I've been a generator tech for 7 years and commissioned many new installs. You are correct. If the neutral is not switched then the generator should be unbonded. The main concern being that if you're bonded in the panel and bonded at the generator, when running on generator any current on the neutral will be split between the neutral wire and the ground wire. In my field we mostly deal with automatic transfer switches or switch gear, but I believe a mechanical breaker interlock system is adequate per the NEC for generator back feeding of the panel. That may vary by local codes and no one should take my word for it.
Yes, I spoke with one of local county electrical inspectors. I don't have to have a permit or have it inspected here, because I am the homeowner, and I am not adding to the service (i.e. putting in a new panel or sub panel). But they looked at my pics and said I was good. They allow up to 50Amps with an Interlock.
Hey Tom, It's also important to check the ground + neutral aren't connected together at the generator head. They can be connected together at the terminal block or frame case inside the rear cover of the generator, and/or up at the outlet panel where you showed your disconnection.👍
unbounded. leave the bond in the panel. you don't need a ground rod unless the home is missing one. you have an interlock the panel bond will stay so your good
You have it configured properly in my opinion. Your incorrect however, that you cant have a seperate ground rod at the gen set. It also would have no effect on the main system. Your confusing protective earth grounding and bonding.. the bond remains a bond as long its the only one in the system (g/n at your main), the protective earth at the gen would act as a ground for voltage buildup in the frame of the genset which doesnt get sent to your main via its ground. This is specific to portable gens and industrial gensets with fuel pumps and such.
My generator is grounded. It's has a ground wire and it is bonded at the main panel to a earth ground. The reason you don't want a second ground wire tied into that ground is if you have a failure to ground, some of that electricity will go out the generators ground rod and not trip a breaker. That is why you have to have a bond in the system and you only put grounds where it is bonded. See Benjamins Video here a 6:55 to see a breaker not blowing but current running to a ground rod that is not bonded: ruclips.net/video/RkjjZJgaINA/видео.htmlsi=ZKZfiGhi7fV4y6YF&t=415
@frugalprepper the generator in the video does not have integrated ground fault protection in its circuit, so it relies on either being attached to a main panel that has a bonded protective earth like yours or a ground rod at the gen set. I wasn't saying your gen isn't grounded, it uses your homes ground, which is bonded in your main panel. The little screw on the outside of the gen is an equipment ground, it is intended to carry any excess voltage that builds up in the chassis to earth, or if you have say.. tools plugged in instead of a house. Or if lightning directly strikes your gen, it would find the path of least resistance, being your main panel instead of the equipment ground it should have.
Yes my home has a ground rod and it is bonded at the main panel. The grounding conductor and the neutral from the generator are hooked to this bond at the panel. Per the National Electrical Code 2023 - Section 250.35 "It is not permitted to connect the grounded conductor to the ground in both sources simultaneously, as this practice could create parallel paths for the neutral current" Any "excess voltage" on the chassis of the generator will flow back on grounding conductor to my main panel. If you have two ground rods you not only have two earth grounds, but two alternate paths for neutral current to flow through that ground because you are bonded at the main panel. If there is a failure this could cause breaker not to blow when overloaded in you main panel. GFCI has nothing to do with this. You can use GFCI without hooking up a ground at all. That is why the only reason you can legally replace a 2 prong outlet with 2 conductors with a 3 prong outlet is with a GFCI. My generator has GFCI outlets, but not on on the 30 AMP / 240V Plug to feed the house.
No the neural is pass all the way back, and it is normally the least resistance and best path. It is also grounded at every utility pole. Very little power goes out the ground rod, because it is a higher resistance path. The neutral does now float it is hooked up the the boded panel
National Electric Code says no. Ever alliance in you house as a nuerat and ground that are bonded at the panel. It is not keeping any voltage in the generator, it is grounded to the panel, just like my appliance.
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I've been a generator tech for 7 years and commissioned many new installs. You are correct. If the neutral is not switched then the generator should be unbonded. The main concern being that if you're bonded in the panel and bonded at the generator, when running on generator any current on the neutral will be split between the neutral wire and the ground wire. In my field we mostly deal with automatic transfer switches or switch gear, but I believe a mechanical breaker interlock system is adequate per the NEC for generator back feeding of the panel. That may vary by local codes and no one should take my word for it.
Yes, I spoke with one of local county electrical inspectors. I don't have to have a permit or have it inspected here, because I am the homeowner, and I am not adding to the service (i.e. putting in a new panel or sub panel). But they looked at my pics and said I was good. They allow up to 50Amps with an Interlock.
Hey Tom,
It's also important to check the ground + neutral aren't connected together at the generator head.
They can be connected together at the terminal block or frame case inside the rear cover of the generator, and/or up at the outlet panel where you showed your disconnection.👍
On this generator there is not connection at the generator head, but, yes, many generators put them there.
unbounded. leave the bond in the panel.
you don't need a ground rod unless the home is missing one. you have an interlock the panel bond will stay so your good
Perhaps mark that it isn't bonded on the gen. This is my personal opinion and not my employer's.
Hey Jaspel how have you been! I probably would be good to put a label on it.
You have it configured properly in my opinion. Your incorrect however, that you cant have a seperate ground rod at the gen set. It also would have no effect on the main system. Your confusing protective earth grounding and bonding.. the bond remains a bond as long its the only one in the system (g/n at your main), the protective earth at the gen would act as a ground for voltage buildup in the frame of the genset which doesnt get sent to your main via its ground. This is specific to portable gens and industrial gensets with fuel pumps and such.
My generator is grounded. It's has a ground wire and it is bonded at the main panel to a earth ground. The reason you don't want a second ground wire tied into that ground is if you have a failure to ground, some of that electricity will go out the generators ground rod and not trip a breaker. That is why you have to have a bond in the system and you only put grounds where it is bonded. See Benjamins Video here a 6:55 to see a breaker not blowing but current running to a ground rod that is not bonded: ruclips.net/video/RkjjZJgaINA/видео.htmlsi=ZKZfiGhi7fV4y6YF&t=415
@frugalprepper the generator in the video does not have integrated ground fault protection in its circuit, so it relies on either being attached to a main panel that has a bonded protective earth like yours or a ground rod at the gen set. I wasn't saying your gen isn't grounded, it uses your homes ground, which is bonded in your main panel. The little screw on the outside of the gen is an equipment ground, it is intended to carry any excess voltage that builds up in the chassis to earth, or if you have say.. tools plugged in instead of a house. Or if lightning directly strikes your gen, it would find the path of least resistance, being your main panel instead of the equipment ground it should have.
Yes my home has a ground rod and it is bonded at the main panel. The grounding conductor and the neutral from the generator are hooked to this bond at the panel. Per the National Electrical Code 2023 - Section 250.35 "It is not permitted to connect the grounded conductor to the ground in both sources simultaneously, as this practice could create parallel paths for the neutral current" Any "excess voltage" on the chassis of the generator will flow back on grounding conductor to my main panel. If you have two ground rods you not only have two earth grounds, but two alternate paths for neutral current to flow through that ground because you are bonded at the main panel. If there is a failure this could cause breaker not to blow when overloaded in you main panel. GFCI has nothing to do with this. You can use GFCI without hooking up a ground at all. That is why the only reason you can legally replace a 2 prong outlet with 2 conductors with a 3 prong outlet is with a GFCI. My generator has GFCI outlets, but not on on the 30 AMP / 240V Plug to feed the house.
No the neural is pass all the way back, and it is normally the least resistance and best path. It is also grounded at every utility pole. Very little power goes out the ground rod, because it is a higher resistance path. The neutral does now float it is hooked up the the boded panel
National Electric Code says no. Ever alliance in you house as a nuerat and ground that are bonded at the panel. It is not keeping any voltage in the generator, it is grounded to the panel, just like my appliance.