Are Ground Bonding Plugs required for Each Inverter/Genny?

[Baja_Man]

I am installing a new Progressive Industries hard wired EMS (EMS-HW30C).

I want to use a ground-neutral bonding plug on inverters/gennys to avoid using my by-pass function.

I plan on using my two Champion 2500W Dual Fuel inverters combined, using the Champion 30AMP ParaLINK Parallel kit.

Will each inverter/genny need its own plug or will one plug on one them suffice?

Thanks!

[BFL13]

Good catch, DrewE

https://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/default.aspx?filename=ngjpyNY.p9ZVj5K1w

Page 22 of that has the wiring diagram, where it seems the ground for the receptacle goes to GT and so does what could well be the chassis ground.

EDIT--the thing also to GT in that diagram appears to be the paralleling connection, which has three pins to it. You see the plugs on the two cords from the kit here--they are sort of triangular and go in the same shaped receptacle on the gen.( I looked at mine under its cover flap--three holes for prongs) I do not have a wiring diagram for the kit.

So it seems one of the kit three prongs goes to GT

https://www.briggsandstratton.ca/na/en_ca/product-catalog/portable-generators/inverter-parallel-kit....

Glad we got that cleared up! Gads!

[DrewE]

BFL13 wrote:
My B&S P2200 portable inverter gen manual says, "--the AC stator winding is isolated from the grounding fastener and the AC receptacle ground pins. On a floating neutral generator the AC receptacle ground pins are not functional. Electrical devices, such as a GFCI, requiring a functioning ground pin will not operate."

That says nothing about the ground pin being isolated from the grounding fastener; those are indeed tied together. It's just saying (in a rather confusing, roundabout way) that the neutral--the stator winding--is not bonded to the two ground connections, but rather isolated from them.

I have no idea why they suggest a GFCI requires a functioning ground pin to operate. A GFCI specifically does not need a ground to operate. In fact, using a GFCI is one acceptable way, I think the only one permitted by the NEC, to install a receptacle accepting a three-prong grounded plug in an ungrounded two-wire AC branch circuit.

[BFL13]

My B&S P2200 portable inverter gen manual says, "--the AC stator winding is isolated from the grounding fastener and the AC receptacle ground pins. On a floating neutral generator the AC receptacle ground pins are not functional. Electrical devices, such as a GFCI, requiring a functioning ground pin will not operate."

[2112]

wnjj wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
In the link for the Link it shows the yellow wires going to each gen's chassis ground lug.

How does the chassis ground for the gen connect to the gen's receptacles' neutrals by using the bonding plug unless the gen's chassis is connected to the receptacles' grounds?

Is that what wnjj meant above?

Yes, the ground pins on the 20A receptacle are connected internally to the ground lug, which is where you attach the parallel kit ground.

I just verified this on all four of my Champions, one being an inverter model. The receptacle ground prong is tied to the external ground lug on all of them. He will connect the yellow/green striped ground wire to the ground lug and plug a bonding plug into any receptacle on either generator. This will bond ground to neutral on all receptacles. You want to bond at only 1 point.

[BFL13]

wnjj wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
In the link for the Link it shows the yellow wires going to each gen's chassis ground lug.

How does the chassis ground for the gen connect to the gen's receptacles' neutrals by using the bonding plug unless the gen's chassis is connected to the receptacles' grounds?

Is that what wnjj meant above?

Yes, the ground pins on the 20A receptacle are connected internally to the ground lug, which is where you attach the parallel kit ground.

See my edit from the B&S manual above though.

[wnjj]

BFL13 wrote:
In the link for the Link it shows the yellow wires going to each gen's chassis ground lug.

How does the chassis ground for the gen connect to the gen's receptacles' neutrals by using the bonding plug unless the gen's chassis is connected to the receptacles' grounds?

Is that what wnjj meant above?

Yes, the ground pins on the 20A receptacle are connected internally to the ground lug, which is where you attach the parallel kit ground.

[BFL13]

In the link for the Link it shows the yellow wires going to each gen's chassis ground lug.

How does the chassis ground for the gen connect to the gen's receptacles' neutrals by using the bonding plug unless the gen's chassis is connected to the receptacles' grounds?

Is that what wnjj meant above?

My B&S P2200 portable inverter gen manual says, "--the AC stator winding is isolated from the grounding fastener and the AC receptacle ground pins. On a floating neutral generator the AC receptacle ground pins are not functional. Electrical devices, such as a GFCI, requiring a functioning ground pin will not operate."

[Bobbo]

wa8yxm wrote:
As I understand it the parallel link has only two wires to each generator. Thus you will need to bond at the 30 amp outlet in the P-link.

I don't know about the Champion paralleling system, but the Honda paralleling system has 3 wires between the generators. It bonds the Hot, Neutral, and Ground. The bonding plug can go in any outlet as long as that outlet is on one of the generators.

And no, you do not need a bonding plug on each generator. One, on either generator, is sufficient.

ON EDIT: I just looked up the Champion parallel kits. They, also, have 3 wires. They have Hot, Neutral, and Ground.

[2112]

You need only 1 plugged into either genny. This will bond the yellow/green wires to either the red or black wires on both gennys. I don't know which is neutral.

You can verify this by plugging your bonding plug into either genny and measure resistance from the ground to neutral on either receptacle on the paralink. It should measure close to 0. Unplug your bonding plug and resistance should go high. All this with it powered Off of course.

[wa8yxm]

As I understand it the parallel link has only two wires to each generator. Thus you will need to bond at the 30 amp outlet in the P-link. Easiest way (if said assembly is not molded) is to open the outlet assembly and add a jumper.. Just make sure you jumper the PROPER (Neutral/Ground) pins.

Actually with inverter generators the Surge Guard is not needed so you an use the bypass mode safely.

But there is still a good reason to bond.

[wnjj]

BFL13 wrote:

Baja Man wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
OP is asking about plugging into gens, but the two receptacles are in the paraLink.

The neutral-grounding plugs I am referring to are plugged into the inverters 120V receptacle

I have seen the bonded 15a adapters used for that and you would have one on the shore power cord plug. You say you will be using the parallel kit, so you will be plugging into one of the two 30a paraLink receptacles depending on your plug type, not into one of the gens.

Do you intend to have a 30a adapter modified to be bonded? Very confusing.

He’s planning to plug the RV into the paraLink kit but the bonding plug into one of the 120V receptacles on one of the generators.

The answer is it will work fine so long as the ground wire (I.e. the screw loop terminal) from the paraLink is connected to the ground lug on the generator with the bonding plug.

All bonding does is connect the green ground wire to the neutral. Once all neutrals are connected to each other and all grounds are connected to each other bonding can be done on either generator or at the unused the paraLink receptacle.

[bob213]

When I parallel my Hondas it only takes 1 (one) bonding plug. Either generator and your EMS will see a common ground.

[BFL13]

Baja Man wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
OP is asking about plugging into gens, but the two receptacles are in the paraLink.

The neutral-grounding plugs I am referring to are plugged into the inverters 120V receptacle

I have seen the bonded 15a adapters used for that and you would have one on the shore power cord plug. You say you will be using the parallel kit, so you will be plugging into one of the two 30a paraLink receptacles depending on your plug type, not into one of the gens.

Do you intend to have a 30a adapter modified to be bonded? Very confusing.

[Baja_Man]

BFL13 wrote:
OP is asking about plugging into gens, but the two receptacles are in the paraLink.

The neutral-grounding plugs I am referring to are plugged into the inverters 120V receptacle