Gen Set

[Trailer Trash 2]

Here is another Generator question for a guru on them.
When I was running my gen set last time out I noticed that my test probe was indicating I had no ground, I had only 1 orange light in stead of two on the tester, does this mean That I will have to carry a set of aligator clips, and connect one to the gen set and the other end to a hose bib to get a safe reading, also with this improper ground could it have a effect on equiptment usage in the RV.

TT2

[skypilot]

Can't test right now but when I last ran my generator(s) (Honda 2000 paired), my test unit showed correct setup running 30amp adapter running to one of the 120v plugs on the generator (didn't actually have to use the 2nd generator). I did not have the Honda 'grounded'. So, makes me wonder if your cords' ground plug is loose / damaged.?

[Montana_1240]

I never thought about that aspect of using a generator for anything. Let alone camping...Which would be something that changes locations a lot.

When I was readying our Y2K, (yeah, I’m chuckling now, too,) generator for our brick & stick house, I bought a grounding rod and drove it into the ground where I planned to place the generator.

I don't have a clue as to whether it would have been a problem if I didn't have one. But I figured that since the house had a ground, the generator may as well have the same ground.

Maybe there is a sensor on the generator that can tell whether the generator's running with itself as a "ground," or whether there's a real ground, the way utility companies mandate.

Those rods are cheap. I bought a 5' rod for the generator, while I think the house had an 8' one. Might be a pain to have to use, because you’d have to pull it out after you finish camping. Not to mention I've never heard one suggested by campers who use generators.

Steve

[Trailer Trash 2]

This is how the 5er was set up for those interested.
On 4 rubber wheels, rear stabilisers on 4 each plastic lego pads, front legs on 12x12 x 1" plywood pads, King pin stand the same as the front legs.
generator is on the ground on its 4 rubber pads and pluged into the 5ers power cord, inside the plug tester is registering an open ground. SOOOO am I getting this reading because the gen set is not grounded to the 5er and the hose bib? I would think that the trailer would be grounded through the plug ground on the cord and the gen set, but the gen set still does not have a natural ground as it would have if conected to the hose bib. that is what I'll try next when I can connect it again under the same conditions and see if I get a open ground reading.


Up date:
Called Ameriacan Honda long distance was on hold for 5 min then was switched to voice mail I left my message and have not heard from them yet.
Called the Norwalk Power Equiptment store where gen set was purchased, and the mechanic/tecknition said he never had that question asked him. and was interested in the answer which I will do after I check it out.

[Montana_1240]

TT2,

I got to thinking about my reply about a ground rod, and it doesn’t seem to be something that’s required for generator use in an RV. If it were, all RVs using their generators would be plugged into a grounding rod at their site! And we sure don’t see that anywhere.

So maybe trying that would be a waste of time.

Your trouble could be the power cable. It could be the electronics sensing for the ground path.

Now I’m not sure what good my having used a grounding rod for that old Y2K set up at the old house was…The things I was plugging into weren’t physically grounded to the house’s ground rod.

I hope you hear back from Honda. I also hate wasting airtime minutes in some company’s seemingly unending voice-mail labyrinth.

Steve

[Trailer Trash 2]

quote:Originally posted by Gyro

TT2,

I got to thinking about my reply about a ground rod, and it doesn’t seem to be something that’s required for generator use in an RV. If it were, all RVs using their generators would be plugged into a grounding rod at their site! And we sure don’t see that anywhere.

I agree I dont think I want to drive a 8 foot copper plated rod into the ground, and have you priced them lately about $30.00, I think the steel pipe that supplies the water for each campsite will work just as good. Code says 12 foot on continous steel pipe under ground will pass for a earth ground, providing it's not PVC pipe then I have a problem.
But thanks for the input.

TT2

[Montana_1240]

quote:Originally posted by Trailer Trash 2
I agree I dont think I want to drive a 8 foot copper plated rod into the ground, and have you priced them lately about $30.00,

I was just watching a news report about the probable demise of the Penny. It costs 1.3-Cents to make a Penny, now, due to the price of Copper.

And the rods I used were solid Copper!

Of course, when I bought those rods, it was pre-retirement, when I never worried about how much things cost....

Think of how many PENNIES I could have made out of that!

But thinking more on it, I don't believe there's a need to get a solid ground for an RV. Otherwise, all those with built-in generators would be having problems whenever they aren't also plugged into a campground circuit!

But you still need your RV's ground to be connected to the ground on the generator...Which is what seems to be the problem.

Steve

[Trailer Trash 2]

quote:Originally posted by Gyro

I was just watching a news report about the probable demise of the Penny. It costs 1.3-Cents to make a Penny, now, due to the price of Copper.

And the rods I used were solid Copper!

Of course, when I bought those rods, it was pre-retirement, when I never worried about how much things cost....

Think of how many PENNIES I could have made out of that!

Steve

Steve I think I could make $30.00 worth dont you. HA HA.

The last one of those 8 foot rods I pounded into the ground was in a housing track, and I was on a ladder with a big sledg hammer and 15 years younger.

[Montana_1240]

Don,

I’d say that $30.00 would be about right!

When I pounded that generator’s rod into the ground, it was between the buried fresh water holding tank, and the entrance in the basement for the holding tank’s water line. (When we built that house, there was no city plumbing, and I hated the area’s well water. So we opted for a 20000-gallon tank, which was filled by a local water service company.) Soon after that, we ran out of water way before we were due for a delivery. I thought it strange that we had to order water almost 800 gallons before we expected to.

Anyway, we ordered a half of a tank delivered. I started dipping the tank daily. It was going down fast, even without using much. It was at that point that I was sure I had driven the rod into the water line, and that I’d see evidence of a leak on the slope just down from the rod.

Well, I had to go into the basement, (which was only a “crawlspace” that ended up being about twenty feet high after the builder was urged to raise the house up so we wouldn’t lose the view we had bought that hillside lot for,) and finally noticed some steaming water at the low end of the space, in a corner of the foundation.

Turns out the stupid relief valve on the water heater, (also in that crawlspace,) was leaking, and had vented almost 12000 gallons into the basement. It was plumbed with a pipe that ran down behind the heater, against the footing, so it was never noticeable.

We had the valve replaced, and a pipe directed to vent at the front of the heater, on the cement footing, so it couldn’t be missed.

Dodged a big bullet, there. The holding tank was buried before the house’s foundation was raised all that much for the view. So it was over twelve feet underground. (Still got iced up on the surface of the water during our winters, though!) I figured it’d take a load of digging. And we had just invested thousands in additional decking, which ran right over where the rod was driven in. That would have had to have been removed and then reinstalled if we had to dig to that water line.

Whew!
Steve

[Bob & Lee]

I really never thought about a ground but I gess you need somthing to support the EFI in the rig I will be looking into this prior to buying a generator. Did a serch and found some others talking about the same subject.

http://irv2.infopop.cc/groupee/forum...sl/print_topic

[Montana_1240]

Bob,

AHA!

I was trying to think of the term that had been rattling around in my head. Your link brought it out. First, when you mention EFI, and then when a post on that link mentioned the "Floating Ground."

Something that most appliances don't notice. But it's apparently still detectible by the more particular electronics.

I'm guessing the indication is "normal." Not especially GOOD, in case that floating ground happens to be "connected" to the neutral, by some wiring malfunction while someone's holding the malfunctioning item.

Steve