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08-18-2022, 08:16 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,841
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Generator ground rod
was looking at the predator 3500 user manual and they say that you should always have a ground rod hooked up while using…Generac says similar especially they note of hooking up to a building or rv…any thoughts?
seems crazy to drive a 8 ft brass or copper ground rod every place i boondock…
i’ve had many generators and never did that..they say when using extension cords for power tools it’s not needed but when hooking up to rv or building yes
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2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
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08-18-2022, 08:48 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,457
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jasin1
was looking at the predator 3500 user manual and they say that you should always have a ground rod hooked up while using…Generac says similar especially they note of hooking up to a building or rv…any thoughts?
seems crazy to drive a 8 ft brass or copper ground rod every place i boondock…
i’ve had many generators and never did that..they say when using extension cords for power tools it’s not needed but when hooking up to rv or building yes
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https://rvpower.southwire.com/produc...g-model-44400/
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2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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08-18-2022, 09:18 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,841
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Javi
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yeah i have one of them and use it for the rv …the ground rod seems like overkill but it’s in the electric code that if your using extension cord powered small tools then it’s not required but if you connect to any building, structure or trailer you need to use a proper ground rod https://www.jadelearning.com/blog/gr...le-generators/
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2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
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08-18-2022, 11:52 AM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,762
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This has been an on again off again conversation but I haven't seen it come up in a few years. My generator at home says the same and by code I have a ground rod next to it and the generator feeds a manual transfer switch. I don't know of any camper that uses a ground rod and with a bonded neutral plug it isn't necessary as the odds of loosing the neutral and the ground is pretty slim.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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08-18-2022, 12:40 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 2,910
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Bob & Becky
2012 3402 Montana
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC
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08-18-2022, 01:07 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,457
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jasin1
yeah i have one of them and use it for the rv …the ground rod seems like overkill but it’s in the electric code that if your using extension cord powered small tools then it’s not required but if you connect to any building, structure or trailer you need to use a proper ground rod https://www.jadelearning.com/blog/gr...le-generators/
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You might want to read it again.. What it says is not applicable to an RV unless you are also plugged into shore power and using a transfer switch to switch between the portable genset and shore power..
I know that I am not plugged into shore power when using my genset and I'm pretty sure that no one else is, if powering an RV through the power plug.
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2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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08-18-2022, 01:47 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,841
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alright thanks everybody..i was just looking thru my HF manual and saw this..i guess i needed to read a little bit more into it…i will ground it for my house in an emergency but otherwise i’m good thanks..and your right Javi i should have paid more attention to the article
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2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
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08-20-2022, 03:45 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Suwanee
Posts: 414
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jasin1
alright thanks everybody..i was just looking thru my HF manual and saw this..i guess i needed to read a little bit more into it…i will ground it for my house in an emergency but otherwise i’m good thanks..and your right Javi i should have paid more attention to the article
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I have one for the house...had it for probably 5 years now. Still starts on first pull. I have a copper rod by the corner of the house. Never considered taking the generator camping. That thing is heavy and loud, but when the power goes out at home, I don't care. It's worked better than I could've asked for.
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08-20-2022, 08:59 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Home, Idaho
Posts: 3,015
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Been running gensets with my RVs for many man6 years.,old open frame units and currently Honda 2000s
Never used a ground rod with any of them..
If the installation is for a house then that’s a different flavor all together
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2007 GMC Classic club cab 4x4 Duramax LBZ
2014 Alpine 3010 RE. 34 foot fifth wheel
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08-20-2022, 03:27 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Mico, TX
Posts: 7,477
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If you desire to install a ground rod with your camper's generator here in the Texas Hill Country, call me so I can watch. You can get through the top soil of about 1/8" then hit ROCK. A rock auger attachment on a big tractor was needed to dig the hole for my first light pole and it took them 6 hours. I put a ground rod in for my shop and got to about a foot with a hammer drill and it just wore me out. The shop box better be grounded with a foot of the Hill Country around the rod. It is grounded at the pole source where I pulled the feeder line from anyway.
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wiredgeorge Mico TX
2006 F350 CC 4WD 6.0L
2002 Keystone Cougar 278
2006 GL1800 Roadsmith Trike
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08-20-2022, 03:37 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,700
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wiredgeorge
If you desire to install a ground rod with your camper's generator here in the Texas Hill Country, call me so I can watch. You can get through the top soil of about 1/8" then hit ROCK. A rock auger attachment on a big tractor was needed to dig the hole for my first light pole and it took them 6 hours. I put a ground rod in for my shop and got to about a foot with a hammer drill and it just wore me out. The shop box better be grounded with a foot of the Hill Country around the rod. It is grounded at the pole source where I pulled the feeder line from anyway.
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George skip the small stuff....dynamite. We were building a cabin in the woods and they built us a power line. The holes for the poles all had to be "opened" with dynamite. All well and good, we got used to the "boom/whoomphs" but when I was sitting in the trailer one day eating a sandwich and about a 3 lb. rock hit the roof of the trailer I almost jumped out a window. So, use it with care...
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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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