Thread: Interesting, Odd or Funny Pics II.

Originally Posted by scarry

Stolen from another site

We’re all thinking it - he’s a bloody genius...

Originally Posted by Old Farang

That's illegal! The generator doesn't have an earth spike.

Serious question - are they required to have one?

Originally Posted by p38arover

Serious question - are they required to have one?

Most portable gennies these days have the motor, fuel tank etc bonded to the frame so, the answer is 'No'.

It would still be an idea to read the relevant user guide though, as a 'Just in Caser'.

Originally Posted by p38arover

Serious question - are they required to have one?

No, if the neutral and earth is bonded (Pretty much all this style of gens are) then an earth stake is neither recommended nor required under Australian Standards. Driving an earth stake can actually lead to increasing fault currents in some situations. No chance of getting a shock as path of least resistance is straight back inside the alternator.

I have to have this discussion with an Electrical Inspector at least once per week and it’s amazing to me how many of them have little to no understanding of how fault currents travel in different circumstances with gens even though they are licensed to sign off on the Electrical Installations.

When I was working & we were working on Powerlink sites they required us to have an earth spike on our generator , It was easier to just do as they wanted , but it was a nuisance every time we wanted to move the generator around. We were supplying & assembling steel structures in the sub stations ( lattice towers , ect) we were not allowed to work with in 6m of any live structure , I would always allow 12m & even at that on some sites it was not far enough & we would get a shock from induction when we went to grab the chains on the crane. When this happened we would get the observer to attach a earth to the crane .

Originally Posted by p38arover

Serious question - are they required to have one?

depends.

in an application like the one pictured. (Generator powering a van while its mechanically attached to the van) No.

Originally Posted by 1950landy

When I was working & we were working on Powerlink sites they required us to have an earth spike on our generator , It was easier to just do as they wanted , but it was a nuisance every time we wanted to move the generator around. We were supplying & assembling steel structures in the sub stations ( lattice towers , ect) we were not allowed to work with in 6m of any live structure , I would always allow 12m & even at that on some sites it was not far enough & we would get a shock from induction when we went to grab the chains on the crane. When this happened we would get the observer to attach a earth to the crane .

Yeah, we get a lot of sites calling and asking about this when the site OH&S guys start mandating it. Even when I speak to them some still require it even when there’s nowhere to drive a stake - like on bridge - had that a few times. When I suggest they then earth the machine to the rebar or handrail they exclaim ‘Then you’ll electrocute everyone!’ - some people just can’t be reasoned with, the dark art of electricity is beyond them.

Originally Posted by Homestar

some people just can’t be reasoned with, the dark art of electricity is beyond them.

Unfortunately,thats half the sparkies and Fridgies,and AC techs(fan mechanics) as well

I was yabbering to one last week,he couldnt understand how a small water cooler with a dead short tripped a 750A breaker for a building.