lightning protection for PV installations

[magoo2]

Do they normally install a lightning rod system for PV installations? I've never heard it mentioned but we've in a moderate area as far as lightning activity and it seems like a good idea to me.

 

[Sparweb]

Bond everything to ground. Bond all panels with properly-sized conductors, compatible lugs and fasteners. There is a supplement to the NEC code that tailors the procedure to PV arrays that you can find on the internet for free. I think it comes from Sandia Labs, the engineer's name would be John Wiles.


Steven Fahey, CET

 

[magoo2]

I agree that bonding is necessary. I'm just wondering if we need to attach lightning rods every 20 ft or so. After all you have a positive terminal that will be in the 300-400 V range above ground. These will be roof mounted panels and the high end is in a fixed arrangement about 4 ft higher than the low end (which is basically on the roof). They will be 500 kW to 1 MW installations.

Maybe it's just MOV protection that I need to worry about?

Thanks for the reference. I'll have to check it out.

 

[cranky108]

Why not shield the array the same way they shield substations?

 

[jfpe]

magoo2,
Most combiner box manufacturers offer MOV protection as an option in their combiner boxes.
-jfpe