Open ground question
When testing my coach outlets with a plug in tester it indicates " open ground" on all circuits when I am powering with my portable generator. The GFI circuits do not break but show the same open gro...
Forum Discussion
The only argument the pro bonding folks have is code, code, code. That's no argument at all! The RV code is constantly changing. They don't know what the H they're doing. It's perfectly legal to operate an unbonded generator in a RV that's rated something like 4000W or less. Why 4000W? It's arbitrary. Just 20 mA current through the heart will kill you.
The argument against bonding is plain and clear.
1. You can't drive a metal rod 5 feet deep in the ground each time you start the generator. It's improbably RV electronics will survive a lightning strike anyways. Therefore forget the ground rod.
2. Bonding generator neutral to RV chassis serves no purpose. There are no benefits. Since there are no 100 ft high power lines involved, lightning is not an issue. It is significantly less safe. You are just one fault away from electrocution.
3. An unbonded system together with a 3-lite ground fault monitor is virtually bullet proof.
Sal
The argument against bonding is plain and clear.
1. You can't drive a metal rod 5 feet deep in the ground each time you start the generator. It's improbably RV electronics will survive a lightning strike anyways. Therefore forget the ground rod.
2. Bonding generator neutral to RV chassis serves no purpose. There are no benefits. Since there are no 100 ft high power lines involved, lightning is not an issue. It is significantly less safe. You are just one fault away from electrocution.
3. An unbonded system together with a 3-lite ground fault monitor is virtually bullet proof.
Sal
