I have a 2004 B323. Installing an Inverter (brand omitted as purpose of this question is not to invite brand bashing) which has a connection for chassis ground. I've read multiple posts from similar installations asking if this connects to DC ground bus, battery neg., or direct to engine. I read too many differing opinions to list...which often created more confusion. I realize there also other variables that could affect this grounding decision...i.e. is the AC ground bus bonded to the DC ground bus...or are they isolated? Good question that I have yet to determine...and am curious if anyone knows what the factory Beneteau setup is. Manual was not clear on this. Any information from other owners would be appreciated...on anything from how their inverter is wired...what the factory bonding configuration is...how the 'chassis ground' should be connected....or anything else helpful for this installation. If I've missed a post that clearly explains this...please advise. Thanks all.
Inverter grounding
- Thread starter rschultz
- Start date
Chassis ground ideally goes to DC neg bus, which is connected to engine ground and AC grounding anyway. The chassis ground wire shall not be more than one size smaller than the DC NEG & POS wires that connect the inverter to the battery bank..
Maine, that raises a question in my mind. I created a separate ac ground bus to handle green wires from shore power/galvanic isolator, ac side of the panel, and ac side of inverter charger. The "ac ground bus" has its own 2 gauge wire to the engine. Is there any problem doing it this way? Realize that everything gets tied together at the engine anyway.
A simple 10GA green jumper, for a 30A service, over to the DC neg bus behind the DC panel suffices for the AC/DC bond.
For an inverter/charger the chassis ground has to be able to handle the full current of a DC fault, not just AC, this is why it is tied into the large gauge DC bus near the battery bank....
My recollection of the chassis ground screws on my old Freedom 20 was that they were not designed to handle a 2 or 4 gauge ground wire terminal. Nor, as I remember, did the installation manual call for anything like that. I am surprised Xantrex would have ignored this requirement?