Generators & ELP

I'm cautious about it working, the device monitors the current flowing in the active and neutral contuctors, if the current flowing out is not equal by 30milliamps to current flowing in, it trips. (well thats the basic theory anyway). a word of warning, No earth leakage device will protect you if you touch between active and neutral and you are well insulated from earth (earth being the metal case of the generator). If the generator is on rubber wheels or the ground is extremely dry, it may be enough insulation for the device NOT to sense this leakage......
I did my apprenticeship with and old electrician who would hold on to a live conductor to prove a point about good insultion, I never took the chance i was insulated enough.
On a side note...I have had a belt from a inventer in a car when I touched the metal bottom tray of a laptop cd drive while standing barefoot on the ground out side of the car (I'm currently researching why it happened,i may of touched the side step and if so that raises some interesting questions).
Hopefully I shead a little light and didn't confuse. I'd err on the side of caution and use one but stilll be aware that in some circumstances it migh not work

regards
Craig

The safety switch works by making sure the active wire and the neutral wire have the same current running through them. If you were to send that current anywhere else it will trip out the safety switch at 30 milliamps( actually 25 because it is not allowed to exceed 30 at any stage.)
So that means if you had a faulty appliance and it shorted out to the GROUND it would trip the safety switch because the GROUND will dissipate the current and it would trip the safety switch. The only thing I am unsure about if the EARTH point on the generator is capable of tripping the appliance.
Basically if you had a lead with a safety switch on a generator you are protecting youself from ELECTRIC shock down to GROUND. If you grabbed the active wire and then the neutral but were standing on a rubber mat it could kill you and the safety switch would NOT trip(They also dont stop your house from burning down as people seem to think).

I would NOT use a generator WITHOUT a safety switch as you are being protected from electric shock.

PS try to have the safety switch BEFORE the lead as to protect the lead as well

Sparkie(IE not Y) ;-)

info here

and more

from what I am reading they residual current (earth leakage) devices are RECOMMENED when using portable power

You can buy an extension lead with the ELCB fitted in the plug - that's what I use with my gennie - Great.

Cheers,
Pete