I know this subject has been beat to death. I know so because of the many hours I have spent looking for an answer to my particular set up and have found none with confidence. Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

I have a new Wgen12000 DF that I plan on powering one Main breaker box with 50 amp and another Main breaker box with 30 amp both with interlocks. No transfer switches installed.

My question is whether or not I need to attach a neutral to the frame of the generator. AND.......if I do need to ground the generator, can I attached it to the grounding rod for the home or do I need to pound a separate one into the ground 8 feet.

I have attached what the manual says about floating the ground.

Thanks again everyone.

Screen Shot 2019-10-20 at 1.27.55 PM.jpg

 

It's best to not have the neutral bonded at the gen. Also with the gen equipment ground connected to the house system it is not necessary to have a separate ground rod for the gen. You can add a ground rod wired from the gen frame if you like.

 

This what the Generator recommends:

This stuff can be so confusing to me so for clarity, you are suggesting to remove the generators neutral bond to itself and it is acceptable to run a ground to my homes existing ground?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Its my understanding of the code that the gen nuetral needs to be floating when hooked to the homes electrical system. When you plug it in the bond is made at the panel and the gen gets bonded that way.

If the nuetral is bonded in the gen then when you plug it in there will be two bonds. And this is not allowed.

Either lift the bond at gen or you will need a transfer switch that switches out the nuetral..

 

No need to ground the generator seperately. When you plug it into the home it gets bonded. Yes lift the bond at gen.

Whats model of gen

 

page 13 how to lift bond

https://cdn.westinghouseoutdoorpower...manual_web.pdf

 

also when I did that to my gen I removed the GFI's and added regular outlets.

If I ever use the gen for say my camper I make an edison plug to rebond . This because the camper has no ground/nuetral.

I made my own.

https://www.microair.net/products/ge...12272654155860


Portable Inverter Generator Neutral Ground Bonding Plug Honda Yamaha

 

I don't understand this. Are you talking about powering two homes with one generator?

 

It is certainly possible to power two homes with one generator using the method suggested preceding, given sufficiently fat wires over distance to combat voltage drop and appropriate manual discipline to avoid overloading the generator.

If the generator sits up against a building then its frame may be connected to an existing ground rod at that building, using a #6 copper wire.

Grounding electrode conductors should not (and segments thereof may be omitted if they need to) stretch across or go under lawns or walkways or be strung overhead to get from one building to another. In these situations separate grounding electrodes at the respective buildings may be needed. Equipment grounding conductors are needed to accompany all circuits (and feeds) regardless of the grounding electrode system unless a grandfathering exception e.g. some 3 wire hot hot neutral underground feeds applies.

 

Thank you lawrosa!

That is very clear to me.

Regards to powering two homes Luke M, that is a great question for this unique situation. And the answer is one home, two main breaker boxes with one meter. Its a strange one but thats how they did it I suspect because of the number of circuits.

As for the option of grounding to the home AllanJ, that was another curious issue with me. In order to comply with generator distance from the building I would have to run a 50 ft ground wire to the homes or pound stake in the ground and run about a 30 foot ground. Both not very appealing and wondered about that level of safety. Since it sounds like I just need to float the generator ground because the gen will get its ground from the homes system that is the best possible outcome for me.

Thanks everyone! I am finally seeing the light!!!

 

Yes the generator must be bonded to the green equipment ground wire that's in the cable feeding the breaker panel. You can add a ground rod at the generator and that would be a "supplementary grounding electrode", but it would not be a substitute for the green equipment grounding conductor just mentioned. A supplementary ground rod is not required, but if you have one then it has to meet all the requirements of one for the service as specified under section 250.52. For example, it has to driven at least 8 feet deep.

 

The neutral is floating at the gen, not the ground. I think you are confusing the equipment ground with the earth electrode ground. Equipment ground is for clearing fault current. Earth electrode ground is for diverting lighting strikes.

 

pattenp......I am just confirming you are saying that in my case the 50amp cord will be grounding the generator to the home and unbond the neutral on the generator?

So there is no need to do anything additional like running a separate ground (50 feet in my case) to the existing home ground rod?

Just wanted to confirm this information.

Thank you for your attention.

 

That is correct. The equipment ground in the connection cable from the gen to the house power inlet is all you need. And the neutral needs to be unbonded at the gen.

 

That is correct. No ground rod needed.

To make it clear, when powering a home with a generator there can only be one bond. A bond is where the neutrals are tied to the grounds.

So the panel in your home is bonded already. If you hooked up a bonded generator you would then have two devices bonded. Not allowed per code.

So lift the bond at the gen. Then when you plug the gen into the home it gets its bond from the homes wiring.

After you unbond the gen without it plugged to the home use a tester like this in the generators outlet. start it. It should show open neutral.



Then plug the gen into the home and start it. Test the gen outlet. It should show normal correct wiring.

 

All of you are the best.

Thank you!!!

 

Thought I would give an update.....

Had to use the new generator tonight due to the nor-cal power interruption and everything is working great due to all the selfless advice. I have used it all.

Thank you everyone!!!