Hello guys, after long time use of my EP500 i try to ground my system with my home AC plug but it doesn’t work.
I think it is very simple to ground the unit just connect a cable from the back ground port on the EP500 to the ground schuko AC home plug, as you can see in photos my multi socket ground light is dark but when i connect direct on the AC home plug it works fine so something is wrong. If anyone know what i did wrong or have the same problem like me please help me to find a solution.
Have you used a multimeter to check whether the earthing screw on the back is connected to the earthing conductor of the Schuko socket on the EP500 (low resistance)?
Is it possible that the EP500 has protective insulation and therefore has no connection to the earth terminal?
I measure the neutral + ground and give me something like 0.5~1.5v this must be 0v?
Hi @Koumkouat, From the photos, your connection method seems correct.
Based on your measurement of the voltage between the neutral and ground, there are no issues. So you can use it with confidence.
Thank you, @SigiKa, for your explanation.
It is correct but not working this is the problem, the multi socket light stay dark but when i plug it directly on the wall works fine…
I don’t know the technical specification of the EP500 in detail. This may be due to the fact that most ESS are designed and specified for island operation. In this case, they are neither connected to ground, nor are ground and null connected internally!
This is exactly what your measuring device will show you.
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As you describe it, you want to connect your EP500 to a TN-S network, correct?
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I myself do not have an EP500 but an EP600 and it is connected to my distribution board via a 4-phase (!) transfer switch (3-phase TN-S house connection in Europe).
The EP600 is connected in generator mode as standard, i.e. null and ground are connected to each other on the generator side (backup side of the EP600). However, it is essential (!) to use the 4-phase transfer switch, as it disconnects both the neutral conductor and the grid and backup of the EP600. If this is not done in accordance with the standards, an RCD can no longer trip and there is a risk to life in the event of a fault!
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If installed correctly, the RCDs in the domestic installation will trip both in on-grid and off-grid operation (backup by EP600). A simple test, but it can save your life …
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I would urgently (!) advise you to commission a trusted electrician to install the EP500 correctly, or to only operate it in island mode (protective insulation).
I’m not electrician expert but i think is that simple to connect the unit to the ground my AC home plug have 3 wires one of them is the ground so i connected the unit with that wire but it is not grounded if it was the green light of the APC multi socket must be on like when i plug it to the wall AC.
It’s not that simple, you just connect the ground to the EP500 (a single wire!).
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Your APC socket tester tests all three wires, ground, null and hot (L1). You have connected EP500 ground to ground from the house, null and phase are still “hanging” in the air = island operation (protective insulation).
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For correct TN-S installation, null and ground are connected on the grid side. In your EP500, ground (EP500) is now connected to ground from the house, where do you connect null (EP500) to null from the grid?
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As an example, one picture from my counter.
At this single point from Grid is only one wire (=ground) which is splitted in null and ground (before the mainfuse). And after this single point, it’s a real TN-S grid.
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Ok now i understand what you said must have also connected the ac power adapter to the wall to get the ground work, but this is fail because when the system not get energy from the wall ground not working…
You are right. A transfer switch is used to solve this. If grid fails and is switched to backup, the neutral conductor should be connected to the house grid at approximately the point shown in my picture.
But this is definitely a job for the electrician (sealed area …)
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Anyway thanks for your time man mods can mark this topic as solved.
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I guess this is just an issue of how your surge protector checks if the earthing is present: I probably checks if it is connected to the null. As others explained above this is not the case with the AC outlets of the Bluetti devices. If you want to check, if the grounding works, I would measure the resistance (not voltage) between the earthing of your house installation and the earthing contact of your multi-socket when plugged into your bluetti’s AC outlet. The resistance should be very low. Or use the continuity tester feature (Durchgangsprüfer) of your multimeter and see if it beeps.
As far as I understand, this kind of earthing should be what is expected and enough.