grounding Generator/Welder??

[mandingueiro]

I recently bought a Miller Blue Star 185 generator welder. Before I start it up, I know I should ground it. right? or nah? It is a 195A welder ( 100% duty cycle @ 150amps) and 6.2kVA/kW (continuous) generator. How heavy duty do I need to go with grounding. Do I need to always ground it before using the generator? If I'm just using the generator in my back yard, do I have to install a copper grounding rod and ground it to there? The manual says when on a truck, you can ground it to bare metal on the vehicle frame. That's not copper and it's not 8' driven into the earth. So, how heavy duty to I have to go if I'm using this as a portable generator? Is there a guage of copper wire I should stick to? and does what I ground to have to be of a certain substance (weight, length, material)...I'm definitely a noob, so excuse the noob question...

I see sound systems being run from a generator all the time, and in the city they do this on concrete. I'm assuming these generators that food vendors, dj's use are not being grounded? maybe they are and I'm not paying attention...Anyways...any help, guidance from pros would be appreciated.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I recently bought a Miller Blue Star 185 generator welder. Before I start it up, I know I should ground it. right? or nah? It is a 195A welder ( 100% duty cycle @ 150amps) and 6.2kVA/kW (continuous) generator. How heavy duty do I need to go with grounding. Do I need to always ground it before using the generator? If I'm just using the generator in my back yard, do I have to install a copper grounding rod and ground it to there? The manual says when on a truck, you can ground it to bare metal on the vehicle frame. That's not copper and it's not 8' driven into the earth. So, how heavy duty to I have to go if I'm using this as a portable generator? Is there a guage of copper wire I should stick to? and does what I ground to have to be of a certain substance (weight, length, material)...I'm definitely a noob, so excuse the noob question...

I see sound systems being run from a generator all the time, and in the city they do this on concrete. I'm assuming these generators that food vendors, dj's use are not being grounded? maybe they are and I'm not paying attention...Anyways...any help, guidance from pros would be appreciated.

No need to bond a portable generator to a ground rod thats being used in the field. Main purpose of grounding electrodes/rods is for grounding lightning.

The grounding the manual is talking about is for bonding the metal chassis of the truck to the welder chassis.

 

[kd3pc]

ahhhh....the grounding conundrum. A lot here and elsewhere on the whole topic.

Many of the new "inverter" style generator makers actually specify NOT to ground them.

As to your big blue Miller, I worked construction for years and never saw one grounded, whether welding or as a gennie.

Wylie is on point with the manual page.