does anyone ground their generator?

[waninae39]

this video suggests everyone should ground their external generator

yet in their travel, they see very few doing so

is it safe to run one without a ground rod or leave it floating?

it will surely trip any surge suppressor system

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frPoFSZSWh4

[mythbuster88]

While using a generator to power a travel trailer earth ground has no relevance.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by mythbuster88

While using a generator to power a travel trailer earth ground has no relevance.

Just to clarify, the reason is that shore power is referenced to ground (neutral tied to green wire ground and green wire connected to earth ground rod) at the main distribution panel in the campground. That means that the hot wire will have some potential to earth ground at the trailer. If some kind of fault leaks shore power to the trailer skin, one can get a shock if standing on damp ground with damp leather shoes or barefoot.

The risk of this is typically mitigated by tongue jack foot or stabilizers in contact with ground but folks have felt a tingle under certain circumstances.

Typically a generator is not referenced to earth ground, which eliminates the risk of a shock. Grounding the generator actually creates a risk, just as for shore power.

IMNSHO, YMMV, etc.

Al

[Bill M.]

You have to have the trick plug that connects the ground and the neutral in order to run a surge suppressor with the generator. I have not grounded my generator.

[Rrys]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

You have to have the trick plug that connects the ground and the neutral in order to run a surge suppressor with the generator. I have not grounded my generator.

Ditto. The plug that I plug into the generator (adapter for 30 Amp trailer connector to generator plug) is bonded. The ground and the neutral are tied together inside the plug. I've been told this is necessary for Honda generators as they deliberately have a floating ground as do the Airstream Trailers. You need one (and only one) ground to neutral connection somewhere. Earth ground is not required.

Rrys

[uncle_bob]

Hi

You should connect the neutral to the shield wire. Grounding the shield to earth is optional.

Bob

[drbrick]

I never placed my generator on the ground [emoji15][emoji3]

[J. Morgan]

It might be that a ground to neutral plug is needed to make an integrated EMS or surge protector work, but in absence of such a devise, I wouldn't use one of those plugs.

And a ground rod serves no purpose.

[wulfraat]

No, it’s safe to say nobody grounds a portable genset.

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by wulfraat

No, it’s safe to say nobody grounds a portable genset.

Unless, of course you are a Ham radio operator like me, and need a decent RF and AC power ground and bonding the two together to keep from zapping folks close to the trailer. It also helps protect against static electricity and lightning, to a point.

Field operations with HF radios and multiple antennas sticking up in the air makes it necessary to take a significantly different approach to grounding things.

But then, I’ve never been accused of being typical...more usual is, “you are the most completely unique S. O. B. I’ve ever met...” according to a colleague of mine in the past. We’re still good friends, however.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, Hundreds of thousands of campers are electrocuted yearly because they failed to ground their portable generators.

[rmkrum]

I’d bet many more are burned or killed trying to refuel a just shut off generator with gasoline. It seems just about every year some incautious Ham starts a fire trying to quickly refuel a gasoline-powered genset on field day.

Any gasoline fueled device absolutely required cool down time before refueling. At least 5-10 minutes minimum. Spilled gasoline and hot mufflers are a great combo if you like being front and center with a rapidly expanding fireball from spilled gasoline.

Note that the Department of Overkill Engineering’s 3400 watt Champion dual fuel inverter generator only gets to burn propane, lives in the truck well chained down, and is positioned well downwind of the humans and dogs when running. It does not get run all night, either. Sweating won’t necessarily kill you, but carbon monoxide poisoning is stealthy and very fatal.

Yeah, it doesn’t get grounded unless I’m on the air from the Silver Ham Shack, but I always carry the stuff needed to ground everything when there is RF in the air! 6 foot copper weld ground rod, big hammer, and appropriate ground straps and clamps. DW still wondering why we carry all that stuff.

[mythbuster88]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, Hundreds of thousands of campers are electrocuted yearly because they failed to ground their portable generators.

Near many desert campgrounds out West are the charred remains of many thousands of brave campers who suffered deep internal and fatal burns. Since many campers were fried from the inside out, all that remains is a shell of their former person, any many times they just blow away like a tumbleweed.

But the new Honda 2200 SG (SG for spiked ground) will have copper spikes that are six feet (182 cm) long in place of rubber feet. The Generator spikes must be pounded into the ground in order to function. And if on concrete the optional new Honda 345 companion DD (for dynamite driller) will simply blow holes or drill holes on the concrete.

Because of rubber tires, the trailer itself is also isolated from earth ground. The State of California just passed AB 893.7 to require all travel trailers to come with mandatory iron wheels. All iron wheels must comply with state regulation 2UH3.6 and parts 5623.5 A and B that stipulate all iron wheels to be forged using renewable energy, and machined by noncisgendered workers using best global practices.

[Dragline]

^^

[rbs]

Originally Posted by wulfraat

No, it’s safe to say nobody grounds a portable genset.

agreed, we don't