Generators & ELP
Submitted: Tuesday, Jul 06, 2004 at 23:09
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Shaker
Just a quick question for the Sparkies!
Can an extension lead fitted with earth leakage protection be used with a generator?
Reply By: Play Rough - Wednesday, Jul 07, 2004 at 00:23
Wednesday, Jul 07, 2004 at 00:23
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
AnswerID:
66768
Follow Up By: Nudenut - Wednesday, Jul 07, 2004 at 07:42
Wednesday, Jul 07, 2004 at 07:42
And as Craig says above but does not emphasize strongly enough
while his old electrician trainer was holding the 240v active (positive) when insulated from ground (earth) Do Not Touch the Neutral (negative)
Your safety switch (? if there is such a thing) will not protect you.
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Reply By: Sparkie - Wednesday, Jul 07, 2004 at 07:30
Wednesday, Jul 07, 2004 at 07:30
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) ;-)
AnswerID:
66780