Is it necessary to earth generator?

jeepnudger · Senior Member

Is it necessary to earth generator?

Mike Harding · Guru

No.

And it is safer if you do not - for a free standing installation, ie. a caravan on its own in a field.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
No.
And it is safer if you do not - for a free standing installation, ie. a caravan on its own in a field.

Correct.

This is also the recommendation of the electrical authorities.

You can not achieve a reliable earth with a caravan in any case. It is simply not possible.

HOWEVER, you should change the RCD to an RVD for better safety.

Cheers,

Peter

Mike Harding · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
>This is also the recommendation of the electrical authorities.
Actually it isn't but they are wrong.
>You can not achieve a reliable earth with a caravan in any case. It is simply not possible
Irrelevant: a caravan is a floating item.
Unless you have a situation where your caravan will be connected to both a generator/inverter *AND* the mains then don't earth it - there is no point in so doing and it probably increase the risk of shock.

kgarnett · Senior Member

AS/NZS 3001:2008 ......Section 2, para 2.4.1 :

"When the portable generator or inverter is supplying a transportable structure, the generator or inverter and the transportable structure shall be equipotentially

bonded together by the supply lead and associated fittings.

Connection of the equipotential bonding system to an earth electrode is not required or recommended."

-- Edited by kgarnett on Thursday 16th of December 2021 07:54:42 AM

Mike Harding · Guru

And as I stated to you in email a few weeks ago doing so increases the risk of shock.

SoloMC · Senior Member

Many years ago NSW Workcover were going to require that every genny on a ute be connected to a earth rod driven into the ground.
thankfully they didnt go ahead with that idea. Things were moving ahead at warp speed re elcbs and very few knew how they actually worked

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Potential bond and earth ? We know the difference. The last thing you want is different potential between two devices ! Not necessary earth to ground !