Generator Polarity

Tell us more about what you want to power and how you camp. Do you want to run the AC, micro, toaster? Do you have an INverter? That loud generator or runing a quieter gen too much is just going to tick people off. Dont do it! You will be the jerk everywhere you go. If running a gen you need to build a quiet plan.

Here is something that will kinda trip you out on a generator.

Take a voltage reading from the ground to the hot terminal. IT will probably read 62 or so volts! Take the same from the neutral to the ground. Same 60ish volts not take it from hot to neutral 120!!

This had me kinda freaking out once on my old Polaris open fram till I was told it is normal. I have not tried it on my Honda's yet

Chris

I just got home and read all replies. I'll attempt to answer all.
Generally I'm deep in the national forest or way out in the desert. My closest neighbors are miles away. I usually only run the big generator for 2 hours mid-morning then 2 hours early evening. I do have micro inverter but it really drains the 2 onboard deep cycle batteries.

The new quieter generator, when running and plugged to trailer reverses furnace circuit and a/c. When the big generator is running everything works normally. I did notice on the little generator it does have grounding post for wire, but nothing in the manual says it MUST be grounded. And if it does need to be grounded, would I go to the trailer chassis?

reverses the furnace circuit and A/C

you mean the blowers run backwards ?

assuming you use the same shore cord for BOTH generators
and don;t have some home made adapter that is crossed wired

return that generator NOW.. do not use
something is seriously wrong, it is impossible for 120v shaded pole motor to run backwards on CORRECT 120v power especially since they work on the big generator, to run a motor backwards, normally requires switching the phase of the wiring, single phase motors have to have extra windings to run backwards and cant run backwards if not wired for it
this generator is faulty and dangerous

this is not a plug or neutral bond problem

Not that the motors work or run inreverse, more that on the big generator the furnace works when selected. Then the lil generator when I select furnace the Air Conditioners kicks on not the furance and vice versa.

onemountainman wrote:
I do have micro inverter but it really drains the 2 onboard deep cycle batteries.

Are sure the batteries are getting 95%+ charged?
Check the charging voltage as you need to be 14.2+ volts on the battery for that 2 hours of generator time.

Do you have LED lamps for interior lighting?

onemountainman wrote:
Not that the motors work or run inreverse, more that on the big generator the furnace works when selected. Then the lil generator when I select furnace the Air Conditioners kicks on not the furance and vice versa.

Any chance you have a heat pump or a heat strip up in the air conditioner?

Very odd as the controls work on 12v as far as I know so reversal from generator power seems strange.

I was able to grab a picture of the control board for the new generator PH2100PRi.

here is the control board on the new generator.

When I run the big generator it appears the batteries are charging, I will check them to ensure I'm receiving >14v

I was looking at the Surge Protectors that correct polarity issues, any thoughts on those?

http://www.powerhouse-products.com/wp-content/themes/twentyeleven-child/images/gallery/2100PRi_Panel-400.jpg