Grounding The Generator - Generac Power Systems 1338-1 Owner's Manual

Generac P ortable Products 9 ,000 WattGenerator
• Thegenerator produces a verypowerful voltage that
cancauseserious injury or deathbyelectrocution.
Never t ouchbarewiresor receptacles. Neverpermit
a childor anyunqualified p erson to operate the
generator.
• Never h andle anykindofelectrical cordor device
whilestanding inwater, w hilebarefoot o r while
handsorfeetarewet.Death or serious injury from
electrocution mayresult.
• Usea ground faultcircuit i nterrupter (GFCI) inany
dampor highly conductive a rea(suchas metal
decking
or steel work).
• Never use worn, bare, frayed or otherwise damaged
electrical cords with the generator. Death, serious
injury and property damage from electrical shock
may result.
• Gasoline is highly FLAMMABLE and its vapors
are EXPLOSIVE. Never allow smoking, open
flames, sparks or heat in the vicinity while
handling gasoline. Avoid spilling gasoline on a hot
engine. Comply with all laws regulating storage and
handling of gasoline.
• Do not overfill the fuel tank. Always allow room for
fuel expansion. If tank is overfilled, fuel can
overflow onto a hot engine and cause a FIRE or
an EXPLOSION.
• Never store a generator with fuel in the tank where
gasoline vapors might reach an open flame, spark
or pilot light (as on a furnace, water heater, clothes
dryer). FIRE or an EXPLOSION may result.
• The engine-generator requires an adequate flow of
cooling air for its continued proper operation Never
operate the unit inside any room or enclosure where
the free flow of cooling air into and out of the unit
might be obstructed Allow at least 2 feet of
clearance on all sides of generator while operating
unit
• Never start or stop the unit with electrical loads
connected to receptacles with the connected
devices turned ON. Start the engine and let it
stabilize before connecting any electrical loads.
Disconnect all electrical loads before shutting down
the generator.
• Do not insert any object through cooling slots of the
engine. You could damage the unit or injure yourself.
• Never operate the generator:
in rain; in any enclosed compartment; if connected
electrical devices overheat; if electrical output is
lost; if engine or generator sparks; if flame or smoke
is observed while unit is running; if unit vibrates
excessively,
GROUNDING THE
GENERATOR
The National Electric Code requires the frame and
external electrically conductive parts of the generator
be properly connected to approved earth ground.
Local electrical codes may also require proper
grounding of the unit. A grounding wing nut (Figure 1)
is provided for this purpose.
Grounding
Wing Nut
Generally, connecting a No. 12 AWG (American Wire
Gauge) stranded copper wire to the grounding wing
nut and to an earth-driven copper or brass grounding
rod (electrode) provides adequate protection against
electrical shock. However, local codes may vary
widely. Consult with a local electrician for grounding
requirements in your area. Be sure to keep the ground
wire attached while you connect the electrode.
Properly grounding the generator helps prevent
electrical shock if ground fault conditions exists in the
generator or in connected electrical devices. Proper
grounding also helps dissipate static electricity, which
often builds up in ungrounded devices.
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