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12-05-2019, 06:30 AM #1
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Another generator question, bond the neutral?
My question is about the floating neutral on a portable generator... With a twist...
My generator has a floating neutral and the Progressive Industries EMS sees that as an open ground and locks out. The common fix is to bond the neutral and ground at the generator. All fixed. No problem. Except...
I'm guessing that all of the discussions about this assume that the generator is sitting on the ground. Mine is mounted on the RV. Which means that when I bond the generator, I'm also bonding the RV chassis. It seems that would introduce AC on the chassis which is also the ground for all the DC circuits. Not to mention the possibility of multiple bonding points (code violations).
On board generators handle this somehow but I don't know how.
Am I missing something or just over thinking?Roger, Stacy and the Sophie the fur kid
2017 Solitude 300GK
2015 Chev 2500 Diesel (replaced)
2020 F350 DRW
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12-14-2019, 05:33 PM #2
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Overthinking. Use the bonding plug if you go through the EMS. If you go straight to RV, without EMS, it doesn't care.
Steve
2017 F350 6.7 Lariat DRW
2017 Momentum 388M
North of Houston
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12-15-2019, 08:25 AM #3
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Roll with the Changes, I have edited your title to make it more specific. There are a couple of electrical engineers on this forum and I changed the title to make it more enticing for them to respond.
Sorry I can't be more help.Dallas
2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750
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12-15-2019, 02:10 PM #4
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Thanks for the help, D2. And to follow up a little bit, I have thought for about it and came to these conclusions...
Even if the generator shares the chassis ground, the ground path and the neutral path are separate all the way to the point of bonding. The difference is only that in a shore power situation, there are both tied to an earth ground.
Not sure if that is significant or not...
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12-15-2019, 08:50 PM #5
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This is what I did.
It’s pretty simple to wire a special “Ground-Neutral Bond” jumper cable for your Honda or Yamaha generator which will allow you to power your RV through its voltage protection device. You can obtain or make a dummy 15 or 20 amp “Edison” plug with the Neutral (white) and Ground (green) screws jump together with a piece of 12 or 14 gauge wire (see photos below). This G-N jumper plug can be plugged into one of the generator’s unused 20-amp outlets, and the entire generator’s electrical system will be N-G bonded. You can then use the other 20-amp Edison outlet or the 30-amp outlet to power the RV.
I plug the plug into the generator and the extension cord below it.
KENLast edited by orbiker; 12-15-2019 at 08:52 PM.
Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021
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12-16-2019, 08:00 AM #6
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12-16-2019, 08:24 PM #7
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Funny MARK
Yes. Please put the cover back on the plug.
My plug was more primitive then this one. I fix washers and dryers for a living. I just snipped off a washer plug from a junk machine and wire nutted the common and ground together. Cheep and fast. KENBackpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021
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12-17-2019, 04:56 AM #8
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I use the 30A/240V output from my generator and my G-N jumper is built into the adapter I made to plug in the standard 50A shore cord.
I'm still not sure what I think about the lack of an earth ground in the system. There is no question that bonding works, but some days I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do. I just have this nagging feeling that I'm missing something and setting up a dangerous situation.
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12-30-2021, 02:18 PM #9
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Ken, I am a "newbie" to Grand Design Fifth Wheel RVing. Just bought a Reflections 150 Series 295 and had an Inline Surge Protector installed before I got it. I have a Westinghouse iGen 4500 DF which has a floating neutral. When I tried to run my RV off the 30amp outlet the surge protector said it had reverse polarity. Will your special "Ground-Neutral Bond" jumper cable plug solve the problem so I can power the RV from the 30 amp outlet and should I drive in a grounding rod and attach it to the ground lug on the generator?
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12-30-2021, 03:28 PM #10
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Re-pack bearings necessary?
Today, 09:29 PM in Axles, Brakes, and Suspension