Open ground question

Salvo wrote:
The probability of 2 faults occurring is much greater than just one fault. That why the unbonded system is a lot safer. You don't need to rely on the GFI to work. They do fail.

BTW, the unbonded system has the same protections in regards to circuit breaker and GFCI. Add GFCI then three faults need to occur to get an "ouch". That system is virtually bullet proof. I'll take my chances any day of the year with those odds.

Should ground short to neutral or to hot (which isn't any big deal), I believe the 3-lite ac tester will pick it up.

Sal

SCClockDr wrote:
With the generator neutral & ground un-bonded:

If the neutral happens to short to ground and you make contact with the hot while grounded, ouch!

If the hot happens to short to ground and you make contact with the neutral while grounded, ouch!

If bonded then a hot to ground short trips the breaker on overload & a neutral short to ground will trip a GFCI breaker or outlet on ground fault if it is between the short and the bonded source.

Actually with respect to GFI outlets, the chances of them trippinng when connected to a unbonded generator is pretty remote. GFI won't trip if there is less than 5ma of current imbalance between hot an neutral. try tripping a GFI outlet when connected to an unbonded generator. Every GFI outlet I have tested, along with GFI testers will NOT trip the GFI when connected to my unbonded honda 2000. For it to trip there would need to be a leakage path from hot through the trailer and the tires/jacks, back to the generator plastic case, and up to the generator neutral to trip the GFI. Unless it is really wet outside that is unlikely to happen. so, if you do get across a 120V GFI circuit, more than likely ALL the current through you is going from hot to neutral and the GFI won't trip, end result, at least a pretty nasty shock.

However, I still feel safer with an unbonded generator.