Posted: 12/9/2015 10:25:37 PM EDT
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I just ordered a 6000/7000 Sportsman generator and the instructions say to ground it to a rod. My intention is to have an interlock and a generator outlet installed in my house for backup power. Is this additional grounding still needed? Thanks. |
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I just ordered a 6000/7000 Sportsman generator and the instructions say to ground it to a rod. My intention is to have an interlock and a generator outlet installed in my house for backup power. Is this additional grounding still needed? Thanks. They all pretty much say to ground them when back feeding into a panel. I have never used an additional ground at the generator, or seen any one else do so while using a portable generator for their house... With that said it probably wouldn't hurt to do so 
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If you have a dedicated spot for the generator for a transfer switch, doesn't hurt to have a ground clamp ready to go, quick and easy. Just tie into the house ground (check local electrical codes). That said, I have never grounded a portable genny. I'm still here. |
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If you have a dedicated spot for the generator for a transfer switch, doesn't hurt to have a ground clamp ready to go, quick and easy. Just tie into the house ground (check local electrical codes). That said, I have never grounded a portable genny. I'm still here. Most people never have. But, having a 3-piece modular ground rod kit is cheap and an easy way to minimize risk to personnel around the generator or areas powered by the generator. Those ground rods are handy and easy to keep with a small generator set that may be employed in a semi-permanent installation. |
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I just ordered a 6000/7000 Sportsman generator and the instructions say to ground it to a rod. My intention is to have an interlock and a generator outlet installed in my house for backup power. Is this additional grounding still needed? Thanks. There is a series of 2014 NEC training videos on YouTube about grounding. The short answer is don't do it. Your system ground is hopefully good, and your generator equipment ground is through the ground wire in your plug. The manufacturers in third world countries are wrong and make problems especially when they tell the buyer of a million dollar CNC machine that their warranty will be void. |
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The chassis of the gen goes to ground. That is my experience and the standard with mil generators.
You don't think the turbine generator at the power plant has a bond to a ground stake? "If the generator is connected to a transfer switch that transfers the neutral, and the generator does not have a “solidly connected” grounded circuit conductor, then it is a separately derived system. A separately derived system requires a connection to a grounding electrodes or ground rod(s)." https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/grounding_port_generator.pdf -mil does it to prevent static during refuel operations. Fuel truck takes a ground wire and clamps it to the grounding rod next to the genny. everything at same potential and accidents reduce. -mil gens have binding posts that can be shorted to the chassis accidentally. Not really an issue for homeowner. -mil gens send voltage to ground through the rod if the electrical portion of the gen fails or shorts to the chassis. A lot of proprietary stuff since we don't "usually" use binding posts, but the concept is sound. I don't want to fire up the gen and touch it and become a path to ground (in the event of a mechanical issue). I'm not an engineer & can't stand reading the NEC for more than 10 minutes. For your average person, this is all inconsequential...they will never "see" a problem. SCENARIO: You have a backfed gen in place, with the main flipped off (violation of code, but frequently done). You shut down the gen and for whatever reason the power comes back on...a family member throws the main and sends power into the windings of the shutdown gen. Does the main or CB in the panel you are backfeeding trip? Does the gen smoke and chassis become energized? Would a ground rod help? |
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The chassis of the gen goes to ground. That is my experience and the standard with mil generators. You don't think the turbine generator at the power plant has a bond to a ground stake? "If the generator is connected to a transfer switch that transfers the neutral, and the generator does not have a “solidly connected” grounded circuit conductor, then it is a separately derived system. A separately derived system requires a connection to a grounding electrodes or ground rod(s)." https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/grounding_port_generator.pdf -mil does it to prevent static during refuel operations. Fuel truck takes a ground wire and clamps it to the grounding rod next to the genny. everything at same potential and accidents reduce. -mil gens have binding posts that can be shorted to the chassis accidentally. Not really an issue for homeowner. -mil gens send voltage to ground through the rod if the electrical portion of the gen fails or shorts to the chassis. A lot of proprietary stuff since we don't "usually" use binding posts, but the concept is sound. I don't want to fire up the gen and touch it and become a path to ground (in the event of a mechanical issue). I'm not an engineer & can't stand reading the NEC for more than 10 minutes. For your average person, this is all inconsequential...they will never "see" a problem. SCENARIO: You have a backfed gen in place, with the main flipped off (violation of code, but frequently done). You shut down the gen and for whatever reason the power comes back on...a family member throws the main and sends power into the windings of the shutdown gen. Does the main or CB in the panel you are backfeeding trip? Does the gen smoke and chassis become energized? Would a ground rod help? "A lot of proprietary stuff since we don't "usually" use binding posts, but the concept is sound. I don't want to fire up the gen and touch it and become a path to ground (in the event of a mechanical issue). " That's my concern.. "can't stand reading the NEC for more than 10 minutes." Got me beat... 
"If the generator is connected to a transfer switch that transfers the neutral, and the generator does not have a “solidly connected” grounded circuit conductor, then it is a separately derived system. A separately derived system requires a connection to a grounding electrodes or ground rod(s)." I think this is this answer... When I wired the 25KW 3 phase WhisperWatt diesel to the barn, I made sure that there was a "solidly connected" ground wire of a heavy gauge connected to 'robust' terminals on both ends. When I hook up that little remote start 3.5 KW Champion. I'll do the same thing. As JKM says, the key issue in my mind is having a "Solidly Connected" ground... And not get lit up by some sort of fault that's a Black Swan event... |
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I'm asking about a generator hooked up with an Interlock, not a transfer switch. Not talking about illegal backfeeding. Ok. You do realize that an interlock IS back feeding? The difference between "illegal" and NEC compliant is a piece of sheetmetal. Sheetmetal slider prevents Main from being "ON" while dedicated circuit breaker is "ON". You lost the whole point, but the reality is 99.9% will not run into a situation where a ground rod is an issue. EXPY37- nice gen you have there. I had Task Force Safe come through during a deployment. The local contractors and troops didn't know the difference between grounding and bonding. Had people get killed when the buildings, stairs, showers, were conducting electricity. My warehouse had a panel that you could touch with a meter and touch the other lead to the steel building and 100+ volts was flowing. Major shit show. Apples and oranges, but good for awareness if you see the phase to phase voltages out of whack. I have a small lister SR1 diesel gen setup that I'm trying to finish off...is small, but 1800 rpm. Home heating oil in North can keep things chugging. |