Pages: 1 2 [3]   Go Down

Author Topic: Field Operation: generator ground or not?  (Read 10947 times)

NK7Z

  • Member
  • Posts: 2525
    • Amateur Radio: RFI help, Reviews, Setup information, and more...
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #30 on: September 18, 2018, 05:54:27 AM »

and then the water rolls off of the covering...
Logged
Thanks,
Dave
Amateur Radio: RFI help, Reviews, Setup information, and more...
https://www.nk7z.net

K5LXP

  • Member
  • Posts: 6823
    • homeURL
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #31 on: September 18, 2018, 07:56:21 AM »


The wet ground scenario is a valid point.  The deal with grounds is you either need to make a solid connection, or well-insulate to remove any doubt.  My genset housing is all plastic.  I think there's a ground screw/lug somewhere on the panel but there's no exposed metal anywhere that would contact the ground.  Short of running even a metal frame genset in a puddle and standing in the same puddle using equipment with a ground fault seems kind of implausible,  but not impossible I guess.  But I would still go with the notion that gensets should not be grounded when used with plug and cord equipment.  Grounding just ensures there could be a shock risk contrasted to "depends" if the frame is inadvertently grounding through moist soil.  How far one carries "not grounded" is up to them but it could be as simple as just the rubber feet or plastic wheels on the unit.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
 

Logged

K6AER

  • Member
  • Posts: 7159
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #32 on: September 23, 2018, 11:15:15 AM »

Mark,

What you have said is very true but that means the whole station wiring scenario has to be isolated from ground. Any grounding of the station at the antenna, operating position or elsewhere not places a possible ground loop and what happens if the return natural or safety return ground path opens up?

Also generators have exposure to a lightning strike in the field. One year my portable (Debatable) 15 KW Genset got hit by lightning in the Rockies. If we did not have a ground rod in at the generator point then the whole field day camp would have had high voltage potential. Several of our stations had beams on Metal posts and verticals mounted on pipes in the ground. So the ground path was there. with out a ground at the generator each of these stations would have become expensive fuses.


Maybe it doesn't matter with a small portable (1KW) generator 20 feet from the tent but is a larger operation with power cables going out in all directions I think a ground rod is necessary.
Logged

G4AON

  • Member
  • Posts: 2178
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #33 on: October 27, 2018, 11:55:42 AM »

the book on my genset says drive a ground rod and ground the control panel, which grounds the genset. even if it's not code, it's a good idea. even if the genset book is Changlish.
My Yamaha EF2800i manual says to connect the frame earthing bolt to a ground rod. From memory, the generator "mains" output is isolated from the frame.

The generator manual is written in quite good English.

73 Dave
Logged

VU2NAN

  • Member
  • Posts: 324
    • Amateur Radio VU2NAN - Nandu
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #34 on: October 30, 2018, 10:13:42 PM »

All reasons for not earthing a portable generator installation could also be assigned to stationary generator and mains-powered installations to avoid earthing them too!

The common assumption that it would be safer not to earth an installation, whose neutral is not earthed, does not hold water. There is always the danger of electrocution from the remaining line or lines, should one of the lines make accidental earth contact.

In the event of earth leakage or short circuit, a properly grounded installation would be powered off by its circuit breakers to eliminate the danger and warn the operator.

73,

Nandu.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2018, 10:28:49 PM by VU2NAN »
Logged

KB8VUL

  • Member
  • Posts: 654
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #35 on: June 20, 2019, 07:15:44 PM »

For safety, ground everything.  And ground it to a single point, meaning if you ground the generator, the antenna surge suppression, radio and equipment grounds and all the rest need to land on that same ground. 
With a temp station it's more important to properly ground than if it's hard installed.  Reason is that everything is on cords that get kicked, stomped and beaten.  To have a cord fail and put 110 on the earth wire in a cord is not outside to realm of possibility due to cord damage.  With conduit in a wall, it's a good bit harder to cause that sort of shorting damage. 

The other reason to earth it all to a common point is that GFI outlets require an earth to work properly.  Don't be the guy that didn't earth and someone got shocked and hurt,,, and you get sued.

Logged

K6AER

  • Member
  • Posts: 7159
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #36 on: July 09, 2019, 06:19:41 PM »

Single point grounds are fine if the electrical circuits are withen 100 feet of the ground main rod.
During field day the tents can be 500 feet away. This is why each home has it own ground rod.
Logged

K5LXP

  • Member
  • Posts: 6823
    • homeURL
RE: Field Operation: generator ground or not?
« Reply #37 on: July 10, 2019, 08:23:58 PM »


Article describing the fault paths of grounded portable generators:

https://www.jadelearning.com/grounding-requirements-for-portable-generators/

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM
Logged
Pages: 1 2 [3]   Go Up