generator choice

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Nope, tried that, even tried grounding to the trailer !

Well Jim, that blows my theory out of the water!

Guess turning off the surge suppressor is the only reliable way.

[jxoco]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

You can also turn off the surge guard via the little switch on the display, maybe easier. Just remember to turn back on when hooking up to electric.

We like to have the table down into a bed, with sheets and stuff, so getting under there is a bit of a issue. especially when you can't just lift up the cushion because the fold out counter extension prevents that.

But I will try that as well. Just to know how everything works.
( I confess, I didn't see a switch, so I'll have to look at it just to find that. )

And as others have chimed in, no amount of grounding the generator to the trailer frame will make it work.

[Patandlinda]

:

Originally Posted by jxoco

We like to have the table down into a bed, with sheets and stuff, so getting under there is a bit of a issue. especially when you can't just lift up the cushion because the fold out counter extension prevents that.

But I will try that as well. Just to know how everything works.
( I confess, I didn't see a switch, so I'll have to look at it just to find that. )

And as others have chimed in, no amount of grounding the generator to the trailer frame will make it work.

[Vermilye]

The reason grounding the trailer doesn't help is the way the EMS determines an open ground. There is no way it can actually do that, so what it does is look for the tie between the neutral (white wire) and the ground (green or bare wire) that takes place at the campground's (or home's) service entrance.

The problem with inverter generators is they do not bond or connect the neutral to ground at the generator. As long as they produce under 5000 watts and 120V only, they are within NEC & OSHA regulations to not bond. That presents a problem for EMS devices since they use the bond to detect open grounds.

The solution of making a dummy plug that has the neutral tied to ground should work as long as it is plugged into the generator on the same circuit as the trailer connection. I'm not sure why it didn't work for Pat since I've made them up for a number of generators, including the Honda 3000 without a problem. Again, it must be plugged into the generator, not the trailer. I'd check the connections, both in the plug & the trailer power cable, although if there is a problem anywhere between the trailer power cord & the EMS, it would show up at standard campground connections.

If you have the remote for the Progressive Industries EMS, the switch is on the left side of the display.

[Fox hunt]

where is the switch that turns off the EMS on a 17B?

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

where is the switch that turns off the EMS on a 17B?

It depends on which model you have. The Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C has a remote & the bypass switch is to the left side of the remote.

If you have the EMS-LCHW30, unfortunately, the bypass in an internal jumper. You can add a remote bypass switch.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

The reason grounding the trailer doesn't help is the way the EMS determines an open ground. There is no way it can actually do that, so what it does is look for the tie between the neutral (white wire) and the ground (green or bare wire) that takes place at the campground's (or home's) service entrance.

The problem with inverter generators is they do not bond or connect the neutral to ground at the generator. As long as they produce under 5000 watts and 120V only, they are within NEC & OSHA regulations to not bond. That presents a problem for EMS devices since they use the bond to detect open grounds.

The solution of making a dummy plug that has the neutral tied to ground should work as long as it is plugged into the generator on the same circuit as the trailer connection. I'm not sure why it didn't work for Pat since I've made them up for a number of generators, including the Honda 3000 without a problem. Again, it must be plugged into the generator, not the trailer. I'd check the connections, both in the plug & the trailer power cable, although if there is a problem anywhere between the trailer power cord & the EMS, it would show up at standard campground connections.

If you have the remote for the Progressive Industries EMS, the switch is on the left side of the display.

Hi . Generator is a old one no inverter . The dummy plug plugged into generator directly . The only way it would work was to turn remote to surge off . The generator would start to charge , I have a amp meter then it died . It even popped the circuit in the outside 120 . Shut the remote off then everything worked ? Pat

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by tractors1

The Honda 2000i and the Honda 2000 Companion are two different generators with different features. The Companion doesn't have the 12V capability; the two connect by using a Honda manufactured special parallel electrical cord. They must run in sync to have the AC output waveforms (60Hz) not conflict.

Honda EU2000i Companion Model Info | 2000 Watt Inverter Generator | Honda Generators

True, but you don't need to use the Companion; as Honda explains in a Learn More link on that page, any two same-size Hondas can be be connected... although if you want to supply the full 30-amp capacity of the Escape's electrical system, the Companion's 30A outlet lets you use the simpler parallel cord instead of the parallel connection kit.

[jmsokol]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

The problem with inverter generators is they do not bond or connect the neutral to ground at the generator. As long as they produce under 5000 watts and 120V only, they are within NEC & OSHA regulations to not bond. That presents a problem for EMS devices since they use the bond to detect open grounds.

The solution of making a dummy plug that has the neutral tied to ground should work as long as it is plugged into the generator on the same circuit as the trailer connection. I'm not sure why it didn't work for Pat since I've made them up for a number of generators, including the Honda 3000 without a problem. Again, it must be plugged into the generator, not the trailer. I'd check the connections, both in the plug & the trailer power cable, although if there is a problem anywhere between the trailer power cord & the EMS, it would show up at standard campground connections.

I'm Mike Sokol from The No~Shock~Zone. Thanks for posting links to my articles on generator neutral bonding plug. I've just made a video that shows how to check to see if your generator has a floating ground and use a G-N bonding plug to bond it so that Electrical Management Systems won't misinterpret that as an open ground and shut down the power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-bTLdMjuqU

Mike Sokol