Electrical Wizards: Open Ground

Bypass switch only disables the ground and voltage checks that are unnecessary when using an inverter generator such as a Honda. If voltage sags the Honda shuts down for overload.

Bobbo wrote:

smkettner wrote:
Progressive should have a bypass switch... use it.

Never use the bypass switch for this. It disables most of the protections. Make the bonding plug.

RoyB beat me to the pictures.

Have the plug.

However - please note:

The portable PI EMS does *not* have a bypass switch..:D

Have had my 50 amp PI for several years - maybe the new ones have that feature - or it's only on the hard-wired version..:h

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deleted--wrong thread! :(

RoyB wrote:
Here is a couple of pictures of what is being talked about for bonding the generator... Replace plug cover when done...

Roy:

Ha Ha! Your pics reminded me how dumb I am! :S I recently built a noise reduction box to house my EU2000i and on that box mounted an intake fan to draw air into the box and direct it at the genset. I wired the fan with a 2-pin male plug which plugs into one of the two outlets on the genset ... the camper plugs into the other outlet so in order to provide the necessary G-N bonding for the Surge Guard that I installed in our trailer I made up a short G-N bonding adapter that goes between the trailer's main service cable and the genset. DOH! :S ... I could have just wired the fan up with a 3-pin male plug and bonded the G-N together so that as soon as I plug the fan in the genset is automatically bonded, no separate adapter needed. Geez, I'm so dumb! :o ... gotta go change that now! ... thanks for the clarity! :B

diazr2 wrote:
Thanks to all. I did the plug jumper wire and it worked perfectly. My generator is now back to working with my EMS... )

The OP has solved his problem but for anyone else who may be interested here's an easy to understand explanation as to why generator bonding may be necessary when powering your RV with a genset.

My hope was to show the difference between AC source that utilize a transformer neutral versus a single phase transformer or genset. No potential between neutral and earth ground on one versus potential on the other.

Worth musing: A person can hang in mid-air via a rope and still get jolted by an ignition coil. Who is going to offer the explanation for this?

Throw a learning experience into this ;-)

smkettner wrote:
Progressive should have a bypass switch... use it.

Never use the bypass switch for this. It disables most of the protections. Make the bonding plug.

RoyB beat me to the pictures.

Thanks to all. I did the plug jumper wire and it worked perfectly. My generator is now back to working with my EMS... Thanks again to all who helped. OH and Mexicowanderer? Yeah I am sure all that is true but it's way above my pay grade. I do love to hear you talk about electricity though even if I don't know what your saying :-)

Not to try and confuse but H1, H2, H3 is high voltage transformer (power pole) inlet the high voltage side.

Low voltage to house or RV is combinatio of phases L1, L2, L3, and L0 (zero) for N neutral.

Small generators and small transformers downstream of a service drop have H1, H2. Then X1 and X2 on the low side.

Something tells me explaining this using diagrams would be better. The different designations prevents mistakes in identifying transformer taps.

With a tapped neutral transformer there "should be" no potential between neutral and earth ground.

I'd better stop while I'm behind...

Progressive should have a bypass switch... use it.