Honda generators

[jes25]

Hello everybody,

I have a customer who has a Honda Generator with a four wire 30A twistlock receptacle (among other 120 and 240 receps) I want to connect it to a transfer panel that does not switch the neutral; basically a small panel with two breakers interlocked.

It is not marked "floating neutral" I forgot to get the model #, but I can call her and get it. I saw nothing on the Honda website about whether or not the neutral was bonded on their various generators. Does anyone know a good way to know if the neutral is floating.

BTW- what would happen if it was bonded and and i hooked it up without switching the neutral? I can't think of anything.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

If you get the model number and download the instructions, you will usually find a wiring diagram that will show you if the neutral is bonded.

 

[WirenutNH]

I put in 30amp 10 cir gen tran, customer said he would by gen later. Got a call during last wind storm from customer saying main breaker on new Honda Gen keeps tripping? Went to home checked all connections all good. Went on gen tran web site they have a note that if this happens unit needs to be brought to dealer to see if it can be changed over to non GFI due to this type of gen being set up for job site GFI req.

 

[LarryFine]

I would think a continuity tester would tell you. Or, open the panel and trace the white and green wires.

I've seen them jumped right on the receptacles, making for easy de-bonding.

 

[jes25]

If you get the model number and download the instructions, you will usually find a wiring diagram that will show you if the neutral is bonded.

They charge to download the manual. Quite a scam IMO.

 

[jes25]

I put in 30amp 10 cir gen tran, customer said he would by gen later. Got a call during last wind storm from customer saying main breaker on new Honda Gen keeps tripping? Went to home checked all connections all good. Went on gen tran web site they have a note that if this happens unit needs to be brought to dealer to see if it can be changed over to non GFI due to this type of gen being set up for job site GFI req.

Yeah, if the recep you plugged into if GFI protected it would certainly trip if it wasn't a floating neutral, but I didn't know those twistlocks had GFI protection. What GFI tripped? The regular GFI receptacle on the generator?

 

[jes25]

I would think a continuity tester would tell you. Or, open the panel and trace the white and green wires.

I've seen them jumped right on the receptacles, making for easy de-bonding.

You don't worry about voiding the warranty or tampering with a piece of listed equipment?

 

[LarryFine]

You don't worry about voiding the warranty or tampering with a piece of listed equipment?

No. I take everything apart at least once.

 

[ron]

BTW- what would happen if it was bonded and and i hooked it up without switching the neutral? I can't think of anything.

I wish I had the time to draw a 5 wire diagram for you neatly, but if you do it, you would see that with a 3 pole xfer switch and a n-g bond at both the utility and the gen, when the utility is the source that there would be objectionable current on the grounding conductors at the gen from the normal neutral current on the utility side attempting to go back to its source partially (although a small amount) via the n-g bond and then the grounding conductors.
I recall a nice graphic of this a while back, but I cannot find it.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

They charge to download the manual. Quite a scam IMO.

There is no charge to download a pdf of the manual. The charge is to purchase a paper copy.
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/manuals/Default.aspx

 

[hunt4679]

On some of the Hondas they say to "de-bond" because of that problem just had it happen with a customer last year they had something on their site to walk you through it

 

[WirenutNH]

Honda makes a generator that is osha listed for job sites and the 30 amp 120/240v tl rec is gfi protect. Great idea if the gen is being used on a job but it trip:confused when it is connected to a gen tran.

 

[hillbilly1]

My uncles Honda was the same way, he bought it specifically to run lights and power for a picnic shelter and cabin. I had to disable the ground fault, because the feeder was an old triplex installed in the late 70's. If I remember correctly, I only had to unplug a wire on the groundfault module.