Been discussed here a few times, but can't remember the difference if any.Onan here has neutral bonded to frame and it is for RV use.https://www.usedvictoria.com/ReportSelectUsedAdPhoto2?used_ad_id=32655856&position=3&hb=1Typical portable gens have floating neutral and we don't use their chassis grounds. With that Onan are you supposed to link the chassis ground to the RV frame?In a motorhome set-up, how is that done? (that one in the ad came from the guy's 5er apparently )

Not sure of the question, but for an rev specific Onan, th3 neutral and ground are bonded, as the Onan is the power source. Both hot and neutral are switched in the transfer switch, so they are not bonded while o; shore power.I *think* that neutral and hot are bonded in RV specific inverters as well.

I was assuming the LP Onan in the ad is a portable gen, while the ones you see installed in MHs are different. I obviously don't have a clue about Onans, but am curious anyway.

The Onan generator in the ad is a model for installation, not a portable generator. It's a very, very common 4kW model used in a great many class C and smaller class A motorhomes, though the gasoline fueled variant is more popular than the LPG one. I have one of these (a gasoline version) in my motorhome, in fact, though quite possibly a different spec level.Portable generators don't have earth and neutral bonded because there is little if any safety to be gained by doing so in that application (neither one is typically earthed, and the entire output is floating, so fault current to earth is minimal to non-existent) and because it would lead to difficulties if the generator were ever connected to power an existing system with a ground/neutral bond. Having two bonds is a bad thing, I think at least partly because it leads to the safety ground becoming a current carrying conductor under non-fault conditions.

Gensets permanently installed in an RV have the neutral and ground bonded together. The one pictures is for permanent RV mounting. Ground should not be switched in transfer case.Verify which transfer switch you have. Transfer switch should switch phase conductors and neutral.Many portable gensets do not. It that case you may need to tie the neutral and ground together, This lies to some power systems so they operate correctly. Surge suppressors for one.

Forum Discussion

BFL13

Explorer II

Nov 27, 2018

Neutral to Frame vs Floating Neutral Question

Been discussed here a few times, but can't remember the difference if any.

Onan here has neutral bonded to frame and it is for RV use.

https://www.usedvictoria.com/ReportSelectUsedAdPhoto2?used_ad_id=32655856&position=3&hb=1

Typical portable gens have floating neutral and we don't use their chassis grounds. With that Onan are you supposed to link the chassis ground to the RV frame?

In a motorhome set-up, how is that done? (that one in the ad came from the guy's 5er apparently )

12 Replies

BFL13
Explorer II
Nov 27, 2018
I was assuming the LP Onan in the ad is a portable gen, while the ones you see installed in MHs are different. I obviously don't have a clue about Onans, but am curious anyway.
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Nov 27, 2018
Not sure of the question, but for an rev specific Onan, th3 neutral and ground are bonded, as the Onan is the power source. Both hot and neutral are switched in the transfer switch, so they are not bonded while o; shore power.

I *think* that neutral and hot are bonded in RV specific inverters as well.

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Neutral to Frame vs Floating Neutral Question

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