{"id":75642,"date":"2023-07-06T08:13:46","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T21:43:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=75642"},"modified":"2024-10-01T13:20:45","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T03:50:45","slug":"earthing-solar-panels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/earthing-solar-panels\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance Of Earthing Solar Panels: A Shocking Revelation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

We may have dramatised this image a little.<\/p><\/div>\n

Safety should always be a top priority when it comes to solar energy installations. Unfortunately, not all solar systems meet the necessary standards, which can lead to some shocking situations. Pun intended.<\/p>\n

After fielding a call for help via the technical support service offered at SolarQuotes, we’ll share a real-life incident that underscores the importance of properly earthing solar arrays – in this case using microinverters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ian’s Shocking Experience<\/h2>\n

Picture this: you’re innocently working around your solar array, cleaning gutters or painting a barge cap perhaps. As you lean back to admire your handiwork, you get an unexpected jolt as you touch an aluminium solar mounting rail or panel frame. Yikes!<\/p>\n

This incident isn’t hypothetical, or computer-generated like the image above but it left SolarQuotes reader Ian very concerned for his safety and he determined to get to the bottom of what went wrong.<\/p>\n

Seeking Expert Advice<\/h2>\n

In his quest for answers, Ian first sought out the reviews available on the SolarQuotes site for his local area. After some more trawling he came upon Solar Naturally. With a glimmer of hope, he reached out to them, and Solar Naturally didn’t disappoint. They swiftly dispatched an electrician to investigate the system. Lo and behold, the electrician discovered a glaring issue: there was no earthing on any of the arrays! On top of that, they detected a voltage reading between 28V and 82V from the array frames to the ground. This electrician, not entirely familiar with Enphase Micro Inverters<\/a> or Tesla battery systems<\/a>, decided to confer with their boss before proceeding.<\/p>\n

Confronting the Original Solar Installer<\/h2>\n

Determined to get some answers, Ian called up the company originally responsible for his system’s installation way back in 2015. Let’s call them ABC123 Solar1<\/a><\/sup>. Now, let’s just say ABC123 wasn’t exactly in Ian’s good books due to a protracted and, in the end, unsatisfactory installation experience. When confronted about the lack of earthing, they admitted that, at the time of installation, it wasn’t required. However, they conveniently forgot to mention that regulations had changed shortly thereafter. They promised to dig deeper into the matter and asked for more information and pictures. Not the most comforting response, leaving Ian feeling a bit skeptical about ABC123 Solar’s integrity.<\/p>\n

Seeking Assistance from Western Power<\/h2>\n

Ian told us:<\/p>\n

I decided to call the gods at Western Power and to report my mishap involving electricity and my solar system.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Literally 3 minutes after hanging up a tech was on the phone and arranged to be there within the hour. He apologized for being 5 minutes late and then proceeded to do a complete check of the system and indeed the entire house’s electrical system.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dangerous Induced Voltage From The Microinverters<\/h3>\n

Not one to back down, our intrepid Ian decided to escalate the matter and contacted his network authority (DNSP) Western Power. And guess what? The technician discovered an 80V AC potential when they tested it against the ground. Turns out, this was an induced voltage was coming from the AC wiring running parallel to the aluminium frame under the panels.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Evidence from Western Power<\/p><\/div>\n

Unveiling the Truth<\/h2>\n

Hold onto your hats because here’s where it gets interesting. The technician explained that proper earthing of the solar panel array is crucial for safety. The technician temporarily connected a wire from the problematic rail to the house’s earthing stake.<\/p>\n

The technician then consulted with their office and the inspection branch of Western Power to confirm the regulations. Surprise, surprise! There had indeed been a regulatory change, and get this\u2014it was in place before Ian’s system was installed.<\/p>\n

Implications for ABC123 Solar<\/h2>\n

This turn of events doesn’t bode well for ABC123 Solar. At best, they seem incompetent; at worst, they come off as misleading and neglectful of the truth. Western Power didn’t take this lightly and announced plans to scrutinize all similar installations done by ABC123 Solar, which could result in penalties for their failure to adhere to safe practices.<\/p>\n

Lessons Learned<\/h2>\n

Ian engaged Solar Naturally to upgrade his wiring to meet the current standards – ensuring the Enphase-powered solar panels were all safely earthed – a necessary expense amounting to $1,000. And he stressed the importance of spreading awareness about potential hazards in the solar industry. Even the microinverters that some like to market as “fundamentally safe” need to be properly and carefully installed.<\/p>\n

We have to say thank you Ian, your experience serves as a vivid reminder of just how crucial it is that solar installers<\/a> stay up to date with the latest rules and implement them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Safety should always be a top priority when it comes to solar energy installations. Unfortunately, not all solar systems meet the necessary standards, which can lead to some shocking situations. Pun intended.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":75648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-installation","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Importance Of Earthing Solar Panels: A Shocking Revelation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Falling off the roof is really not good for your health, being shocked by your solar array beforehand is even worse.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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As a licensed electrical inspector, I have the training to spot\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Installation"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Installation","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-installation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"battery cabling","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cabling-to-hybrid-inverter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cabling-to-hybrid-inverter.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cabling-to-hybrid-inverter.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cabling-to-hybrid-inverter.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cabling-to-hybrid-inverter.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":86215,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/evolution-of-solar\/","url_meta":{"origin":75642,"position":1},"title":"From Wild West to Safe & Sound: The Evolution of Australian Solar","author":"Pat Southwell","date":"September 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This article is for anyone who feels nostalgic about the early days of solar. 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We\u2019ll look back at the past and see how much has changed,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Installation"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Installation","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-installation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A pv system on a house in the 1970s.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/old-house-pv-system.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/old-house-pv-system.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/old-house-pv-system.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/old-house-pv-system.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":96553,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-mistake-new-home-build\/","url_meta":{"origin":75642,"position":2},"title":"Don’t Make This Solar Mistake In A New Home Build","author":"Pat Southwell","date":"January 21, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"If you\u2019re building a new home and thinking about solar (or a battery) down the track, the best advice I can give you is this: get your solar installer involved before the plasterboard goes up. I know it\u2019s tempting to leave solar until after the build\u2019s done, but by then,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Installation"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Installation","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-installation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/new-build-solar-wiring.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/new-build-solar-wiring.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/new-build-solar-wiring.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/new-build-solar-wiring.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/new-build-solar-wiring.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":92656,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/battery-rebate-safety-these-key-tests-are-essential\/","url_meta":{"origin":75642,"position":3},"title":"Battery Rebate Safety: These Key Tests Are Essential","author":"Pat Southwell","date":"June 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"With the launch of the Federal Government\u2019s Cheaper Home Batteries Rebate Scheme, we\u2019re about to see a serious uptick in grid-connected battery installations across Australia \u2014 and authorities will be ramping up inspections to make sure these are done safely. Here\u2019s two key tests installers must undertake on new systems.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Battery Storage"","block_context":{"text":"Battery Storage","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/battery-storage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A battery undergoing testing","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/battery-rebate-testing3-e1750212364432.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":66128,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/old-solar-inverter-failed\/","url_meta":{"origin":75642,"position":4},"title":"Help! My Vintage Solar Inverter Has Finally Failed","author":"Anthony Bennett","date":"November 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"If you are reading this because you have a failed 'vintage' inverter, you probably bought your solar power system ten or more years ago. In which case... Congratulations! As an early adopter, you spent ten times more money than solar systems cost today, and now the little red inverter light\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Inverters"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Inverters","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-inverters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Repairing or replacing old failed solar inverters","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/transformer-sunny-boys.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/transformer-sunny-boys.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/transformer-sunny-boys.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/transformer-sunny-boys.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/transformer-sunny-boys.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":71127,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-inverter-installer-wishlist\/","url_meta":{"origin":75642,"position":5},"title":"What Solar Installers Want From A Solar Inverter","author":"Anthony Bennett","date":"March 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I asked fellow installers what they wanted from a solar inverter, and they answered decisively: More current, please. We need inverter DC inputs that handle more amps. That's the biggest single wish expressed in my latest informal poll. However, unlike my other recent poll on what installers want from solar\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Inverters"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Inverters","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-inverters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"What solar installers want from inverters","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/inverter-installer-wishlist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/inverter-installer-wishlist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/inverter-installer-wishlist.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/inverter-installer-wishlist.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/inverter-installer-wishlist.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75642"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87048,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75642\/revisions\/87048"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}