Generator or Genset ?

[GeoPowers]

This is how you parallel 2 Honda's together:

Honda Power Equipment - Honda Generators - Parallel Capability

[AnchorageGuy]

We have been using the Honda 1000 and now the 2000 for a number of years and on three different boats. If the boats electrical system is in good order and installed correctly, the boats shore power cord can be plugged directly into the Honda either with the new 30 amp twist outlet or using a proper adapter. There are hundreds of boats out there doing exactly that right now. Yes the reverse polarity light will come on faintly in some instances, but it does not mean the polarity on the Honda is reversed. It is a ground issue as Evan suggested and I believe there are several discussion here on CF on that exact subject. We have never felt the need to make the jumper connection and every electrician we spoke with about this told us the same thing. If you want to make the light go out, then do it. In over ten years of using the Hondas we have always plugged in the shore power cord and ran whatever we could off the Honda through the boats electrical panel. It has never an been an issue for us. Chuck

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Accordingly, one shouldn't merely "plug in" a portable generator to a shore power inlet.

How should it be done?

[cuthbert]

Originally Posted by JiffyLube

How should it be done?

Confirm that your generator does not neutral and earth connected at its output (use a DVM on resistance setting with the generator off). assuming you locate the generator on the stern near the shore power, make a short "pig tail" that has the shore power on one end (live neutral and earth) and has the same on the other end at the generator, but connect neutral and ground together in the cable or at the connector (check and recheck this prior to use).

In laymans terms, neutral and earth on the 110V circuits are not connected at any point on your boat. This connection is made in the supply chain by the electricity company. You ideally (to be ABYC et all compliant) want to connect the neutral and earth on your generator supply when it is used in place of shore power on a boat (and therefore doesn't actually make connection to "ground" as it could when used in a home setting).

The confusion is the term "grounded" its more accurate when refering to a boat with no connection to ground i.e when not on shore power to use the term "bonded". This simply means joining, so neutral and earth should be joined when using a generator.

Best to use the pigtail and the shore supply input, so you can only be generator or shore power, clearly mark the cable that you make/modify to show this connection.

[US1Fountain]

Old topic that I've been reading up on.

I purchased a Honda 2000 (which has the no Neu/Grd bond), and made a adapter cord to plug into my boats shorepower from a shorepower cord.

If I'm understanding this correctly, in regards to the Neu/Grd bonding (or lack of), I could simply add a jumper wire between the Neu and Grd terminals inside the plug on my cord that plugs into the gen outlet? I assume this cord could then ONLY be used for generator use only?

Since my gen has the standard duplex 120VAC outlet, could I keep my current Gen adapter cord as is ( w/no internal Neu/Grd bonding) and plug it in 1 of the outlets, and take a 110VAC plug and and bond the Neu/Grd terminals together inside it (with nothing going to the hot terminal) and just plug it into the 2nd outlet? This would allow me to also use the adapter cord for plugging in the shorepower while on land, as long as the simple Neu/Grd plug is removed from the 2nd outlet. Correct?

[DannyG]

i have the Honda 1000 which i plug directly to my shore supply via pigtail....

[HopCar]

If I understand the original question, and I may not, the OP has two inlets on his boat. That probably means he has two AC electrical systems and panels. One inlet may be just for his air conditioners and the other for everything else. In that case he could run each inlet off a different generator. Remember if you let the smoke leak out of your wires, it's really hard to put back. Wires never seem to work well once the smoke leaks out.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by US1Fountain

Old topic that I've been reading up on.

I purchased a Honda 2000 (which has the no Neu/Grd bond), and made a adapter cord to plug into my boats shorepower from a shorepower cord.

If I'm understanding this correctly, in regards to the Neu/Grd bonding (or lack of), I could simply add a jumper wire between the Neu and Grd terminals inside the plug on my cord that plugs into the gen outlet? I assume this cord could then ONLY be used for generator use only?

Since my gen has the standard duplex 120VAC outlet, could I keep my current Gen adapter cord as is ( w/no internal Neu/Grd bonding) and plug it in 1 of the outlets, and take a 110VAC plug and and bond the Neu/Grd terminals together inside it (with nothing going to the hot terminal) and just plug it into the 2nd outlet? This would allow me to also use the adapter cord for plugging in the shorepower while on land, as long as the simple Neu/Grd plug is removed from the 2nd outlet. Correct?

That is exactly what we did. Our 2000 has the 30 Amp twist outlet and the standard three prong outlet. We cut the end off an old power cord and tied the neutral and ground together. Then we coated the wires with liquid tape to waterproof it. Works like a champ. Chuck

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by HopCar

If I understand the original question, and I may not, the OP has two inlets on his boat. That probably means he has two AC electrical systems and panels. One inlet may be just for his air conditioners and the other for everything else. In that case he could run each inlet off a different generator. Remember if you let the smoke leak out of your wires, it's really hard to put back. Wires never seem to work well once the smoke leaks out.

The issue with two un-sync'd gennys would become apparent as soon as the first 220v device was connected/energized!

[zeehag]

on my ericson i must have hd a special wired in adapter to make use of my genny --honda 2000--so all i had to do was plug my genny into my shore power and ta daa-- it worked. my formosa also was able to do that until my transformer died---- (transformer/charger/isolator)--speaking of which-if anyone has an old newmar what i sed, i could use it--please advise...yes, they are heavy, but was center of my electricity and i miss it greatly, and yous guys are upgrading away from heavy --i can wait until any of ye on west coast get to maxico, if you wish to dispo yours, please think of me...

[HopCar]

capngo, I obviously need some education on this subject. I see a lot of boats with two 30A 110V inlets. I've always assumed that they had two seperate 110 volt systems. You're saying that they are combined inside the boat to make a 220v 30A system?

[US1Fountain]

Originally Posted by Waterwayguy

That is exactly what we did. Our 2000 has the 30 Amp twist outlet and the standard three prong outlet. We cut the end off an old power cord and tied the neutral and ground together. Then we coated the wires with liquid tape to waterproof it. Works like a champ. Chuck

Just so I understand you fully;

The modified power cord is just for tieing the nueral and ground together with the hot lead unused utilizing the twistlock outlet.
Then you use the standard 3 prong outlet as your main output connection point using a separate power cord/adapter?

My Honda gen doesn't have the 30A plug, just the standard duplex 20A plug.

Thanks

I realize that I can use the Honda gen with a simple adapter and all works peachy, as so many have said that's how they do it. I'm just going that next step for safety.

[US1Fountain]

oops, I didn't fully understand Waterwayguy's reply above. Now rereading it, I think I got it.

Mistook 'old power cord' as a shorepower cord.

[sdowney717]

You're saying that they are combined inside the boat to make a 220v 30A system?

only if each hot is on a separate phase and part of a 240 volt supply system.
the Y splitters do this, black hots are not combined, separation is maintained. If you plug into a 50 amp 240v receptacle using a Y splitter to feed twin 30 amp shore cables, hot black to hot black wire has 240 volt power. So take the shore power black hot wires where they enter your boat and measure the voltage and you will get 240 volts.
and black to white 120 volts.

touch black to black and sparks will fly.

[US1Fountain]

What is the issue (besides the dimly glowing reverse polarity indicator) by not having the neutral and ground bonded at the generator?.. in laymans terms if you would. By this, I'm asking what is the floating neutral problem. I've heard it mentioned many times. Just trying to get a full clear understanding here. I did take a 3 prong plug and bond these 2 terminals together inside the plug just for the safety reasoning to plug into the unused recepticle. Just like to know why I'm doing this. Thanks