cdherman
New Member
Probably not exactly a "beginner" questions, but seems the generator forum is pretty quiet, and this question involved solar as well.
Ford Lightning owners have been challenged using their massive battery pack for input into backup power in settings via transfer switches, as well as using the Ford as generator input into a AIO, such as Sol-Ark. The Ford has a built in GFI and the instant the the truck sees a bonded neutral anywhere in the system, the GFI throws.
Some persistent owners have tracked down and separated all neutral to ground bonds (to be fair some, perhaps many SHOULD not have been present). Then they unbond the neutral and ground in the main pain and install something that I understand to be a bonding transfer twitch, which unbonds the ground and neutral upon transfer to the generator/inverter source. While this purist approach is certainly laudible, it does not solve plugging the Lightning into a Sol-Arc for instance.
One Sol-Arc user (perhaps not here, but was over at FordLightning forum) took the rather radical approach in my mind --- of removing the ground pin from his transfer cord. Then, with the Lightning no longer grounded to the Sol-Arc, the GFI no longer would break. This approach would presumably *work* running in a system with bonded neutrals as well. Work, as is in the outlets would be hot. Things in such a system would also be protected so long as they were downstream from existing breakers. But the wiring to the transfer switch would be ungrounded. Not to my liking.
A couple others talk about "load balancing transformers". These would add the benefit load balancing of course. But can they be used in some fashion to overcome the GFI / bonded neutral problem?
My family farm has any number of panels that are old and almost certainly were wired with a ground rod and neutral bonded. This was convention until NEC said it wasn't a good idea in 1999 I think. Its not a good idea, but no way am I re-wiring a whole farm. Even a $500 load balancing transformer would be a bargain.
Understand, I COMPLETELY know that I cannot run the whole farm from one lowly 7.4 kw inverter. But the "critical load sub panel" suggestion that people give is just not tenable. Rewiring the water pump to get that circuit over to a critical load sub would involve trenching. The idea is in a pinch to manually shut off pretty much everything and then walk around and turn on pump, deep freeze, fridg, heat etc. But it sure would be nice to have an LED light on a lighting circuit in an enclosed space with no exterior windows...... And longer term, a Sol-Arc or EG4 or similar solution is in the books anyhow.
We currently have a Miller 10K generator welder with I believe bonded ground - neutral in the generator. Its properly installed (or at least was done by a local professional many years ago). Has a nice Siemans 200A generator transfer. Dang there has to be someway to the the 7.4kw into the system.
Ford Lightning owners have been challenged using their massive battery pack for input into backup power in settings via transfer switches, as well as using the Ford as generator input into a AIO, such as Sol-Ark. The Ford has a built in GFI and the instant the the truck sees a bonded neutral anywhere in the system, the GFI throws.
Some persistent owners have tracked down and separated all neutral to ground bonds (to be fair some, perhaps many SHOULD not have been present). Then they unbond the neutral and ground in the main pain and install something that I understand to be a bonding transfer twitch, which unbonds the ground and neutral upon transfer to the generator/inverter source. While this purist approach is certainly laudible, it does not solve plugging the Lightning into a Sol-Arc for instance.
One Sol-Arc user (perhaps not here, but was over at FordLightning forum) took the rather radical approach in my mind --- of removing the ground pin from his transfer cord. Then, with the Lightning no longer grounded to the Sol-Arc, the GFI no longer would break. This approach would presumably *work* running in a system with bonded neutrals as well. Work, as is in the outlets would be hot. Things in such a system would also be protected so long as they were downstream from existing breakers. But the wiring to the transfer switch would be ungrounded. Not to my liking.
A couple others talk about "load balancing transformers". These would add the benefit load balancing of course. But can they be used in some fashion to overcome the GFI / bonded neutral problem?
My family farm has any number of panels that are old and almost certainly were wired with a ground rod and neutral bonded. This was convention until NEC said it wasn't a good idea in 1999 I think. Its not a good idea, but no way am I re-wiring a whole farm. Even a $500 load balancing transformer would be a bargain.
Understand, I COMPLETELY know that I cannot run the whole farm from one lowly 7.4 kw inverter. But the "critical load sub panel" suggestion that people give is just not tenable. Rewiring the water pump to get that circuit over to a critical load sub would involve trenching. The idea is in a pinch to manually shut off pretty much everything and then walk around and turn on pump, deep freeze, fridg, heat etc. But it sure would be nice to have an LED light on a lighting circuit in an enclosed space with no exterior windows...... And longer term, a Sol-Arc or EG4 or similar solution is in the books anyhow.
We currently have a Miller 10K generator welder with I believe bonded ground - neutral in the generator. Its properly installed (or at least was done by a local professional many years ago). Has a nice Siemans 200A generator transfer. Dang there has to be someway to the the 7.4kw into the system.