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Author Topic: Grounding recommendations using generators.  (Read 15225 times)

Mike Sokol

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #40 on: May 12, 2017, 04:30:26 PM »

I have a grounding lug on my distro that the other end of the wire goes to.

Yes, this is exactly how I used to do it 40 years ago in clubs without grounds. And I did a wrap of e-tape around the vice-grip handle so it couldn't pop open.

Stephen Swaffer

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #41 on: May 12, 2017, 05:09:41 PM »

Are those vice-grips "listed for the purpose ;D?
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Steve Swaffer

Mark Cadwallader

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #42 on: May 12, 2017, 05:17:38 PM »

Are those vice-grips "listed for the purpose ;D?

But Mr. AHJ, they say "Klein" right on them .....
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Guy Holt

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #43 on: May 12, 2017, 05:25:41 PM »

Lots of discussion about grounding rods.

But not enough about bonding neutrals IMO.  Mike rightly brought up the subject, but it bears repeating that the neutral should be bonded to the EGC in order for breakers and GFCIs to work. Out of the box the inverter generators do not bond neutral and ground.

Generators like the Hondas and Yamahas offer a false sense of security IMO. Their receptacles have ground pins and many of them now have GFCIs. But, absent a bonded neutral,  fault current won’t to go to the Equipment Grounding Conductor to trip a breaker and clear a fault.  A neutral-ground bond is also essential to GFCIs operating reliably.

Simply using a GFCI on a Floating Neutral generator will not ensure a safe system, and can in fact be misleading. A GFCI will not operate reliably if one side of the winding is not grounded to the generator frame because Fault Current has no path back to the winding to complete the circuit. Only when neutral is bonded to the EGC, will current go to the EGC to complete the circuit when there is a current leak. In other words, a complete circuit is required to create an imbalance and cause the GFCI to trip. GFCI test circuits can also be misleading when they are used on Floating Neutral generators. On a Floating Neutral generator, the test button will draw power from the Hot through the CT and back through the CT again to the neutral via a Current Limiting Resister. The discrepancy caused by the Current Limiting Resister in the test will initiate the GFCI to trip even though there is in fact no Ground Fault Circuit for Fault Current to go to if there were a Fault. The false positive received by GFCI test circuits on Floating Neutral generators does nothing to eliminate faulty equipment.

OSHA spells this requirement out in the same fact sheet (DSTM 10/2005) that Debbie Dunkley cited:

"effective bonding of the neutral conductor to the generator's frame is also a concern for the safe use of the equipment. As with grounding terminal connections, proper bonding of the neutral terminal of a power receptacle may be confirmed via testing by a competent electrician with the correct equipment, and the ohmic resistance should measure near zero and must not be intermittent, which indicates a loose connection."

For those interested, I wrote a four part series on ground fault protection with the Honda inverter generators for Protocol. If you can’t find the print edition of the magazine, there are links to it and other articles in my “Production Power on a Budget” series in Protocol at http://www.screenlightandgrip.com/html/hd_plug-n-play_pkg.html.

Guy Holt, Gaffer
ScreenLight & Grip
www.screenlightandgrip.com
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Rob Spence

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #44 on: May 12, 2017, 05:33:05 PM »

Yes, this is exactly how I used to do it 40 years ago in clubs without grounds. And I did a wrap of e-tape around the vice-grip handle so it couldn't pop open.

I have a Velcro strap.
I also place it where it doesn't get bumped.


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Debbie Dunkley

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #45 on: May 12, 2017, 06:01:32 PM »

I have a Velcro strap.
I also place it where it doesn't get bumped.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


I have a couple of vice grips but don't see a way to easily connect the ground wire to either of mine. You have bolted your ground wire to the grips - correct?

Edit : I went back and re-read... you drilled a hole in the grips. I can do that!!... great idea
« Last Edit: May 12, 2017, 06:03:46 PM by Debbie Dunkley »
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Rob Spence

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #46 on: May 12, 2017, 06:42:51 PM »


I have a couple of vice grips but don't see a way to easily connect the ground wire to either of mine. You have bolted your ground wire to the grips - correct?

Edit : I went back and re-read... you drilled a hole in the grips. I can do that!!... great idea

I bought grips that open wide. In my case, I used up a drill bit as the handle was apparently hardened somewhat.

I got the brass parts at local hardware store.



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rob at lynxaudioservices dot com

Dealer for: AKG, Allen & Heath, Ashley, Astatic, Audix, Blue Microphones, CAD, Chauvet, Community, Countryman, Crown, DBX, Electro-Voice, FBT, Furman, Heil, Horizon, Intellistage, JBL, Lab Gruppen, Mid Atlantic, On Stage Stands, Pelican, Peterson Tuners, Presonus, ProCo, QSC, Radial, RCF, Sennheiser, Shure, SKB, Soundcraft, TC Electronics, Telex, Whirlwind and others

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Re: Grounding recommendations using generators.
« Reply #46 on: May 12, 2017, 06:42:51 PM »


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