I've been thinking more about the whole issue of whether the neutral
is connected at the generator or not. From what I see, the code issue
is clear, that unless you switch the neutral at the transfer switch,
then the neutral and ground cannot be connected at the generator.
And if you do switch it, then you need a code compliant grounding
system for the generator.

But the next question is, why is this and what are the possible safety
implications if you didn't follow it. Note that I'm not saying you
shouldn't follow the code, just trying to figure out what the
possible scenarios are, what the code is trying to do, what goes
wrong if you don't follow it. In other words, I was trying to figure
out the physics and what the safety issues are.

If you have the neutral and ground connected at both the panel and
the generator and use a 4 wire cord, then as I pointed out
previously you have three paths for neutral current to flow between
the house and generator:

1 - Via the neutral conductor

2 - Via the ground wire

3 - through the earth

Suppose instead you eliminate the ground wire in the cord. Then
you have the neutral and ground connected at the house and at
the generator. This is exactly how the power company service
is wired in. I was trying to think what can go wrong here,
what is inherently unsafe about wiring it that way. I can't
think of a scenario where there is a safety problem beyond
any that you already have with any portable generator. Maybe
I'm missing something. Can anyone here see some safety issue
I'm missing? And note I'm not saying you should wire it that
way, it's a code violation. I'm just wondering why, ie what's
the hazard that exists, what have I missed?


I would not recommended cutting the ground (green) wire in the connecting cable. If there should be an open fault in the neutral wire, the frame of the generator will become energized via the load and this is obviously VERY dangerous.


there are 2 problems of having the neutral and ground bonded both at the house panel and at the generator.

1) if the generator has a GFI, it will trip.
this is obviously an operational problem.

2) some load current will flow in the ground (green) wire. It will be shared by the neutral (white) wire and the ground (green) wire. This is a code issue but not an actual safety issue that I can see.

If there is no GFI involved, then there not really any safety issue. Just let it be bonded at both places. Its the GFI that makes it more complicated.

mark