Solar Meter Socket Neutral/Ground connection

[gpiggaz]

I'm in the middle of installing my Ground Mounted Solar system. I'm finally wiring everything up- my local utility provides both an AC Disconnect switch as well as specific Meter Socket as part of their required equipment. They actually provided these items! AC Disconnect is an Eaton DG322URB and the Meter Socket is an Eaton 011. The drawings clearly show that the meter socket neutral and ground are separated, which I would expect since Neutral and Ground are only supposed to be tied together at the main panel. The AC disconnect is between the meter socket and the main where I'll be back feeding a 40A breaker with the output of my inverter. So the dilemma I have is that the provided meter socket has neutral and ground connected There is no way to separate them as its one block tied to the case of the meter socket. My thought is to not connect the neutral in the meter socket at all- just loop the neutral through there. My concern is that my utility will demand that I use this as the single point connection between ground and neutral- and force me to remove the neutral - ground connection in my main panel. Since the AC disconnect is sitting between the meter socket and the main panel, I believe it's a safety hazard if they make me remove the connection in the main panel, since if you happen to throw the AC disconnect, you'd be opening up the neutral on the main, I can see only bad thing from that happening.

I have an e-mail in to the local utility asking for clarification. I'm pretty sure looping the neutral through the meter socket is the right answer, I believe the meter does not require a neutral connection to work. otherwise the meter socket would have more than 4 lugs.

I can't believe I'm the first person to run across this problem - anyone else that's done a self install of solar run across this problem?

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, Wait for a response from your utility before connecting the meter socket and A/C Disconnect; they will most probably require an inspection before turning on your grid connection.

 

[Phat]

Had the same issue (our utilities engineering drawings are incorrect)
G was correct that Neutral remains isolated, as to not create a secondary bonding point, and just passes through the disco and socket

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I'm in the middle of installing my Ground Mounted Solar system. I'm finally wiring everything up- my local utility provides both an AC Disconnect switch as well as specific Meter Socket as part of their required equipment. They actually provided these items! AC Disconnect is an Eaton DG322URB and the Meter Socket is an Eaton 011. The drawings clearly show that the meter socket neutral and ground are separated, which I would expect since Neutral and Ground are only supposed to be tied together at the main panel.

Actually code requires the neutral bond in the first means of disconnect. usually this is the first panel on the service but if there is a disconnect ahead of it then the neutral bond needs to be at the disconnect and the first panel becomes a subpanel with an isolated neutral....

The AC disconnect is between the meter socket and the main where I'll be back feeding a 40A breaker with the output of my inverter.

you need to stop calling that panel "the main". its not a main because of the disconnect, it is a subpanel...

So the dilemma I have is that the provided meter socket has neutral and ground connected there is no way to separate them as its one block tied to the case of the meter socket. My thought is to not connect the neutral in the meter socket at all- just loop the neutral through there.

there is no harm in having the neutral bonded there since the meter socket is right before your disconnect where you would also bond your neutral to the enclosure. I've seen this before many times where PoCo wants the GEC in their can and it doesnt create any issues...

My concern is that my utility will demand that I use this as the single point connection between ground and neutral- and force me to remove the neutral - ground connection in my main panel.

Are they the AHJ? if not then they cant force you to do anything. furthermore, again, your "main panel" is not a main since theres a disconnect ahead of it and therefore there shouldnt be a neutral to ground bond in your "main panel."

The bond would be in the disconnect and should remain there regardless if theres a bond in the meter can...

Since the AC disconnect is sitting between the meter socket and the main panel, I believe it's a safety hazard if they make me remove the connection in the main panel, since if you happen to throw the AC disconnect, you'd be opening up the neutral on the main, I can see only bad thing from that happening.

Huh? that makes no sense. how would that be a safety hazard? the disconnect they gave you is a 3 pole with a neutral bar in the bottom. the neutral shouldnt be ran through the disconnect. but even if you did run the neutral through the disconnect, since the ungrounded conductors are opened at the same time, there is no issue whatsoever.

and again, its not a main panel.....

I have an e-mail in to the local utility asking for clarification. I'm pretty sure looping the neutral through the meter socket is the right answer, I believe the meter does not require a neutral connection to work. otherwise the meter socket would have more than 4 lugs.

I can't believe I'm the first person to run across this problem - anyone else that's done a self install of solar run across this problem?

its because there is no issue and youre misunderstanding how things work...

 

[gpiggaz]

Actually code requires the neutral bond in the first means of disconnect. usually this is the first panel on the service but if there is a disconnect ahead of it then the neutral bond needs to be at the disconnect and the first panel becomes a subpanel with an isolated neutral....



you need to stop calling that panel "the main". its not a main because of the disconnect, it is a subpanel...



there is no harm in having the neutral bonded there since the meter socket is right before your disconnect where you would also bond your neutral to the enclosure. I've seen this before many times where PoCo wants the GEC in their can and it doesnt create any issues...


Are they the AHJ? if not then they cant force you to do anything. furthermore, again, your "main panel" is not a main since theres a disconnect ahead of it and therefore there shouldnt be a neutral to ground bond in your "main panel."

The bond would be in the disconnect and should remain there regardless if theres a bond in the meter can...



Huh? that makes no sense. how would that be a safety hazard? the disconnect they gave you is a 3 pole with a neutral bar in the bottom. the neutral shouldnt be ran through the disconnect. but even if you did run the neutral through the disconnect, since the ungrounded conductors are opened at the same time, there is no issue whatsoever.

and again, its not a main panel.....


its because there is no issue and youre misunderstanding how things work...

Sorry, I may have been confusing- but the disconnect we're talking about is the Solar disconnect, after the Solar meter, not the main disconnect which indeed is in my main panel. So my main panel is't a sub panel- And the AHJ never even looked at this during the inspection, The power company finally agreed with me and it's been on line for over a year now.

 

[Phat]

youre misunderstanding how things work...

Oddly neither G or I misunderstand how this works

 

[Phat]

Anyone searching for similar will find the corrected and proper drawing in the lower portion with neutral in blue