Wall Mount Generator Ground Quick Connector

[dieselscout80]

All I want to mount a quick connector for my generator ground wire.

Would a Dinse 10-25 panel mount connector work or is there a better option?

Dinse 10-25 connector & panel mount:​

https://a.co/d/0fAjeU2S

Note the wall is brick/rock.

 

[Roadworthy]

I suggest you check with a local electrical inspector to see if it meets code requirements. I doubt you can legally put a quick disconnect on a ground cable.

 

[ponytug]

@dieselscout80 I'm confused.

What are you trying to quick connect?

How big is your generator, and how is it connected to the house wiring?

Do you have a ground rod driven for your generator, and you want a connector for the rod to generator wire?

As a general practice, bolting the ground wire to the rod with a ground clamp is the general method. It is a life-safety item that one doesn't want the safety ground to come apart due to vibration or other issue.

All the best, Peter

 

[dieselscout80]

I should have said it’s the wire for the ground rod.

Our 12k generator connects to the house with a 50 amp plug.

 

[ponytug]

I should have said it’s the wire for the ground rod.

Our 12k generator connects to the house with a 50 amp plug.

Sorry, this is a bit of a complicated area.
(I'm not a licensed electrician, but I do wrangle cattle, I.e. no electrical certification whatsoever.)

1) is your generator internally neutral to ground bonded?
2) does your plug go to a transfer switch, or a breaker interlock?
3) If the plug does go to a transfer switch, does the transfer switch
a) switch the 2 hots, or
b) does it switch the 2 hots and the neutral?
4) is the ground rod specific to the generator?
5) is your 12kW double insulated?

The general practice is for portable generators not to be neutral to ground bonded when attached to homes, but neutral to ground bonded otherwise. This is a bit of a tug of war between OSHA, the NEC, and local AHJs, so your mileage will vary.

A portable generator will generally rely on the wiring of the generator cable, plug and transfer switch to the home ground for grounding. Some folks are uncomfortable with that, and drive a separate ground for the generator, and some inspectors are unhappy with that as well.

I would point you to the NEC code for grounding portable generators, and check out Mike Holt's detailed website and forums, e.g,

https://www.mikeholt.com/newsletters.php?action=display&letterID=2682

and local codes, e.g. Portable Generator Bonding And Grounding: NEC SDS Vs. Non-SDS Rules Made Simple
When reading the NEC, it often discusses the "grounded-conductor", which usually means a current carrying conductor connected to earth, I.e. "neutral", not to be confused with a ground wire, which is not intended to routinely carry currents.
(E.g. this, where the terms are defined at the end of the blog)

Electrical Grounding and Bonding per NEC

Published by Joe Doughney and Lilly Vang, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Electrical Articles: Electrical grounding and bonding per NEC, December 9, 2020. Understanding correct grounding and bondin…

powerquality.blog

Grounding seems simple, but in my experience it is often not.

I hope that this helps. I personally would not use a DINSE connector on a ground wire as in the event of failure my life might depend on the ground wire being well connected, and I personally can foresee ways that a connector might become loose. I bolt mine. That is not a recommendation.

All the best,

Peter

 

[dieselscout80]

Sorry, this is a bit of a complicated area.
(I'm not a licensed electrician, but I do wrangle cattle, I.e. no electrical certification whatsoever.)

1) is your generator internally neutral to ground bonded?
2) does your plug go to a transfer switch, or a breaker interlock?
3) If the plug does go to a transfer switch, does the transfer switch
a) switch the 2 hots, or
b) does it switch the 2 hots and the neutral?
4) is the ground rod specific to the generator?
5) is your 12kW double insulated?

The general practice is for portable generators not to be neutral to ground bonded when attached to homes, but neutral to ground bonded otherwise. This is a bit of a tug of war between OSHA, the NEC, and local AHJs, so your mileage will vary.

A portable generator will generally rely on the wiring of the generator cable, plug and transfer switch to the home ground for grounding. Some folks are uncomfortable with that, and drive a separate ground for the generator, and some inspectors are unhappy with that as well.

I would point you to the NEC code for grounding portable generators, and check out Mike Holt's detailed website and forums, e.g,

https://www.mikeholt.com/newsletters.php?action=display&letterID=2682

and local codes, e.g. Portable Generator Bonding And Grounding: NEC SDS Vs. Non-SDS Rules Made Simple
When reading the NEC, it often discusses the "grounded-conductor", which usually means a current carrying conductor connected to earth, I.e. "neutral", not to be confused with a ground wire, which is not intended to routinely carry currents.
(E.g. this, where the terms are defined at the end of the blog)

Electrical Grounding and Bonding per NEC

Published by Joe Doughney and Lilly Vang, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Electrical Articles: Electrical grounding and bonding per NEC, December 9, 2020. Understanding correct grounding and bondin…

powerquality.blog

Grounding seems simple, but in my experience it is often not.

I hope that this helps. I personally would not use a DINSE connector on a ground wire as in the event of failure my life might depend on the ground wire being well connected, and I personally can foresee ways that a connector might become loose. I bolt mine. That is not a recommendation.

All the best,

Peter

Peter,

1) is your generator internally neutral to ground bonded? It states it is neutral bonded to the frame.

2) does your plug go to a transfer switch, or a breaker interlock? It connects to a breaker interlock.

3) n/a

4) is the ground rod specific to the generator? No it’s also the house ground rod.

5) is your 12kW double insulated? It doesn’t say if it is.

 

[Roadworthy]

If your generator is permanently wall mounted why would you need a quick disconnect for the ground? If you forget to attach it or it vibrates loose you'll have no safety ground at that point.

 

[dieselscout80]

If your generator is permanently wall mounted why would you need a quick disconnect for the ground? If you forget to attach it or it vibrates loose you'll have no safety ground at that point.

The generator is portable.

I just want a neat and easy way to connect to the ground rod for the house.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

The generator is portable.

I just want a neat and easy way to connect to the ground rod for the house.

Assuming you are feeding an electrical panel, the ground to neutral bond needs to be disconnected at the generator.
The Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC) needs to be run with the neutral and phase conductors. The EGC needs to be bonded to the ground bar in the electrical panel you are backfeeding. This gets the EGC from the generator connected to the ground rod via the subpanel.
If there is no subpanel, then the neutral ground bond is made at the generator and ground rods need to be driven to connect between the ground on the generator and the driven ground rods.
The main point is you only want one point where the neutral and ground are bonded together. Otherwise you make a safety risk of possibly not being able to trip a breaker.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

All I want to mount a quick connector for my generator ground wire.

Would a Dinse 10-25 panel mount connector work or is there a better option?

Dinse 10-25 connector & panel mount:​

https://a.co/d/0fAjeU2S

Note the wall is brick/rock.

This creates a safety hazard. Ground needs to be a connection that can not be pulled apart.

 

[dieselscout80]

This creates a safety hazard. Ground needs to be a connection that can not be pulled apart.

Ok, but the dinse connector twist in to lock and have to be twisted to unlock.

The attached picture shows the lug that locks into the female end.

 

[ponytug]

Ok, but the dinse connector twist in to lock and have to be twisted to unlock.

The attached picture shows the lug that locks into the female end.

The safety issue is that a DINSE connector can, fairly easily, come apart, unlike a ground wire bolted to (second) ground rod.

There's a difference between trusting a temporary electrical connection for use for a non-life safety use such as welding versus a life safety use to keep you and anyone else who touches the generator safe.

My advice is put in a second ground rod, and every time you use the generator either bolt the solid ground wire from the generator to the ground rod, or bolt the wire attached to the ground rod to the generator. Don't touch the house ground rod or the house ground wire or the house ground wire clamp.

Is that clear?

All the best,

Peter