Grounding Rod For Portable Generators Necessary?

[eastexan]

The instructions (below) that came with my new 5500w portable generator says to install a ground rod at least 24" deep.
I'm going to be using it to power my welding machine, power tools, air compressor, etc. from the back of my farm trailer, wherever it's needed.

Maybe I've led a sheltered life, but I never heard of this before. I guess it makes sense, but I've never known anyone that's actually pounded in a ground rod before using their generator.
Also, you don't see guys with Miller Bobcats in the back of their trucks pounding in ground rods where they're working.

Is this just the manufacturer covering himself, or is this actually written as code?

Grounding The Generator:
GROUNDING TERMINAL(9)#6 AWG GROUNDING WIRE(NOT INCLUDED) GROUNDING ROD(NOT INCLUDED)
FIGURE B
Note: It is recommended that only a licensed electrician perform this procedure.

Connect a #6 AWG grounding wire (not included) from the Grounding Terminal (9) on the Generator to a grounding rod (not included) that has been driven at least 24 inches deep into the earth. The grounding rod must be an earth-driven copper or brass rod (electrode) which can adequately ground the Generator. (See Figure B.)

 

[bcp]

Note: It is recommended that only a licensed electrician perform this procedure.

And they want you to call an electrician to hook it to the ground rod every time you move it!

Bruce

 

[Rustyiron]

I think it might be osha bullsh!t, we used to get warned about that (while the genny was sitting there in 3" of mud!)
Been using portable generators for 30 years on the job and have never grounded it, he!! it sits on the ground:laughing:

 

[Clint S]

Never grounded mine either. Use it to power the house when the power is out and to run the welder, out in the bush on the farm. Never an issue.

 

[BeezFun]

Sounds like the lawyers ran out of work and started writing the owners manual to me. I've thought about attaching a GFI protected receptacle to my generator trailer and connecting through that. That's better protection than an earth ground. When it's connected to the house to provide power, the prong on the receptacle causes it to be connected to the house's equipment ground. Most tools I use in the field are double insulated and don't have a ground prong anyhow.

 

[deereman75]

I have only ever seen one person using a ground rod on a gen set, and since the thing was running some christmas lights, the ground was compleaty useless.

 

[DonnieP]

I know they ground the big portable gen sets to dissapate static while fueling. They would be fueling them with truck and pump, not a five gallon can.

Donnie

 

[whistlepig]

All the outlets on my Honda generator are GFI protected. Even at that they recommend that this generator be grounded. Last February we had an ice storm and lost power. I picked up the portable generator with the loader, sit it on the covered back porch, and hooked it up. By that time it was 50 degrees in the house, the tractor and I were sheathed in a half inch of ice, and I sure as heck didn't want to be playing with a ground wire. And also the GFI's on the Honda are temperamental. Too much moisture in the air or a fine blowing snow will cause the GFI's to kick out in the middle of the night for no reason. The dealer told me that the GFI's on the Honda are easy to kick out and offered to wire the generator to bypass the GFI's when I bought it new. I believe in safety when safety is reasonable to do.

 

[BobRip]

It is code to ground a generator, over 5000 watts, if memory serves me. I don't have a code book handy. If you are using the thing in the same spot most of the time, why not put in a rod? I read an article on this and the forensic inspector who wrote the article spoke highly of doing this. can you get by without it? Sure, most of the time. The other time will kill you. However, if it's raining, you have some high risk. He had investigated a death in these conditions.

 

[whistlepig]

It is code to ground a generator, over 5000 watts, if memory serves me. I don't have a code book handy. If you are using the thing in the same spot most of the time, why not put in a rod? I read an article on this and the forensic inspector who wrote the article spoke highly of doing this. can you get by without it? Sure, most of the time. The other time will kill you. However, if it's raining, you have some high risk. He had investigated a death in these conditions.

Sometimes just having some common sense is good enough. There comes a time when no matter what man made gadjet is out there to protect you it may be just not enough to protect you. Are GFI and ground rods a good idea? They certainly are. Would I trust my life to either one of them or the combination of both? I don't think so.