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Generator Docking Station Grounding

Merry Christmas

Shujinko

Senior Member
I have a project in design with a 4000A switchboard service main (normal side) and a 1000KW exterior generator with CB. All at 480Y/277V. The neutral and ground are bonded at the main switchboard and at the generator. All associated ATS's are 4-pole with a switched neutrals. Does my docking station have to be service entrance rated or non-service entrance rated? My biggest question is, when the docking station is connected to a temporary generator where does the neutral to ground connection come from? Do I need to establish another neutral to ground connection at the docking station for the times where the temporary generator is being used and the permanent generator is offline? Or does the docking station use the neutral to ground bond at the permanent generator when the temporary generator is connected to it?
 

Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
Occupation
Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
When a generator is a separately derived system, the bond to the enclosure/trailer, is considered the GEC. Whether it NEEDS to be a 4 pole system depends on whether it feeds a GFP breaker.
 

Shujinko

Senior Member
Yes, understood. In this case the generator is a separately dervied system, neu-grd bonded at the generator. We got GFP on the switchboard main since it's 4000A MCB & Ground fault alarm on the Generator. This is why we are using a 4-pole switched neutral system for the ATS's. But my real question is about the docking station when being used with a temporary generator.
 

Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
Occupation
Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
When a generator is a separately derived system, the bond to the enclosure/trailer, is considered the GEC. Whether it NEEDS to be a 4 pole system depends on whether it feeds a GFP breaker.
To clarify, my statement was not written correctly. When the portable generator is a separately derived system, it is required to be bonded to a grounding electrode system. Not sure how this is accomplished
 

qcroanoke

Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
Location
Roanoke, VA.
Occupation
Sorta retired........
I have a project in design with a 4000A switchboard service main (normal side) and a 1000KW exterior generator with CB. All at 480Y/277V. The neutral and ground are bonded at the main switchboard and at the generator. All associated ATS's are 4-pole with a switched neutrals. Does my docking station have to be service entrance rated or non-service entrance rated? My biggest question is, when the docking station is connected to a temporary generator where does the neutral to ground connection come from? Do I need to establish another neutral to ground connection at the docking station for the times where the temporary generator is being used and the permanent generator is offline? Or does the docking station use the neutral to ground bond at the permanent generator when the temporary generator is connected to it?
I would think it would use whatever source the ATS is connected to since in a switched neutral both systems should be bonded.
 
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