Hello! I am building out a van system and have a 3 seperate questions after reading the manuals for an MPPT charger and a DC2DC charger:
1) SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 manual states in section 3.2 that the NEC requires a GFPD between the system negative and earth ground. Is this referring to placing a GFPD between the MPPT chassis negative terminal and my earth system ground? Using a GFPD device on your DC circuits is new to me. Can someone please explain to me practically what situations this would protect you from? Additionally, from my reading it appears that the NEC code chapter 6 has an exemption for mobile solar arrays here:
"690.41System Grounding: Exception : PV arrays with not more than two PV source circuits and with all PV system dc circuits not on or in buildings shall be permitted without ground-fault protection where solidly grounded".
I will only have a single PV-source circuit.
2) Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Charger Non-Isolated 12/12 - 30A: I am trying to size the wires and breakers for this unit, but cannot seem to find how much current this unit will draw under max normal operating conditions. I guess this is where I lack a fundamental knowledge of how a DC-DC converter works. Simply put, how much amperage can this unit draw from the batteries on my van? It is not listed in the data sheet. Is it a function of the max output current or power listed? Max output power is listed as 430W / 12V = ~35.8A max that the unit will draw from my van battery? Or should I size my breakers to the listed output short circuit current of 60A?
3) Can you ground your DC system and your AC inverter through the same negative busbar, which is connected to the same earth ground (vehicle chassis)? I have not had to consider grounding DC and AC currents to the same spot before.
Thank you so much for the help!
