On Sat, 14 May 2005 11:37:54 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Yes, and bond the generator chassis to that spike and to which ever
phase from the alternator you decide to call "neutral". ie
replicate the sort of supply that the equipment is designed to be
plugged into. A protective earth wire connected to real ground via
a spike, neutral bonded to that earth at the supply source
(generator).

Is this the practice when you have a genny on location, Dave?

Firstly this is for a single phase supply from a alternator with a
single winding. Don't know about 3 phase, with star connected the
central point is "neutral" and I think would be earth bonded at the
source. Delta connected, I think there is still a "neutral" wire so
like wise.

On a single winding alternator (ie two phases 180 deg apart) I'm
99.99% sure. Though the "earth spike" may just be laid on the tarmac
and one of the wheels driven onto it... If there is a handy bit of
open ground I have seen them hammered in but more often than not it's
simply parked on.

I'm pretty certain Lee Electrics don't do this with us, but not
absolutely certain. But we have a genny out on Monday so I'll try
and get chapter and verse from the operator.

Be interesting to know, I really don't like the idea of a floating
neutral for the reasons I stated earlier. Ordinary equipment is not
designed to be "safe" with the neutral floating, single pole switches
and fuses in the live only etc.

I expect we'll be off a generator at St James's Park tommorow. If I
can track down the operator I'll ask as well.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail