HI, I am installing solar panels on roof. would like advise as regards lightning protection.?

Can I use normal earthing cablewhat size?

Public Comments

1. You can find this on www.homepower.com. There are question and answer sections.
2. Make the earth cable as large as will fit into the gland of the panel. Normally there will be a trip switch from the supply side of the panel.
3. I don't know that solar panels require lightning protection anymore than the rest of the roof surface area. There isn't anything about a solar panel that would attract lightning nearly as much as a standard TV tower. I have a small solar system at my weekend peoperty & have had the solar panels installed for about 10 years without any lightning protection or ground connection directly to the panels themselves. I have a ground connection just to the batteries with a 4 AWG stranded wire to a grounding stake driven about 4 ft into the ground. I wouldn't try grounding the panels unless the manufacturer recommends it. I would think that grounding the panels will be more likely to attract lightning to the panels rather than protect them from it.
4. I too think you don't need lightning protection just because you have a solar system. The instructions on my system said to bond and ground the panels. We did it with #10 wire, and connected to a driven ground rod.