icanon wrote:
Question for everyone who uses an inverter generator.
Do you use a surge guard when running a generator or is it not neccessary?
Reason why I know many of you use one to protect a/c from low voltage etc. so is it required? I'm talking surge guard that are not permanently installed, I'm asking about the portable ones.
The correct answer is "it depends" ;) - on the particulars of both the generator and the surge protector you're using and has little to do with whether the surge protector is portable or hard wired.
I have a Honda EU2000i which has a floating neutral output & an early version TRC Surge Guard #34730 without the LCD display panel and found those two would play well together. I've also powered that early version SG with my EU2000i's floating neutral output bonded and although it worked fine with this particular combination some surge protection owner's manuals warn against bonding. That early version SG was replaced by the #34730-001 which does have an LCD screen but since then that version has been supplanted by the new #34830 which includes open ground detection and I suspect it would
not be wise to plug it into a generator's floating neutral output nor would bonding be a good idea.
Just last week I replaced that portable TRC Surge Guard with a hard wire Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C and the owner's manual specifically warns to
never the plug the EMS into
any inverter of
any kind so emailed PI to see if that includes inverter gensets as well. In the meantime, I wired my new EMS into my trailer using standard 30 amp RV connectors so those times I may want to power the trailer either with my 1000 watt PSW inverter or my Honda EU2000i inverter genset I can simply remove the EMS entirely from the system.
Generator make / model could also be very important ... consider this
Progressive Industries Disclaimer which warns to
never use any of their EMS units with a Yamaha EF2000iS generator. I emailed PI for clarification and the answer is this particular genset at certain phases in it's operation produces a non-sinusoidal waveform that can destroy the PI EMS units ... do so and your PI lifetime warranty is voided. This in part is the most recent reply I received from Progressive on this subject ...
"Concerning the use of a generator with an inverter, our EMS are designed to be used in the RV environment using a commercial power source. The hazard to our device when using an aftermarket generator, is that some provide a modified sine output, which can cause damage. Others provide a pure sine wave at all times, and others will switch to a modified sine wave under heavy loads. The portion of our units than can be damaged is the surge protect and is not bypassed using the bypass switch. Since there are many brands of generators on the market and numerous models I can not offer specific guidance on which one to select."As often is the case the devil is in the details and I sure wouldn't take WAGs from online discussions like this as gospel when the only correct answer to your question
really is "it depends". ;)