Removing bonded neutral at portable generator

C

clemver

Member
Location
PA
Occupation
Electrician
I'll be installing a ProTran2 generator transfer switch. If anyones not familiar with them, like me, this "panel" manually transfers each circuit, not the feeds, between generator and utility.

The way this thing is meant to be installed is bonded neutral at the panel. Which means I have to unbond at the generator. My question is, if the customer wants to also utilize one of the 120v GFIs on the generator while it's feeding this panel during a power outage, how would it be protected if there was a ground fault on the extension cord/equipment he's powering? Would the fact that they're GFIs protect against any fault current, and just trip the GFIs?
 
The (floated) neutral and ground from the generator are bonded together at the home's electrical system when interconnected.

Do some testing of those GFIs on the generator with the generator connected to the home.
 
shortcircuit2 said:
The (floated) neutral and ground from the generator are bonded together at the home's electrical system when interconnected.

Do some testing of those GFIs on the generator with the generator connected to the home.
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Right, but then if he were to use it while it's not connected to the home. My thinking is in that case, it's no different than replacing an ungrounded 2 prong outlet in your home with a GFI, which is code compliant.
 
CoolWill said:
The equipment ground in the cord should re-bond the generator frame when it is in use.
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How so? Cord neutral is would be contacting the generator floating neutral, and cord ground would just connect to the generator ground which isn't bonded to the neutral.
 
clemver said:
How so? Cord neutral is would be contacting the generator floating neutral, and cord ground would just connect to the generator ground which isn't bonded to the neutral.
Click to expand...
But the cord neutral is connected to the house neutral, which is bonded to ground, which is connected to the cord ground, which is connected to the generator ground.
 
clemver said:
Right, but then if he were to use it while it's not connected to the home. My thinking is in that case, it's no different than replacing an ungrounded 2 prong outlet in your home with a GFI, which is code compliant.
Click to expand...
In that scenario it does not come under NEC rules.
 
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