Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 42 replies
  • Subscribers 32 subscribers
  • Views 18115 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Generator earthing

Baldyhugh
Hi


I have a tractor driven Backup generator to install on a farm shortly and have a query regarding the earth spike. Does it need to go directly back to the MET or can I connect it directly into the generator earth terminal, the latter being Quite a lot simpler   In my case? 


thanks

Parents
  • 0
    Put a spike close to the NE bond - by all means have another one somewhere else as well if you like, so if the CPC snaps it becomes TT, not floating,  but you really should have at least one at the point where N and E separate. From your description, that is near the genset.


    Treat all the cable between genset and the first  RCD (the  300mA time delay monster ) as you would a meter tail in that environment, which probably means  2 layers of insulation/sheath and careful routing.

      If you need cables to cross the ground a tough plastic duct will do if mechanical damage is possible (its a farm so someone will probably suggest old water pipe - it really should be black but if its obvious what is inside it no-one will care...)

    Also make sure that the change-over switch breaks the neutral, or any RCDs on the genset will trip due the mains NE link looking like an NE fault, and similarly any RCD on the mains supply side will see the genset NE link as if it was a fault and trip. You can use switched NE links instead, but it needs interlocks and alarms and is almost never the best way  to do it, switched  neutrals ganged to the phases is much better.

    Mike.
Reply
  • 0
    Put a spike close to the NE bond - by all means have another one somewhere else as well if you like, so if the CPC snaps it becomes TT, not floating,  but you really should have at least one at the point where N and E separate. From your description, that is near the genset.


    Treat all the cable between genset and the first  RCD (the  300mA time delay monster ) as you would a meter tail in that environment, which probably means  2 layers of insulation/sheath and careful routing.

      If you need cables to cross the ground a tough plastic duct will do if mechanical damage is possible (its a farm so someone will probably suggest old water pipe - it really should be black but if its obvious what is inside it no-one will care...)

    Also make sure that the change-over switch breaks the neutral, or any RCDs on the genset will trip due the mains NE link looking like an NE fault, and similarly any RCD on the mains supply side will see the genset NE link as if it was a fault and trip. You can use switched NE links instead, but it needs interlocks and alarms and is almost never the best way  to do it, switched  neutrals ganged to the phases is much better.

    Mike.
Children
No Data

Community Rules & Guidelines