Positive ground generator/welder

[rosietheriviter]

I just bought an old "AIRCO" engine driven welder generator. It is old enough that it has a "positive ground" battery starter/ignition. Two cylinder ONAN gas engine. 350 amps DC welder, 110 volt - 220 volt AC generator, 110 volt DC generator (45.5 AMPs at 110 volts, 10 KW nameplate rating).

I bought it primarly to run my well during power outages.

I did not realize that the ignition/starter circuit was positive ground and of course, it may make no difference at all.

I do realize the the 220 (240) volt circuit does not use "ground" as part of the circuit

My concern is - if I ground the generator frame to earth (mechanical ground) as my neighbor has with his generator, will there be any adverse results?

Thanks,

Rose is Rose

 

[cp1969]

I think you will be all right grounding the chassis. After all, what you are protecting against is case where the generator voltage (which is a/c) gets on the chassis, which would create a voltage potential to earth ground. The positive ground of the starting circuit is not factor at that point.

 

[DieselPower]

No problem grounding the chassis. These are two different circuits, the DC engine system and the AC generator/welder circuit. A/C (alternating current) does not have a - or +, only hots and neutral/ground.