Generator running

[monty9120]

Hi all been without power for awhile brought a generator a while back for this type of thing

In the reviews everyone said they can run there combo boiler off them

Got it running fitted the metal spike as earth as the instructions says.the boiler works but the burner tries to go but doesn't fire. It then throws up all kind of lights after tryin about 5 times

The generator is a impact im800l single phase

Everything else works fine on it

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Is the combi the only load on the gennie? Try with a nice chunk of tungsten light (NOT fluorescent or LED) on at the same time (the inverter gennie I use isn't good with small inductive loads- put a bit of resistive on as well and it is fine)

 

[bernardgreen]

Is the generator's "earth" connected to a centre tap on the output and not to it's Neutral. If so then the Live is "+" 115 volts and the Neutral is "-" 115 volts to ground. Connecting this "mis-placed" ground to the boiler's chassis may prevent flame detection operating correctly ( if it is detection by ionisation )

 

[Lectrician]

Concur with both replies. Doesn't have to be Tungstan lights, could be a portable convection heater, if loading wasn't a problem, but this sounds like a tiddly generator by the part number.

 

[monty9120]

Hi all yes it's a small generator. Looked online where some one said you have to run a cable to the neutral to earth ie it's a floating supply

Have to admit the boiler fired straight away and has been running for hours happily.

The electric board still haven't fixed the issues they have been here all day

Would have lost the contents of my fridge for sure if I didn't have a genny

Thanks for all your help

 

[monty9120]

Is the generator's "earth" connected to a centre tap on the output and not to it's Neutral. If so then the Live is "+" 115 volts and the Neutral is "-" 115 volts to ground. Connecting this "mis-placed" ground to the boiler's chassis may prevent flame detection operating correctly ( if it is detection by ionisation )

I tried it without the extra earth and still didn't work

Putting a cable from neutral to earth has fixed it

 

[ericmark]

Interesting, I have found a Honda generator which was 55 - 0 - 165 volt, seems because it was duel voltage. But using the earth as a supply is also naughty, I remember a set of traffic lights where the radar on the head used the centre tap of the 110 volt supply, this was OK until the earth wire was broken, then people started to get shocks from the traffic lamp head. Main reason for finding the fault was the radar would not work with a generator, the cure was a auto transformer with a centre tap. It seemed the generator was an IT supply 110 volt, so lights would work OK in the workshop with a 55 - 0 - 55 but not on the road. It was decided (1970's) that using the earth was not going to be permitted, and each head had it's own transformer to feed radar as it seems it only requires 25 volt to kill a cow.

If the flame detection current is low it may be permitted, I had this with a TV and voltage detected on the aerial socket, however although permitted, it must be considered as bad practice.

The problem with putting a link from earth to neutral is should you try it on the Honda I found that would be a direct short of one of the four output windings, so any link should be done by the manufacturer inside the generator not outside the generator. From the generator to link you have a TN-C supply, and that is not permitted in this country other than by the supply industry.

So before adding link you should measure voltage from line and neutral to chassis. And after adding link measure the current on the link which should be zero. And make link in the generator so if another generator is used the link is automatically removed.