Then it traveled through his body and exited by blowing two big holes above his knees . He was in a comma for 3 months , but he did live . He has had many , many skin grafts and operations .
1st time setting up a simple 2 solar panel, series wired array going through conduit to charge our Ecoflow power stations indoors (getting too old to haul the the River 2s, River 3 and heavy Delta outside every day). I was wondering about wiring in a waterproof switch/breaker and decided it would be safest to isolate the power from the panels, but thought I might wire up the panels directly and wait till later to add, and hook, up the breaker box. Nope, no way! I will wait for the Amazon order and play it super safe. I like your videos, Will; they're the best. Thanks.
A voltmeter and checking voltages are your best friends. Even with everything switched off, it is good practice to double-check. With a complex system, one can easily forget there's still something you forgot you have...
One of my worst shocks as an electrician long ago was on a 208 volt system at a car dealer. We had all the panels locked out and just knew it was safe, but boss forgot about capacitors in the AC unit at the other end of the building. Discharged the whole thing into my hand and out my foot. Man that hurt for days. Pulled nearly every muscle on that side of my body. I also slept in a recliner for two nights to avoid pneumonia after the jolt. Never lay flat after a strong shock.
Thank you.... How many people die every year from DIY solar install electrocution? From working on broadcast transmitters, we used a grounding bar on everything before touching. Sometimes they get vapourized breakers sometimes stick closed and are not off when they look like they are. So yes, you got it, test for voltage even after turning it off. Just like every gun is loaded.
Thanks very much for posting this video. About 6 months ago, I criticized you for making some of this stuff look too easy ... and safe. As I mentioned before, all EE's and electricians have at least one story. After my previous comment, I realized that I forgot to mention one dangerous situation ... where more than one person is working on a system. It it too easy for one person to leave a switch on or leave a battery fully charged and forget to mention this to the others working on the system. Electric Utilities have elaborate protocols to keep their lineman and equipment safe. "Tied, Tagged, and Grounded" ...
The reason why GFCI's are designed to disconnect at 30mA is because 50mA is enough to kill you (at an appropriate voltage to overcome skin resistance). With PV, there are more risks than just electrocution. I was installing panels on my caravan roof, got a shock, fell of my ladder. Luckily only a few feet landing on grass - could have been a lot worse e.g. house, concrete.
Holy that's awful. And yes it's so small. I wanted the beginners to conceptualize it so went with "less than one amp" but yeah it doesn't take much at all
At times even 5-10mA can be fatal if it goes through one's heart, as it's sufficient current to cause muscles to lock up. It appears that newer UL 943 standards (2016?) may address this; I found a few references to class A GFCI being required to trip at not less than 4mA leakage to ground and at not more than 6mA leakage to ground.
As a journeyman electrician, I highly respect your advice and cautious approach! The only thing I worry about more, is high pressure steam! Thanks for your videos and advice, man!
Electrician here. Those DC isolators are cool, but I also recommend an outdoor disconnect box (either AC or DC depending on system) near the meter/main disconnect for house power (in residencies) indicating it is the solar disconnect as well (obviously prior to conductor entry into any equipment capable of distributing power to the premise). This is the easiest way for the untrained to shut off all power sources especially for emergency responders when they don't have time to trace everything.
It is unfortunate that even professional installers are not using these disconnects, due the newer inverters having a DC disconnect built-in. But i see the danger posed on these systems...yes you can turn off the DC switch on the inverter but the panels are still live. Thanks for making this video
I use two Midnite Solar Combiner boxes for my arrays (mounted at the panels) , one with breakers and the other with fuses. I then have two IMO disconnect switches for each array near my inverters in my garage so that I can make sure I don't fry myself. I also use my trusty multimeter to check for any residual voltage or current. I trust Midnite Solar's breakers and IMO Disconnects more than others on the market.
Hi Will, I installed my entire 11KW system myself I wasn't shocked once, thankfully. However, the only time I got a tingle was from a single 48V panel that I was racking and measuring the voltage with a multimeter. Yes, in full sun a single panel can shock you.
Very well done. Glad you uploaded this video to the world. Long over due but you made it happen. Funny thing is you always come up with one that has not been posted about and then everybody else does it. You are on top of it for us.
You can also use a light blocking blanket over the solar panels, IF they are rated 0 light penetration, for work on panels during the day. You can check with solar panel installation companies on where you can get them or how to make one. (Remember that a full moon WILL produce some current at night.)
Thanks for the important safety info. At 4:30 you mention the battery should be turned on last, however the solar panel should not be connected until AFTER the battery is connected (and controller is powered on). You want to avoid sending any power surges from the battery to your PV array which could cause damage to them. So last step should be reconnecting the PV disconnect switch.
I had installed 20 all glass solar panels on my metal roof without grounding it, and well, you guessed it, lol I had placed one hand on the roof and the other on a gabion "metal cage filled with rocks" that is holding a post attached to said roof and i measured 175 volts after I got zapped. Needles to say it's grounded very well, lol Thanks for sharing, and as always, keep building 👍
As a man who is not scared of anything, I am terrified of electricity. I recommend a switch between your cells positive feed to your power distribution positive block. I installed a manual rotary switch. I also installed a breaker to shut down the solar panels too. That leaves me with lightening to be terrified of. In Florida, there are plenty of bolts to fear!
Appreciate the safety video, many people don't understand the seriousness of electrical shock or burns. I worked at a world renowned military burn unit and the pictures you wanted to post do not compare to the real thing. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the good info Will. As an EE, I tend to the overkill side on safety, but always better safe than sorry. Installing the 18kpv with batteries. Got a DC disconnect rooftop isolator switch ready to go for the solar company to drop their connections to.
Good to know! I have been roughing out a solar system for a van, and I want to have a disconnect for each power source - solar, battery and alternator. I would love to have a master switch that disconnects all three sources at the same time...but three switches is workable.
Thanks for the video, Will! I’ve always considered this a crucial aspect of a good setup, especially for smaller systems like the hand truck setup. I also highly recommend ensuring a very solid ground connection. Both the battery and the inverter box should be tied to the same ground for safety and efficiency. You’re absolutely right-anyone using more than 12V should adopt this as standard practice. That covers just about everything, by the way. I used to use a Nader breaker on the positive line from my solar input, but it isn't correct. PV systems can still generate voltage even when disconnected on one side (positive or negative). By disconnecting both, you ensure complete isolation, which reduces the risk of accidental shocks or short circuits during maintenance or troubleshooting. If only one side is disconnected, the remaining line could potentially become energized due to a ground fault or other unintended pathways. Disconnecting both lines eliminates this risk and ensures no unintended current paths exist. Also most electrical codes and standards, such as the National Electric Code (NEC) in the U.S., recommend or require double-pole disconnects for DC circuits to ensure both positive and negative conductors are isolated during shutdown for safety and compliance. And as Will mentioned, DC circuits are prone to arcing, particularly in high-voltage systems. Disconnecting both positive and negative lines reduces (almost eliminates) the risk of arcing during disconnection, especially under load. The breakers you recommend Will would handle that perfectly. It’s a no-brainer for most setups and incredibly convenient to be able to shut off PV input when needed.
I've told a lot of nomads and homesteaders to use cutoff/disconnect switches and haven't been listened to so, maybe pointing to this video they'll finally listen! Thanks for the info!
Agreed. I never work on anything that’s live. My father in law is an electrician and I’ve seen him work on live wires, but even the pros can mess up and get hurt. For hooking up solar panels, I do it early in the morning or in the evening. That’s when I make my MC4 connections, when they have the least amount of sunlight on them (but light enough where I can still see).
Glad I took in your lesson on higher voltage PV strings because one is coming up in my future. I learned something new. Thanks for lesson and links from Capt Bill.
After reading the comments from the ecoflow DPU video makes me realize too many of them didnt understand that using the c19 port to charge doenst disable the AC output unless you use 240v for that c19 port. If you use power in/out port though, you can charge from 240v without the ac output disabling.
Well done video, could not be emphasized enough about the dangers of high voltage PV. I have disconnects at my solar arrays(as breakers in combiner box) and again at my inverter as PV disconnect switches. There is about 400 ft between ground mount PVC and inverter. DIY's often overlook the risk. Voltages and currents continue to increase with the technology and scale of systems as everyone is going whole home solar, rather than a simple sub panel for critical loads.
Thanks, Will. As a noob, I have no idea about electricity. I'm always interested with solar power and thinking of getting Ecoflow someday but I am afraid of getting shocks while setting up the panel so this video is highly appreciated. I hope you published more safety videos soon like a series with lots of tips. Safety is almost always never highlighted by DIYers on TH-cam so this helps a lot for us newbies.
@Denniss7420 Thanks. I bought a handheld tester the other month and learning how to use it. It is however a contact type. Thanks, I will get the glove (I didn't know its name before you mentioned). I'm scared of handling electrical stuff.
Thank you for the commentary. When it comes to electricity SAFETY FIRST. Not only do you not want get or die. You dont want to burn down your house either.
I love that this vid came out the week after I just explained to all my fellow campers as to why I only ever hook up/unhook my camp solar at night! I've sent it off to the group chat as a "See? Told ya!!" They all thought I was being over cautious, but truth is, even with my Ecoflow DP, I have almost 140VOC with my current array that I use, and if I were to mess with it during the day it'd be incredibly dangerous for all the reasons you specified. I do not have a DC switch, but I have been considering getting one for when I mount my panels in a more permanent fashion. Currently I just set them up in camp, then take them down the night before I leave.
Good video. Especially on connecting solar panels. I'm sure many people don't realize the kind of arc that will be created if you have a load on them and try disconnecting an mp4 connector.
Solid video and important tips! I’d love to see you test out the arc extinguishing capabilities of proper PV disconnects compared to the incorrect ones.
Man this was perfect. I was just wondering about this and actually asked about it in another of your videos. Thanks! I’m putting together a hand truck system!
@@donbrloks3959 I'm not sure this is true. The panels I am taking about are in parallel, but if they were in series they still have three bypass diodes per panel, so I believe (you've made me uncertain though) that there would still be (N-1)*PanelVoltage on the system.
Bought the smaller disconnect per your recommendation a while back. Use it with my ecoflow system (3600watt unit w/ 800 watts solar input) Perfect pairing and was easy install
Dang! This is the single-most important video I have watched in my entire life!! If I just follow these steps and I'll never die!! (5:28) -- Seriously though, thanks Will! I am still waiting for a video on building an RV solar system around an EG4 6000XP though!
Shutdown devices like micro inverters or AP systems remote shutdowns that sit on the back of panels is also really convenient. Shut the system enablement down, plus the breakers, you have a really safe double backed system. Most of the installs now require this for fire code anyway. The breakers are also required to be ground fault now in case something shorts to chassis/ground it will trip the breaker. Midnight solar makes the best/cheapest imo at the moment.
Will, I'm living on a Duracell 'Gasless Generator ' portable power station..can I replace the old internal lead acid battery with a lithium?? Thank you for all the knowledge I've gained and shared..✌️
Another solution is using rapid shutdown modules on each panel. This keeps the series strings at 50volts until modules get a turn on signal once they are all connected. Just be careful to kill the signal before working on PV panel system.
DC CB, sometimes have specified polarities on contacts which is very important to check, because it could be different between working CB and CB which melt and catch fire.
There is another consideraton. Both sides of your disconnect can be live, even if it is open or off. You can have voltage coming from the panels and voltage coming from the inverter. My panels are on a ground mount, approx 20 meters from my inverter. I put a control box with disconnects for each string, fuses and SPD's in the box. Inside the house next to the inverter I have another box which has DC CB's for each string along with SPD's, Also inverter utility input CB and output CB. I have a CB MTS external to the inverter where I can bypass the inverter for maintenance or firmware upgrades. The most important thing is to always verify with a working meter that you have voltage prior to opening and that you do not have voltage after opening, on whatever item you are working. If anyone else can access your disconnects use LOTO (Lock Out Tag Out). It's very easy to have your meter on AC and be checking for DC and vice versa, that is why you do a live check first.
I for many years kept a linesman pliers in the top of my toolbox as a reminder that at times when I think I understand what I am doing ....I do not. If attempted to disconnect a live 240vac line from the external power pole to the residential box.
Had my first mild electric shock from accidentally brushing up against a wire connector going to a spare mppt port which has back feed voltage BTW. Close call, thankfully it was the backside of my finger not on top of my game that day. Not paying attention to exposed wires. Learned my lesson very quickly. Thanks Will for reminder Videos.
The switch or breaker between the panels and the solar charge controller - as shown in the video - should break both legs of the circuit, both positive and negative as a dual pole breaker. This differs from typical single pole breaker implementations that operate only on the positive leg. There's an explanation for this by forum member Hedges on Will's forum: "If breaker only interrupted PV+, and PV+ was shorted to frame somewhere, and you put a screwdriver on a non-grounded PV- or disconnected PV- wire, it could carry hazardous voltages." It should also be pointed out that any circuit breaker on a DC circuit has to be actually rated for DC. AC breakers cannot handle the arc that a high voltage DC circuit can produce.
Thanks Will, about to build my first 60v system, previous was 24v, before your video I was going to use the MC4 to disconnect. Thanks for the safety tip.
My landlord is a bit of a bozo and a marine mechanic with just enough knowledge to be dangerous. When I moved into the off grid cabin he rented me the house was 12 V DC and 120 VAC. I got very nervous with his electrical wiring and in the house one time I shocked myself touching a 12 V DC conductor. ?? After further investigating I found out that he used four conductor Romex to carry both the 12 V DC and the 120 VAC into the house. And he shared the 12 V DC negative with the 120 VAC neutral! Absolutely hilarious. Later I was outside checking the water in the lead acid batteries and the ground was wet and I was barefooted. ut oh..... I touched the negative terminal of the battery and got a really big AC shock through my whole body! 😂😂😂😂😂😂 I had to bite my words and be polite to him as I tore apart his wiring and re-did the house properly. 😢
I have a relatively small system (1200 watts of solar panels) and my Victron charge controller's instructions tell you to connect the battery before the solar panels to avoid damaging the charge controller.
Don't know if those disconnect breaker boxes are marked with a DC-in (panels) and DC-out (inverter) side, so you may notice MC4 connector and wire color polarity depending from which side you connect, are not matching. That is correct! Those breakers are polarized internally and if you get it wrong (which the correct MC4 connector should prevent) the breaker will catch fire instantly. So yeah, even if it is confusing to connect for example a negative pole at a red wire when connecting bottom in (if that is against the intended original direction). But still it can be very dangerous if one makes the wires by himself. Always look into the box directly at the breaker markings to never connect a wrong polarity at the breaker terminal!
Holy !crap !!!! I did all my panel hookups during the day with bright sun. Obviously it is by the grace of God that my putrefying carcass is not rotting on the roof of my house.
i put a DC Breaker 63amp on my solar panel cable before the solar invertor for thinking protection and solar switch off option. (380w*4 panels, 150ah*2 leadacid battery, 2.25kva solar inverter)
Will. I can attest to what you are saying. Simply 7 x48v 395w bifacial panels in series… I was running the wire and putting it into the building and mistakenly someone had plugged the MC4 connectors and I got the full power to luckily only to one finger which happened to be touching both positive and negative during peak sunlight for only a fraction of a second. That hurt like crazy. It felt like burning my finger and getting it hit with a hammer at the same time. Very shocking. To our viewers: wear only rubber gloves and never use the left hand when working with electrical power. If that had been a full 480v string I’m sure it would have been much worse.
Already got my first micro-arc flash (connected a buck converter with inverted polarity, electronic parts flew away from the PCB) on a 500A system. You will definitely live longer if you use 24V system than with a 48V. Unfortunately, all websites do not tell you this as a disadvantage of 48v system, personally. I will never build anything that is above 30V, life is worth more than comfort and wide-spreadness of 48V system. Voltage meters, switches, etc , will never replace skin resistance. Want to live longer, go for 24V
Just bought a couple of breakers for the solar array side of my setup. I have disconnects on the inverter side at my power shed, but my panels are at the end of a 500' run and going back and forth is a hassle. You don't know how many times I've had to disconnect my cables for maintenance and probably just lucked out. Thanks for the info!
What about the 240v produced by the inverters, these need residual current protection (earth leakage) so they trip in the case you touch the live while your body is grounded. I even put in an earth spike when I am camping on the beach so the inverter and my fridges (240v) cannot shock me.
The PV disconnect with two feeds you're showing is prevalent under many brands on Amazon but having the mc4 connectors on the side I think takes up unnecessary space. There are PV disconnects from Watts 24/7 that have two inputs but are in a vertical fashion and I find that to be a better design. I understand that maybe you want both feeds separated like that especially if you have to break out the tool and disconnect them but my preference is the vertical design.
Backwoods Solar has recommended that I first connect the battery to my Victron charge controller, then connect the solar panels? 24V system, about 300 watts solar panel.
Disconnect ordered! You may have saved my bacon. I just increased my tiny array to 60+ volts. I didn't think that was very much, but I may have gotten a nasty surprise as well.
Mind the maximum fuse rating in series. The producer of panels have a max series fuse amps indication. Also look at the mc4 of the boxes - they're mc4 compatible but not original. Quality is not given at every product and could cause a fire or hazard.
Great discussion. De-energizing is so important for safety. Do you have any recommendations for electrically insulated gloves / gauntlets if someone wanted to take that next step when working on their panel wiring in the day time?
I was in the Navy. I'm not sure but I bet you can look up "Deadly Shipmate" (not certain that's the actual name but it's in the "film"). We got a lot of safety training for just about everything, yet!? people still got killed doing exactly what the film said to not do. Not because they didn't remember it, but because people are stupid. Imagine that?
Please share this video! It may save a life
If you need further help, check out our beginner section on the forum: diysolarforum.com/forums/beginners-corner-and-safety-check.52/
Going to post photos of my homemade solar generator on the forum.
Looking for criticism and advice. It's been working perfectly for 18 months. But it is set up indoors. Think it's too in Vegas to put it outside.
Will, where exactly is the best place to connect those breakers? Before the Charge Controller or on the outside MC 4 connection that comes into the home?
When i was a beginner learning eletronics, the first thing i wanted to know what would hurt me, exactly what and why, no video that preached safety answered my question, they just screaemd DONT TOUCH, ITS THE AMPS THAT KILL YOU!!! ONE HAND RULE!! none of this stuff made any sense and still doesnt, until i got the key concept. You have to complete the circuit. Which was only revealed to me be a amp repair guy telling his story how he got shocked, how his hand brushed up against a floating ground and COMPLETED THE CIRCUIT. Thankfully it was only his hand. Now the 1 hand rule makes sense. This video didnt help either If i were a noob by the way, does 1000 volts hurt you? i still dont know, it has enough volt to overcome your skins resistance, but does it have a path back to the source? Theres the key point. I even listend to carlsons lab long winded story on how he got shocked, in the end he didnt know why. That was the worst when trying to figure this stuff out, here an electronics expert didnt even know why he got shocked. I have a guess,the current found a path back to the source? THATS THE KEY
I watch your teaching style and love how you bounce in with confidence-inspiring smiles as they lead into what is potentially dangerous - it is really beautiful to watch someone at the top of their game.
How would you set this up and use a combiner box?
"If you follow these steps, you'll never die."
Holy crap! Will has found the steps to immortality! 🤭
i don't have solar system but i'll buy this breaker , who knows :D
But, but, I find the slight buzz clears my sinuses! Say it aint so! I'll be an immortal with sniffles 😞
everything else in the video is on the money.
Follow Jesus Christ and you will never die!
John 11:25-26, Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”
@@Blk05GTStang here we are with the fanatic! really, we don't miss you
This by far is one of your best videos. You may never know it but I am betting down the road you saved someones life who watched this video. I know it was an eye opener for me and I will remember this when I install mine someday
One thing I would add is when working on your solar array, be sure that there is NO continuity between the solar DC-NEGATIVE and GROUND (such as to a metal roof or the grounded panel frame) . Otherwise you risk bad things happening while you are messing with cables up on the roof even though the system might be turned off.
The cardinal rule for solar DC grounding is: Don't do it. You ground the solar panel frames, you do NOT ground the solar NEGATIVE. Thus:
* Remember that you may end up with an unavoidable GROUND to DC-NEGATIVE bond anyway from the AC side of the system due to the home's ground-neutral bond.
* Because of that, ALL solar disconnects must disconnect both POSITIVE and NEGATIVE conductor(s). Not just the positive.
* Never purposefully tie DC-NEGATIVE to GROUND beyond the solar disconnect (towards the panel side).
* And never work on a live system, even during periods of low generation. Always engage the disconnect before doing any work on the panels, even if you think it is relatively safe to do so. Because a live system may have DC-NEGATIVE to GROUND continuity.
-Matt
Being new to solar, and my panels are on the ground (mixed flex and ridge panels), if I need to relocate a panel, can I just disconnect the negative cable first during and render it safe? My panels connect to an Anker power station.
@@skpoe What's the open-circuit voltage of the array connected to the Anker ?
This kind of video was overdue but at least someone has taken the time to make one. Thanks Will.
Thanks Will. Following you from Australia. Appreciate all you do.
Years ago in the days of wire fuses & before RCDs, I got zapped while replacing a wall switch plate after having pulled the fuse.
Investigation revealed that the fuse holders were incorrectly labelled in the fuse box, so I had pulled the wrong fuse.
From that moment I implemented "Multimeter must read zero across all combinations of conductors" before commencing any electrical work".
I have observed multiple electricians get zapped while working on live systems. Nasty one was a metal watch band that ended up with a hole burnt through it. Electrician was feeling safe using insulated tools.
The company I was employed at engaged electrician to check tightness of every terminal screw in the place at 6 month intervals.
At first I thought that was overkill, but after following him around a few times changed my mind. Incredible how many screws loosened in 6 months, I am guessing from combination of thermal cylces along with vibration.
Blessings from Aus.
It's also amazing that even many electricians are unaware that screws in electrical systems have torque specs, and that there is such thing as a torque screwdriver. And if you want to see some *really scary* loose screws, check the connections on an RV (caravan) sometime 😮
Thank you Will for doing a safety video. I don't think safety is pressed enough when covering this area of DIY. I'm sure this information will save some lives.
Too many DIY'ers I've encountered think "oh, it's DC, I'll be fine" until I show them videos of 500V DC arcing between connectors. Great video, Will. Thanks for sharing.
Yes. I never understood DC rated switches until using solar systems. And to reiterate, the arc stops in AC because of the alternating current passing through zero.
plasma is a cruel mistress
Kind of like the original Frankenstein movie in black and white. Had to be a DC system for that.
It's great that you talked about this because there are lots of DIY's that really don't know the danger involved with these systems.
I’ve learned tons from your videos.
The safety side is where I lack due to limited experience.
Very much appreciate you taking time to cover these topics
Appreciate all you do
Just getting started with solar and I didn’t know that disconnecting the connectors could be so dangerous. Really appreciate this info and am glad I subbed.
I’m happy that you’ve made this video. With the amount of times you’ve been cavalier about being shocked, it’s good that your fans see this.
Very good video to remind the DIY guys.
I am a mechanical contractor, and I have worked with two electrical companies in the last month where the tech had severe burns. Do not cut corners or get complacent. Turn off what you can and test with a meter before you touch it !
As more recent inverters have boosted the operating DC voltages, this is a timely reminder! The most common thing I see that worries me is folks running PV wire into their house without enclosing it in metallic conduit. We’ve all done it setting up a system, but 8-12 AWG wires with 300-500 VDC can easily start a fire like a welder when they start arcing. Pets chewing on them or items falling and cutting through wire insulation is all it takes. 👍⚡️☀️🔋🤩
I totally agree. It is my opinion any exposed (outdoor) conduit that carries conductors intended to supply power to a premise should be constructed from RMC (or IMC lol).
Great video, Will. I used to work on residential lighting control systems (low-voltage side) with electricians and one told me to always make sure you hook up your return path first (grounds and neutrals) so you don't become it.
Will’s words of wisdom; “If you follow these steps, you’ll never die”
❤
Smart arse
Good video!
I'm experienced with electronics and electrical equipment, but mostly in the lower power area. I knew that 4:40 was theoretically possible (having seen styropyro's massively parallel 12V getting shorted video) but I hadn't considered the possibility of heating a wire up so fast it literally explodes into metal vapor IN YOUR FACE.
Now I know. 👍 (and will be wearing my eye protection more often.)
5:24 The "you will never die" part is my favorite.
UK here. I actually had my first zap last Saturday. Was wiping the cover of a wall light fitting which was dusty and had cobwebs. Was being very careful standing on a dining room stool when my wife quietly walked in and startled me with a frivolous moan about the kids behaviour. I turned my body and the Baby wipes I was using made a circuit behind the fitting. My arm froze up and felt like a jackhammer. Quickly raised my arm and let out a few choice words.
Man I partly set up a 13kW grid tied array with 60kW battery storage and this totally unrelated event nearly killed me.
What a stupid thing I did 😅
Holy cow!!!
@WillProwse want to say it was nothing I'm a tough guy etc but in that split second you realise you are in mortal danger. Made me reflect on a few things..like turning off lights before I clean the glass enclosures 🤣
did the rccb trip?
@@abhishekkushwaha2455no. House had a new Schneider consumer unit in Nov 2023 with rcbos. Wondering why it didn't trip myself.
Thanks Will. I put one on my DIY ground mount system because everyone tells you to. But knowing why you need one makes me feel better that I did.
Thanks for these tips Will . BITD my brother got shocked by HIGH voltage when I was 10 and he 11 . The electricity followed his hand and up his arm and entered in his armpit and blew out a huge hole . Then it traveled through his body and exited by blowing two big holes above his knees . He was in a comma for 3 months , but he did live . He has had many , many skin grafts and operations .
I am in the process of building my first 30 Kwatt solar system. Getting this only makes sense and it's a no brainer. Thx Will !!
1st time setting up a simple 2 solar panel, series wired array going through conduit to charge our Ecoflow power stations indoors (getting too old to haul the the River 2s, River 3 and heavy Delta outside every day). I was wondering about wiring in a waterproof switch/breaker and decided it would be safest to isolate the power from the panels, but thought I might wire up the panels directly and wait till later to add, and hook, up the breaker box.
Nope, no way! I will wait for the Amazon order and play it super safe. I like your videos, Will; they're the best. Thanks.
A voltmeter and checking voltages are your best friends. Even with everything switched off, it is good practice to double-check. With a complex system, one can easily forget there's still something you forgot you have...
You will live until your voltmeter works reliably and don't use any device from China
One of my worst shocks as an electrician long ago was on a 208 volt system at a car dealer. We had all the panels locked out and just knew it was safe, but boss forgot about capacitors in the AC unit at the other end of the building. Discharged the whole thing into my hand and out my foot. Man that hurt for days. Pulled nearly every muscle on that side of my body. I also slept in a recliner for two nights to avoid pneumonia after the jolt. Never lay flat after a strong shock.
Thank you.... How many people die every year from DIY solar install electrocution? From working on broadcast transmitters, we used a grounding bar on everything before touching. Sometimes they get vapourized breakers sometimes stick closed and are not off when they look like they are. So yes, you got it, test for voltage even after turning it off. Just like every gun is loaded.
Thanks very much for posting this video. About 6 months ago, I criticized you for making some of this stuff look too easy ... and safe. As I mentioned before, all EE's and electricians have at least one story. After my previous comment, I realized that I forgot to mention one dangerous situation ... where more than one person is working on a system. It it too easy for one person to leave a switch on or leave a battery fully charged and forget to mention this to the others working on the system. Electric Utilities have elaborate protocols to keep their lineman and equipment safe. "Tied, Tagged, and Grounded" ...
The reason why GFCI's are designed to disconnect at 30mA is because 50mA is enough to kill you (at an appropriate voltage to overcome skin resistance). With PV, there are more risks than just electrocution. I was installing panels on my caravan roof, got a shock, fell of my ladder. Luckily only a few feet landing on grass - could have been a lot worse e.g. house, concrete.
Holy that's awful. And yes it's so small. I wanted the beginners to conceptualize it so went with "less than one amp" but yeah it doesn't take much at all
Glad you're ok
At times even 5-10mA can be fatal if it goes through one's heart, as it's sufficient current to cause muscles to lock up.
It appears that newer UL 943 standards (2016?) may address this; I found a few references to class A GFCI being required to trip at not less than 4mA leakage to ground and at not more than 6mA leakage to ground.
As a journeyman electrician, I highly respect your advice and cautious approach!
The only thing I worry about more, is high pressure steam!
Thanks for your videos and advice, man!
Retired pipefitter here, I absolutely hated to work on steam.
Electrician here. Those DC isolators are cool, but I also recommend an outdoor disconnect box (either AC or DC depending on system) near the meter/main disconnect for house power (in residencies) indicating it is the solar disconnect as well (obviously prior to conductor entry into any equipment capable of distributing power to the premise). This is the easiest way for the untrained to shut off all power sources especially for emergency responders when they don't have time to trace everything.
This would be only if you're connecting to the grid/grid tied correct? For off-grid they don't need to this right?
5:24 " If you follow these steps you will never die " I just came here for solar safety, but left with immortality. Worth a like!
You can also safely work on panels during the day if you cover them with blankets, tarps etc
This is really great info for this community!
Thank you!!!
It is unfortunate that even professional installers are not using these disconnects, due the newer inverters having a DC disconnect built-in. But i see the danger posed on these systems...yes you can turn off the DC switch on the inverter but the panels are still live. Thanks for making this video
I use two Midnite Solar Combiner boxes for my arrays (mounted at the panels) , one with breakers and the other with fuses. I then have two IMO disconnect switches for each array near my inverters in my garage so that I can make sure I don't fry myself. I also use my trusty multimeter to check for any residual voltage or current. I trust Midnite Solar's breakers and IMO Disconnects more than others on the market.
Did I just hear you say u will never die?😂😂
Yup, will just gave us the secret to living forever.
@@_Minerwent to the comments to say the same thing. Now I can start my drunken skydiving career.
I’ve been wanting to know the secret to eternal life.
Prefaced with "If you follow these steps". And in not in the context immortality.
Omg it's Cain
Hi Will, I installed my entire 11KW system myself I wasn't shocked once, thankfully. However, the only time I got a tingle was from a single 48V panel that I was racking and measuring the voltage with a multimeter. Yes, in full sun a single panel can shock you.
Very well done. Glad you uploaded this video to the world. Long over due but you made it happen. Funny thing is you always come up with one that has not been posted about and then everybody else does it. You are on top of it for us.
I really like Will. Such a great young man!
You can also use a light blocking blanket over the solar panels, IF they are rated 0 light penetration, for work on panels during the day. You can check with solar panel installation companies on where you can get them or how to make one. (Remember that a full moon WILL produce some current at night.)
With bi-facial panels the pick up light from the backside, I think we need to stop covering and just wait until night time.
Thanks for the important safety info. At 4:30 you mention the battery should be turned on last, however the solar panel should not be connected until AFTER the battery is connected (and controller is powered on). You want to avoid sending any power surges from the battery to your PV array which could cause damage to them. So last step should be reconnecting the PV disconnect switch.
Another best practice is to not switch or disconnect under load!
If you can soft shutdown equipment before making/breaking a connection do it!
I had installed 20 all glass solar panels on my metal roof without grounding it, and well, you guessed it, lol I had placed one hand on the roof and the other on a gabion "metal cage filled with rocks" that is holding a post attached to said roof and i measured 175 volts after I got zapped. Needles to say it's grounded very well, lol
Thanks for sharing, and as always, keep building 👍
Thankyou for including SAFETY into your videos! 😁👍👍🇺🇸
As a man who is not scared of anything, I am terrified of electricity. I recommend a switch between your cells positive feed to your power distribution positive block. I installed a manual rotary switch. I also installed a breaker to shut down the solar panels too. That leaves me with lightening to be terrified of. In Florida, there are plenty of bolts to fear!
Appreciate the safety video, many people don't understand the seriousness of electrical shock or burns. I worked at a world renowned military burn unit and the pictures you wanted to post do not compare to the real thing. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the good info Will. As an EE, I tend to the overkill side on safety, but always better safe than sorry. Installing the 18kpv with batteries. Got a DC disconnect rooftop isolator switch ready to go for the solar company to drop their connections to.
Fantastic. That's the way to do it
Good to know! I have been roughing out a solar system for a van, and I want to have a disconnect for each power source - solar, battery and alternator. I would love to have a master switch that disconnects all three sources at the same time...but three switches is workable.
Thanks for the video, Will! I’ve always considered this a crucial aspect of a good setup, especially for smaller systems like the hand truck setup. I also highly recommend ensuring a very solid ground connection. Both the battery and the inverter box should be tied to the same ground for safety and efficiency.
You’re absolutely right-anyone using more than 12V should adopt this as standard practice. That covers just about everything, by the way. I used to use a Nader breaker on the positive line from my solar input, but it isn't correct. PV systems can still generate voltage even when disconnected on one side (positive or negative). By disconnecting both, you ensure complete isolation, which reduces the risk of accidental shocks or short circuits during maintenance or troubleshooting. If only one side is disconnected, the remaining line could potentially become energized due to a ground fault or other unintended pathways. Disconnecting both lines eliminates this risk and ensures no unintended current paths exist.
Also most electrical codes and standards, such as the National Electric Code (NEC) in the U.S., recommend or require double-pole disconnects for DC circuits to ensure both positive and negative conductors are isolated during shutdown for safety and compliance.
And as Will mentioned, DC circuits are prone to arcing, particularly in high-voltage systems. Disconnecting both positive and negative lines reduces (almost eliminates) the risk of arcing during disconnection, especially under load. The breakers you recommend Will would handle that perfectly.
It’s a no-brainer for most setups and incredibly convenient to be able to shut off PV input when needed.
I've told a lot of nomads and homesteaders to use cutoff/disconnect switches and haven't been listened to so, maybe pointing to this video they'll finally listen! Thanks for the info!
It really was not a big issue on 12 volt and 24 volt systems of low wattage, but things are changing and many have to learn new ways.
Agreed. I never work on anything that’s live. My father in law is an electrician and I’ve seen him work on live wires, but even the pros can mess up and get hurt. For hooking up solar panels, I do it early in the morning or in the evening. That’s when I make my MC4 connections, when they have the least amount of sunlight on them (but light enough where I can still see).
But there's always blankets...
Glad I took in your lesson on higher voltage PV strings because one is coming up in my future. I learned something new. Thanks for lesson and links from Capt Bill.
After reading the comments from the ecoflow DPU video makes me realize too many of them didnt understand that using the c19 port to charge doenst disable the AC output unless you use 240v for that c19 port. If you use power in/out port though, you can charge from 240v without the ac output disabling.
Great video Will, I have been watching you since you were ill and just love how far you've come. Love your video's keep up the good work.
Well done video, could not be emphasized enough about the dangers of high voltage PV. I have disconnects at my solar arrays(as breakers in combiner box) and again at my inverter as PV disconnect switches. There is about 400 ft between ground mount PVC and inverter. DIY's often overlook the risk. Voltages and currents continue to increase with the technology and scale of systems as everyone is going whole home solar, rather than a simple sub panel for critical loads.
Been working so hard the past few weeks thanks for the info and all the hard work on all your videos!
Thanks, Will. As a noob, I have no idea about electricity. I'm always interested with solar power and thinking of getting Ecoflow someday but I am afraid of getting shocks while setting up the panel so this video is highly appreciated. I hope you published more safety videos soon like a series with lots of tips. Safety is almost always never highlighted by DIYers on TH-cam so this helps a lot for us newbies.
Invest in a non-contact volt meter and some hot gloves.
@Denniss7420 Thanks. I bought a handheld tester the other month and learning how to use it. It is however a contact type. Thanks, I will get the glove (I didn't know its name before you mentioned). I'm scared of handling electrical stuff.
Thank you for the commentary.
When it comes to electricity SAFETY FIRST.
Not only do you not want get or die.
You dont want to burn down your house either.
I love that this vid came out the week after I just explained to all my fellow campers as to why I only ever hook up/unhook my camp solar at night! I've sent it off to the group chat as a "See? Told ya!!" They all thought I was being over cautious, but truth is, even with my Ecoflow DP, I have almost 140VOC with my current array that I use, and if I were to mess with it during the day it'd be incredibly dangerous for all the reasons you specified. I do not have a DC switch, but I have been considering getting one for when I mount my panels in a more permanent fashion. Currently I just set them up in camp, then take them down the night before I leave.
Same here.....I have a simple hobbyist DIY setup - I'm out there at night with my headlamp if I need to work on it.
Yep, one aspect where my simple 12v panel system has an advantage.
I will be sure to follow every step, because I don’t want to die! Ever!
Got that exact type of circuit breaker for my smaller solar system this morning, love to see it.
Good video. Especially on connecting solar panels. I'm sure many people don't realize the kind of arc that will be created if you have a load on them and try disconnecting an mp4 connector.
Solid video and important tips!
I’d love to see you test out the arc extinguishing capabilities of proper PV disconnects compared to the incorrect ones.
I've seen a ton of solar videos and I've never seen anybody talk about bonding the roof panels to the ground... Apparently this is a crucial step.
My emergency shut off is a hatchet. 😅
Never ever ground your negative solar conductor. You can bond panels frame to earth ground but not negative
Man this was perfect. I was just wondering about this and actually asked about it in another of your videos. Thanks! I’m putting together a hand truck system!
On my smallest setup, I just throw blankets over the panels and measure the voltage. Great video by the way.
If panels are in series, you only need to cover one.
I have a turpolene sheet. I do it with that sheet
@@donbrloks3959technology is always changing and that can be bypassed so better to consider all panels to be safe
@@donbrloks3959 I'm not sure this is true. The panels I am taking about are in parallel, but if they were in series they still have three bypass diodes per panel, so I believe (you've made me uncertain though) that there would still be (N-1)*PanelVoltage on the system.
Thank you. This is the first time I have seen anyone talking using a PV disconnect with an EcoFlow. It does not get mentioned.
Bought the smaller disconnect per your recommendation a while back. Use it with my ecoflow system (3600watt unit w/ 800 watts solar input) Perfect pairing and was easy install
Great info...when I work on my solar panels I throw a good quality black-backed tarp over the ones I want to work on...no need to work at night...
Dang! This is the single-most important video I have watched in my entire life!! If I just follow these steps and I'll never die!! (5:28) -- Seriously though, thanks Will! I am still waiting for a video on building an RV solar system around an EG4 6000XP though!
This video is a necessity for anyone into installation
Shutdown devices like micro inverters or AP systems remote shutdowns that sit on the back of panels is also really convenient. Shut the system enablement down, plus the breakers, you have a really safe double backed system. Most of the installs now require this for fire code anyway. The breakers are also required to be ground fault now in case something shorts to chassis/ground it will trip the breaker. Midnight solar makes the best/cheapest imo at the moment.
Will, I'm living on a Duracell 'Gasless Generator ' portable power station..can I replace the old internal lead acid battery with a lithium?? Thank you for all the knowledge I've gained and shared..✌️
Another solution is using rapid shutdown modules on each panel.
This keeps the series strings at 50volts until modules get a turn on signal once they are all connected.
Just be careful to kill the signal before working on PV panel system.
Thank you Will!
We all needed a new set of videos, as well the older content you had. And love the newer content.
DC CB, sometimes have specified polarities on contacts which is very important to check, because it could be different between working CB and CB which melt and catch fire.
There is another consideraton. Both sides of your disconnect can be live, even if it is open or off. You can have voltage coming from the panels and voltage coming from the inverter. My panels are on a ground mount, approx 20 meters from my inverter. I put a control box with disconnects for each string, fuses and SPD's in the box. Inside the house next to the inverter I have another box which has DC CB's for each string along with SPD's, Also inverter utility input CB and output CB. I have a CB MTS external to the inverter where I can bypass the inverter for maintenance or firmware upgrades. The most important thing is to always verify with a working meter that you have voltage prior to opening and that you do not have voltage after opening, on whatever item you are working. If anyone else can access your disconnects use LOTO (Lock Out Tag Out). It's very easy to have your meter on AC and be checking for DC and vice versa, that is why you do a live check first.
Decades ago, you'd often hear about someone getting injured or expd due to installing a ceiling fan. Shut off the power. Thx, Will.
I for many years kept a linesman pliers in the top of my toolbox as a reminder that at times when I think I understand what I am doing ....I do not.
If attempted to disconnect a live 240vac line from the external power pole to the residential box.
Had my first mild electric shock from accidentally brushing up against a wire connector going to a spare mppt port which has back feed voltage BTW. Close call, thankfully it was the backside of my finger not on top of my game that day. Not paying attention to exposed wires. Learned my lesson very quickly. Thanks Will for reminder Videos.
Probably should add a link to this in every video. As I have a degree in Electronic Technology, this is great information to give DYI people.
The switch or breaker between the panels and the solar charge controller - as shown in the video - should break both legs of the circuit, both positive and negative as a dual pole breaker. This differs from typical single pole breaker implementations that operate only on the positive leg. There's an explanation for this by forum member Hedges on Will's forum: "If breaker only interrupted PV+, and PV+ was shorted to frame somewhere, and you put a screwdriver on a non-grounded PV- or disconnected PV- wire, it could carry hazardous voltages." It should also be pointed out that any circuit breaker on a DC circuit has to be actually rated for DC. AC breakers cannot handle the arc that a high voltage DC circuit can produce.
Thanks Will, about to build my first 60v system, previous was 24v, before your video I was going to use the MC4 to disconnect. Thanks for the safety tip.
I have 24v will never build 60v ever
My landlord is a bit of a bozo and a marine mechanic with just enough knowledge to be dangerous. When I moved into the off grid cabin he rented me the house was 12 V DC and 120 VAC. I got very nervous with his electrical wiring and in the house one time I shocked myself touching a 12 V DC conductor. ?? After further investigating I found out that he used four conductor Romex to carry both the 12 V DC and the 120 VAC into the house. And he shared the 12 V DC negative with the 120 VAC neutral! Absolutely hilarious. Later I was outside checking the water in the lead acid batteries and the ground was wet and I was barefooted. ut oh..... I touched the negative terminal of the battery and got a really big AC shock through my whole body! 😂😂😂😂😂😂 I had to bite my words and be polite to him as I tore apart his wiring and re-did the house properly. 😢
I have a relatively small system (1200 watts of solar panels) and my Victron charge controller's instructions tell you to connect the battery before the solar panels to avoid damaging the charge controller.
Don't know if those disconnect breaker boxes are marked with a DC-in (panels) and DC-out (inverter) side, so you may notice MC4 connector and wire color polarity depending from which side you connect, are not matching. That is correct! Those breakers are polarized internally and if you get it wrong (which the correct MC4 connector should prevent) the breaker will catch fire instantly. So yeah, even if it is confusing to connect for example a negative pole at a red wire when connecting bottom in (if that is against the intended original direction). But still it can be very dangerous if one makes the wires by himself. Always look into the box directly at the breaker markings to never connect a wrong polarity at the breaker terminal!
Holy !crap !!!! I did all my panel hookups during the day with bright sun. Obviously it is by the grace of God that my putrefying carcass is not rotting on the roof of my house.
i put a DC Breaker 63amp on my solar panel cable before the solar invertor for thinking protection and solar switch off option. (380w*4 panels, 150ah*2 leadacid battery, 2.25kva solar inverter)
I subscribed after watching this video. We don't know what we don't know! Thank you for posting this information.
Will. I can attest to what you are saying. Simply 7 x48v 395w bifacial panels in series… I was running the wire and putting it into the building and mistakenly someone had plugged the MC4 connectors and I got the full power to luckily only to one finger which happened to be touching both positive and negative during peak sunlight for only a fraction of a second. That hurt like crazy. It felt like burning my finger and getting it hit with a hammer at the same time. Very shocking.
To our viewers: wear only rubber gloves and never use the left hand when working with electrical power.
If that had been a full 480v string I’m sure it would have been much worse.
Already got my first micro-arc flash (connected a buck converter with inverted polarity, electronic parts flew away from the PCB) on a 500A system. You will definitely live longer if you use 24V system than with a 48V. Unfortunately, all websites do not tell you this as a disadvantage of 48v system, personally. I will never build anything that is above 30V, life is worth more than comfort and wide-spreadness of 48V system. Voltage meters, switches, etc , will never replace skin resistance. Want to live longer, go for 24V
Just bought a couple of breakers for the solar array side of my setup. I have disconnects on the inverter side at my power shed, but my panels are at the end of a 500' run and going back and forth is a hassle. You don't know how many times I've had to disconnect my cables for maintenance and probably just lucked out. Thanks for the info!
What about the 240v produced by the inverters, these need residual current protection (earth leakage) so they trip in the case you touch the live while your body is grounded. I even put in an earth spike when I am camping on the beach so the inverter and my fridges (240v) cannot shock me.
The PV disconnect with two feeds you're showing is prevalent under many brands on Amazon but having the mc4 connectors on the side I think takes up unnecessary space. There are PV disconnects from Watts 24/7 that have two inputs but are in a vertical fashion and I find that to be a better design. I understand that maybe you want both feeds separated like that especially if you have to break out the tool and disconnect them but my preference is the vertical design.
Backwoods Solar has recommended that I first connect the battery to my Victron charge controller, then connect the solar panels? 24V system, about 300 watts solar panel.
Disconnect ordered!
You may have saved my bacon. I just increased my tiny array to 60+ volts. I didn't think that was very much, but I may have gotten a nasty surprise as well.
Mind the maximum fuse rating in series. The producer of panels have a max series fuse amps indication.
Also look at the mc4 of the boxes - they're mc4 compatible but not original. Quality is not given at every product and could cause a fire or hazard.
Great discussion. De-energizing is so important for safety. Do you have any recommendations for electrically insulated gloves / gauntlets if someone wanted to take that next step when working on their panel wiring in the day time?
I was in the Navy. I'm not sure but I bet you can look up "Deadly Shipmate" (not certain that's the actual name but it's in the "film"). We got a lot of safety training for just about everything, yet!? people still got killed doing exactly what the film said to not do. Not because they didn't remember it, but because people are stupid. Imagine that?
Geez Will, "...If you follow these steps you'll never die..."!! My biggest fear is that I'll NEVER die.
Sure would like to see a video on how to use your roof mounted solar panels to power your home when the grid goes down for weeks or months. Thanks