Surge protection with Generator

[Skirugger]

For those of you with portable surge protection (I have a EMS PT 30X), are you using them with your generator? In the manual it just says “NEVER plug an EMS into an inverter. EMS units can be used with inverter generators”. Can be.....but is that what everyone is doing? Also, on their website it says never use a protector that is laying on the ground......where most generators spend a lot of their time.

What do you do, and how has it been working out?

Thanks,
Jim

[Jerryr]

The only issue I would see using it with a generator is that it would display a fault because generator neutral is floating and not bonded to the ground connection. http://ricksdiy.com/generators/porta...-honda-yamaha/

I run my trailer with my hard wired EMS off my Honda Inverter generator but I use a bonding plug to connect neutral to ground.

[Skirugger]

http://ricksdiy.com/generators/porta...-honda-yamaha/

Thank you! I should have started with the disclaimer that “I am completely ignorant to electricity & it’s mysterious wizardly ways”. I am reading and re-reading the link you posted, trying to understand it, at least on an application level.

I believe my Champion 3400w IG to be the type of generator described..... floating or unbonded, so I need to get comfortable with what’s going on. My generator is not “grounded” in the truest sense of the word, and in order for my portable EMS to function properly (I.e. it will sense a grounded electrical current). So I need to create a “grounded condition”, and the article you sent describes that as a N-G Bonded Edison Plug. I am guessing that gets plugged into one of my 120v 20a outlets on the front panel?

To further complicate my understanding, my generator has a “ground terminal” on the front panel. *mind blown thoroughly now*. The manual mentions grounding to a copper stake that you drive into the actual ground...... do people really do this?










Thanks again for your help with this, I have tried many times over the years to understand electrical...but it never seems to sink in properly. My wife makes fun of me for watching YouTube videos like “how does electricity work” and “Amperage, Voltage, and Wattage explained”, hahahaha.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

For those of you with portable surge protection (I have a EMS PT 30X), are you using them with your generator? In the manual it just says “NEVER plug an EMS into an inverter. EMS units can be used with inverter generators”. Can be.....but is that what everyone is doing? Also, on their website it says never use a protector that is laying on the ground......where most generators spend a lot of their time.

What do you do, and how has it been working out?

Thanks,
Jim

Never.
We have the same EMS.
The way I understand it is the EMS should be used when we’re at a campground because the power there can fluctuate or have issues.
The power from our Honda generator is constant and reliable so the EMS isn’t necessary.



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[Coheeba]

Never.
We have the same EMS.
The way I understand it is the EMS should be used when we’re at a campground because the power there can fluctuate or have issues.
The power from our Honda generator is constant and reliable so the EMS isn’t necessary.

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So with a hardwire unit running a generator you would switch the bypass on the EMS, Correct?

[DaveMatthewsBand]

So with a hardwire unit running a generator you would switch the bypass on the EMS, Correct?

Exactly.


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[Jerryr]

If your uncomfortable making your own neutral/ground bonding plug you can buy one for less than $20.
https://rvpartssource.com/southwire-44400

https://www.microair.net/products/ge...12272654155860


Just plug it into an unused 15 amp outlet on the generator. Simple. Then you can use your generator with a portable or hard wired EMS safely and the EMS will function to prevent other voltage anomalies

[zadiemay]

Exactly.

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How do you bypass a hardwired EMS? - I may need future reference! THANKS

[gbkims]

To further complicate my understanding, my generator has a “ground terminal” on the front panel. *mind blown thoroughly now*. The manual mentions grounding to a copper stake that you drive into the actual ground...... do people really do this?

No ground rod for how we're using the portable generators for our RVs.

About the only time you'd ground one is for a home or business building thru a transfer switch that switches the Neutral wire.
That's like having a whole house Generac generator that's pad mounted next to your house for standby power.

[J&G garage]

How do you bypass a hardwired EMS? - I may need future reference! THANKS

You flip the bypass switch to bypass mode. On the EMS that is.