Grounding a portable generator

[Johnny A]

Once again I need advice..
I have a few generators that I use for work/side jobs. We lost power last year & I ran one all day & night.

The unit was not grounded as recommended by the Mfg.

I heard some guys hammer in a ground rod & connect it (ground strap) to the gen..

Any ideas? I use these all the time & never had an issue. It's just when I run one over a long period of time I get concerned..

Any & all advice needed... The members on this forum have helped me so much!!!


http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/21-do-i-need-ground-my-portable-generator.html

Thanks in advance

 

[Stephenw]

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/grounding_port_generator.pdf

 

[Steinmetz]

Once again I need advice..
I have a few generators that I use for work/side jobs. We lost power last year & I ran one all day & night.

The unit was not grounded as recommended by the Mfg.

I heard some guys hammer in a ground rod & connect it (ground strap) to the gen..

Any ideas? I use these all the time & never had an issue. It's just when I run one over a long period of time I get concerned..

Any & all advice needed... The members on this forum have helped me so much!!!


http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/21-do-i-need-ground-my-portable-generator.html

Thanks in advance

It won't be an issue until it suddenly is. Then it's too late. Ground rods are inexpensive and will work fine. A nearby water pipe will also work if a grounding clamp can be applied.

 

[ishiboo]

It won't be an issue until it suddenly is. Then it's too late. Ground rods are inexpensive and will work fine. A nearby water pipe will also work if a grounding clamp can be applied.

No need to ground a portable generator used as a portable generator. See the doc stephen posted.

 

[king nero]

No need to ground a portable generator used as a portable generator. See the doc stephen posted.

Honda requires it though in its documentation.
At work, and in reality, I've never seen it done.
(I'm talking about 3-4 kVA generators, when working with bigger ones, you really should do so)

 

[3/4 drive]

Grounding don't take long , ain't expensive , and it can't hurt.

 

[ert01]

I always ground them at work.

At home/camping I never do.

Never had a problem with them either way, but if you're concerned and want some peace of mind, there are multiple ways to do it. All you need is some metal in the ground attached to the generator frame somehow. Structural steel, pilings, water pipe if its copper of steel, footings, rebar... yes rebar encased in concrete is a great ground. Or you could bury a ground plate. They're usually a piece of 12x12 steel about 1/4" thick. Just bury it a foot or two down. It will work as well as any 10' rod.

 

[theoldwizard1]

No need to ground a portable generator used as a portable generator. See the doc stephen posted.

And this is the key !

The safest thing is to always use a GFCI when using portable power. I am surprised that NEC or OSHA or somebody has not made this a requirement for portable generators.

 

[sberry]

I agree with the gfci.

 

[Spareparts]

We use a small gen set almost every weekend and sometimes we get rained on and that is a concern to me. So I made up my ground wire with a large eye on the end and also have a 1/4" X 6" copper washer, use a 18" lag bolt and run it in the ground with an electric impact or my cordless impact, may not be the best but it puts my mind at ease.

 

[theoldwizard1]

We use a small gen set almost every weekend and sometimes we get rained on and that is a concern to me.

Then get a GFCI extension cord. Much better protection.

 

[sberry]

We use a small gen set almost every weekend and sometimes we get rained on and that is a concern to me. So I made up my ground wire with a large eye on the end and also have a 1/4" X 6" copper washer, use a 18" lag bolt and run it in the ground with an electric impact or my cordless impact, may not be the best but it puts my mind at ease.

It may make you feel better but what is it you are accomplishing?

 

[DTE]

I have a Onan 3500 watt and it has a place to attach a ground wire and then I have it clamped to an iron rod I drive in the ground. It is what they recommend to do with that unit.

 

[sberry]

Where do they recommend this?

 

[DTE]

Where do they recommend this?

In the owners manual, but it might be different from the OP. The Onan has GFCI outlets and it says they may not work if the ground is not installed on the lug on the control panel, and it says later in the book to ground the unit when using. But it also says to not use in the rain or snow or on wet ground.