Generator N/E link

[ban-all-sheds]

BAS I'm not trying to be funny, but has it really taken you three years to wire up a genny??

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=115488

I'd completely forgotten I'd asked that Q before - thanks for finding that, and apologies to all for repeating it.

The reason that it still hasn't happened is that it's not much of a priority. I think that 3 years ago we were thinking of building an extension, so the opportunity to put the infrastructure in would have arisen, but in the end we didn't go ahead.

 

[MrTinker]

It did tickle me I must admit, the time scale sounds like some of my projects

 

[ban-all-sheds]

at the generator I would say as that makes it a TN-S suppy
anywhere else means you have a PEN conductor which makes it a TN-C supply

Surely the type of supply I get from the generator depends on how/if I get the earth from it?

Comparing a generator supply to a DNO supply, it would seem that the generator should always have its N tied down to earth, just like the substation transformer star point is always earthed, even though how/if that earth is then provided to the consumer.

(meters & cutouts etc omitted for simplicity)


YesNo?

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Spark123]

DNO supplies are designed to protect both the network, life and property. It's just sometimes that doesn't quite work!

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[matt1e]

at the generator I would say as that makes it a TN-S suppy
anywhere else means you have a PEN conductor which makes it a TN-C supply

Surely the type of supply I get from the generator depends on how/if I get the earth from it?

yes agreed
my quote above was concerning the options you gave
ie connecting E/N together at the generator (TN-S)
or together at the house end (TN-C or TN-C-S)

and yes the genny should have one leg (N) tied down to earth for exactly the same reasons that the star point is

I dont know if you looked at the link I posted earlier but reading it and looking at the pic,
if you go the E/N joined together in the plug it still makes it TN-C as the E/N connection is at the generator but they show the electrode at the house end rather than the genny end but I suppose it is only supplying one house and probably right next to it anyway

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Your comparing chalk with cheese.

DNO supplies are designed to protect the network not life or property.

Be that as it may, the topologies of TN-S/TN-C-S/TT supplies are what they are, and can be implemented in the connection of a portable generator.

How are you protecting the windings and feed cables from the generator to comply with regs?

What do the regulations say about protecting them?

 

[Spark123]

The whole purpose of earthing a normal system is to limit the voltage between live and earth to 230v, that has got to be something to do with protecting persons and property?
Our DNO have fuses in their network after their transformers (LV), assume it is the same for MV too?