"Ignoramus24153" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 12:49:39 -0500, Robert Morein
wrote:
Ground it to the home system.
I don't know the code details, but there is bare wire, known as "bonding
wire", that code requires run without any splices from the box to the
actual
ground.

The important thing is that the ground be redundantly robust.
If there is a ground fault, a hot-to-ground leak in a powered appliance
would raise the potential of the chassis above ground.

That ground connection should be faultless and super safe and
excessive, is a great point.

Unlike neutral, which code says is to be bonded to ground at only one
point,
it is considered good engineering practice to "grid the ground", meaning
multiple connections.

i am not so sure, myself, I remember reading otherwise.

That would be for the neutral.
What they don't permit is a second isolated ground:
See http://enginova.com/iso_ground.htm
The reason redundant grounds are permitted is because of lightning. The only
way to shield equipment in a building effectively is by grounding the
structure itself, to make a pseudo-Faraday cage.
A Faraday cage is simply a box with walls made of conducting material, so
that everything within is at the same potential.
In wood frame buildings, this is done by running ground wires all over the
place, with multiple connections. That way, if there is something
approaching a direct strike, every part of the building will remain at the
same potential, and the activities within will be unaffected.
See http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lhm/lpts.html
They do not endorse multiple ground rods. However, that is not part of the
NEC code.
This page advocates redundant grounds:
http://www.leminstruments.com/ground...ectrodes.shtml

I would run an unspliced length of bonding wire from your box to the
generator. Additional ground connections, such as a cold-water
ground would provide redundancy.

Thanks.

i



"Ignoramus24153" wrote in message
...
I am aware that "all generators must be grounded". In the instance of
a standby portable generator like this

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/onan/Diesel/

how would I ground it? I have two options:

1. Ground it to a new grounding rod (expensive and involves actual
work).

2. Ground it to the home grounding system, such as copper pipes in the
utility room, or even better next to the existing home ground
connection.

Which option here is more legal and more safe?

thanks

i




--