Country Joe
Argoshield Dark
- Messages
- 1,732
- Location
- Somerset - United Kingdom
II was just wondering about gennys, and how to earth them.
I've just got a Hyundai inverter, from a member on here, and I shall thank you now! "Thank-you!"
Anyway, the book seems to strongly suggest:- "To prevent shock from faulty appliances, the generator should be grounded"
I understand that you can hammer a conductor into the ground, and connect it to the earth terminal.
I have to admit I've run it once or twice without having done this, but in my defence, I was using something without a real earth pin, as it was double insulated (had the sign of a square within another square) and the earth pin was made of plastic.
Also, I don't think I've ever taken the trouble in the past, to take a good look at any other genny, to see how the grounding was arranged, as they were never my genny, and I didn't really consider it my business.
My next thought was that I could just use an RCD protected lead, but also read somewhere that the earth is somehow "associated with", or ("floating"?) or somehow connected to neutral, and that they would need to to be "un-associated" with each other for an RCD to work. And then (I seem to recall) you'd have to have a good earth present all the time it was being used from that point on, if the RCD was to work, anyway.
I'm guessing I'm maybe about to be shot down for using it so dangerously, and I suspect I'm going to be rigging up a rod, cable & lug - in the very near future.
I keep all my tools in good condition, no obvious knackered cables, or any other visual defects, and don't wreck or abuse them, but I realise that fault conditions generally happen without warning, and anything could happen plugged into mains supplies or generators, but I don't want to be too casual, or even too paranoid! I just can't seem to rid my head of this mental picture of me break-dancing in a remote field until the fuel runs out!
Just been casting my eye around what's here to use as a spike, don't fancy using the 2 metre scaffold tube (or carrying it about), and I'm guessing that "big screwdriver" size hammered into the earth might just be too small!
So, what's the consensus on size? Sort of cricket stump size would be convenient. Can't imagine smashing it into concrete or tarmac, so guessing not something you'd do regardless of location!
What do you guys use? (if anything) Can I get away with steel, or does it have to be copper?
Any info is welcome!
All the Best,
CJ
I've just got a Hyundai inverter, from a member on here, and I shall thank you now! "Thank-you!"
Anyway, the book seems to strongly suggest:- "To prevent shock from faulty appliances, the generator should be grounded"
I understand that you can hammer a conductor into the ground, and connect it to the earth terminal.
I have to admit I've run it once or twice without having done this, but in my defence, I was using something without a real earth pin, as it was double insulated (had the sign of a square within another square) and the earth pin was made of plastic.
Also, I don't think I've ever taken the trouble in the past, to take a good look at any other genny, to see how the grounding was arranged, as they were never my genny, and I didn't really consider it my business.
My next thought was that I could just use an RCD protected lead, but also read somewhere that the earth is somehow "associated with", or ("floating"?) or somehow connected to neutral, and that they would need to to be "un-associated" with each other for an RCD to work. And then (I seem to recall) you'd have to have a good earth present all the time it was being used from that point on, if the RCD was to work, anyway.
I'm guessing I'm maybe about to be shot down for using it so dangerously, and I suspect I'm going to be rigging up a rod, cable & lug - in the very near future.
I keep all my tools in good condition, no obvious knackered cables, or any other visual defects, and don't wreck or abuse them, but I realise that fault conditions generally happen without warning, and anything could happen plugged into mains supplies or generators, but I don't want to be too casual, or even too paranoid! I just can't seem to rid my head of this mental picture of me break-dancing in a remote field until the fuel runs out!
Just been casting my eye around what's here to use as a spike, don't fancy using the 2 metre scaffold tube (or carrying it about), and I'm guessing that "big screwdriver" size hammered into the earth might just be too small!
So, what's the consensus on size? Sort of cricket stump size would be convenient. Can't imagine smashing it into concrete or tarmac, so guessing not something you'd do regardless of location!
What do you guys use? (if anything) Can I get away with steel, or does it have to be copper?
Any info is welcome!
All the Best,
CJ
