Generator Problem...
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4792
Printed Date: 09 Jun 2025 at 10:46am
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Topic: Generator Problem...
Posted By: Cap-n-Cray
Subject: Generator Problem...
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 7:07pm
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I am on a trip to Nashville and have a generator problem. I just installed a Progressive Surge Protector EMS-LCHW30. It is hard wired into the AC input on the trailer. Everything works fine when I am plugged in to power outlets. My Honda 2000i generator gets an error code of open ground, E-2 on the Progressive display and the unit will not power up. Any ideas? ------------- Cary 2014 RP-177 |
Replies:
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 8:44pm
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Sounds like the surge protector is not seeing voltage between the hot and ground pins on the trailer power connector. Perhaps jmsokol or techntrek can jump in and say where the ground pin should pick up its connection. Seems like at the generator if everything is wired correctly.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 9:36pm
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The Progressive surge protector requires a ground-to-neutral bond. I know very little about electricity so the whys and wherefores of this are beyond me, but shore power has the ground and neutral wires bonded at the breaker panel. Inverter style generators like yours have a floating neutral (or floating ground). Whatever it's called, the ground and neutral wires on your generator are not bonded (connected to each other). You have two choices. You can have surge protector ignore the error and let the current through. (I have the Progressive also, but I can't tell you how to do this without reading the instruction book. I assume you have the book too, so just look it up.) The other thing you can do is create a ground-to-neutral bonding plug and plug it into another outlet on your generator. This is just a 3-prong 15amp plug with a jumper wire going from the ground prong to the neutral prong. You can make one in 5 minutes for $3. Google it for instructions. I'm not comfortable going into more detail. This is the solution I chose though and I can vouch for it. I talked to the guy at Progressive and he recommends this, despite the pamphlet's instructions not to use a generator with the surge protector. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 9:37pm
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Most generators below 8000 watts don't have the ground and neutral bonded within the generator. The manufacturers claim they are usually used for home backup, where the ground and neutral are bonded within the utility panel. By code there can only be one bonding point, so they are right. However, they are also often used to power campers - like here - and then there is no bond within the camper. Campers rely on the bond done within the campground's utility panel. There is a cheap and easy solution to create that bond when you are using the generator with your pod (and to then remove it easily when you use it with your house). Mike discusses it in his article on this subject, here: http://www.noshockzone.org/generator-ground-neutral-bonding/ - http://www.noshockzone.org/generator-ground-neutral-bonding/ ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 9:47pm
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I forgot to mention that I'm in Nashville, essentially. If you still have problems with this, let me know and maybe we can get together. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Cap-n-Cray
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 9:54pm
Thanks TT. Thanks everyone. That sounds like the problem. I may make a ground wire from the ground terminal on the 2000i generator to the frame of the trailer. I think that will work. It will ground the generator to the trailer. Any opinions on this? ------------- Cary 2014 RP-177 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 10:02pm
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[/QUOTE] Thanks TT. Thanks everyone. That sounds like the problem. I may make a ground wire from the ground terminal on the 2000i generator to the frame of the trailer. I think that will work. It will ground the generator to the trailer. Any opinions on this? [/QUOTE] Nope, that won't solve the problem. The connection from camper frame to gen frame is already made via the power cable. The problem is the generator neutral is floating; the neutral to ground connection is missing. I sugesst the N-G plug described by others and in the JmSokol article. Should work fine and it's cheap. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Cap-n-Cray
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 10:46pm
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I now understand... It is like a sub panel. The ground and neutral are separated. I am a general contractor too. N-G plug is what I will make. Thanks... I let everyone know how it works. ------------- Cary 2014 RP-177 |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Jun 2014 at 10:52pm
Yeah, as Charlie said, it won't help. This may be the same url Techntrek posted: http://www.noshockzone.org/generator-ground-neutral-bonding/. Follow the link. This is really easy, even if it's kind of esoteric. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: jmsokol
Date Posted: 02 Jun 2014 at 4:21pm
Yes, a basic G-N bonding plug as described in my article above should work. Please give it a try and report back to the group. ------------- mike@noshockzone.org www.noshockzone.org |
Posted By: Cap-n-Cray
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 4:06pm
I did make a G-N bonding plug and it did correct the surge protector generator problem.  Everything worked great. Thanks... ------------- Cary 2014 RP-177 |
Posted By: jmsokol
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 4:08pm
Excellent... another Happy Camper (Literally). 
------------- mike@noshockzone.org www.noshockzone.org |
Posted By: jmsokol
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 6:07pm
Make sure you mark this plug with something like "Generator G-N Bond" so that you don't accidentally plug it into something else. However, even if it is plugged into an already bonded outlet (like your home or pedestal) nothing bad will happen. But double bonding an outlet is a code violation, so only use this G-N Bonding plug on a floating neutral generator. ------------- mike@noshockzone.org www.noshockzone.org |
Posted By: Cap-n-Cray
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 6:43pm
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Yup... I am a general contractor and know code. ------------- Cary 2014 RP-177 |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 6:47pm
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You have all dazzled me with your footwork. Let me see if I understand. I have powered our Pod with the Honda 2KW genset without a surge protector in the circuit. Works fine. Am I doing something that is dangerous? Safe Travels. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:01pm
Potential safety issue, too. Double bonding can route current around protection devices, like GFCI, preventing it from tripping when it should. Another scenario is nuisance tripping from the odd flows. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:03pm
You should check to see if it has a neutral-ground bond, and if not, build the device shown above. Also check with the VoltAlert device to be sure you don't have a safety issue, each time you hook up. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: jmsokol
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:04pm
Not a problem at all and not dangerous. However, there may be some other modern electronics that "want" the ground and neutral to be bonded. Of course, the most obvious ones are a voltage/surge suppressors such as the very fine Progressive Industries products. There's also a few pieces of pro-audio gear that don't like it and will error or misbehave. And without a G-N bond you can't use a 3-light tester to confirm if your internal RV wiring is OK. BTW: I'm going to be discussing generator G-N bonding when I'm a guest on the RVtravel webcast this Saturday at 12 Noon EST. Click this link a few minutes before it starts and you'll be able to post your questions to me directly. http://%20www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrPP_gN4JGo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrPP_gN4JGo Mike Sokol ------------- mike@noshockzone.org www.noshockzone.org |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:17pm
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Thank you both. I don't seem to have any sensitive electronic gear on the road with me I haven't ever used the surge suppressor with the generator. I certainly have when powering from a pedestal at a campground. Other than very sensitive electronics, is it necessary to use the surge suppressor with the generator? Should I fabricate a G-N bond even though everything seems to work properly now? Safe Travels. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:18pm
------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: jmsokol
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:45pm
I personally think it's best that all 120-volt AC systems have a G-N bond. So if your shore power connection DOES supply it, and your portable generator DOESN'T supply it, then YOU should supply it with an external G-N bonding plug. Just a reminder, this does NOT plug into an outlet inside of your RV. It must only be plugged into a spare Edison outlet on your Generator. FYI: All generators that are built-into larger RVs already have the G-N bonding function supplied by the transfer switch. Since you don't have a generator transfer switch in your "Pods" then this takes the place of one. ------------- mike@noshockzone.org www.noshockzone.org |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 16 Jun 2014 at 8:58pm
A modern inverter generator arguably probably doesn't need a surge protector. I'm sure there a scenarios were it might be a good idea with such a generator, but the thing is, if you permanently install a surge protector for those times when you're using no telling what kind of shore power, you're stuck with having it inline when you're using the generator. It's simple and cheap to do the G-N bonding plug. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Camper Bob
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2014 at 12:38am
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Aha, said the blind man. I got it. So off to the hardware store for an openable plug and will put in the jumper and plug it into one of the Edison plugs. Never knew they were called that. Safe Travels. ------------- Camper Bob and Camper Sue Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund) 2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod) 2016 Lance 1685 2015 Nissan Pathfinder |
Posted By: Cookpod
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2014 at 1:12am
| Just want to say thanks for the contributions here. Learning a lot and appreciate the posters willing to share their knowledge. |
Posted By: Cap-n-Cray
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2014 at 1:15am
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A wall plug is called a duplex outlet or duplex receptacle...
------------- Cary 2014 RP-177 |
Posted By: jmsokol
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2014 at 2:47am
Yes, pro-sound guys call them Edison outlets and plugs in America since that's the man who invented them. But you electricians and engineers also know they're officially called NEMA 5-15 or 5-20 connectors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector%20 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector ------------- mike@noshockzone.org www.noshockzone.org |