Does a trailer mounted 20Kw-2000Kw generator require a grounding rod?

SPC Matt Johnson — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 18:16:34 -0400

Ok 91D's your time to shine. Because I'm being told I don't know what I'm talking about after 8 years of setting generators up in the army and having a bachelor's degree in Electronic Engineering Technology. Does a trailer mounted 20Kw-2000Kw generator powering a seperate trailer mounted high amperage equipment require a grounding rod? I'm getting attitude when I asked "where is the grounding rod?" Does a trailer mounted 20Kw-2000Kw generator require a grounding rod?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 6:18 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 18:18:42 -0400

Call me crazy.....but don't ALL generators used by the Army have grounding rods that need to be used? If a small 3-5K generator needs one then logic would SURELY dictate those trailer mounted ones need a grounding rod

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 6:38 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 18:38:15 -0400

Unless someone wants to what what 200A feels like going through their heart, it’s not required.

All jokes aside show them TC 6-02.6. Everything is in there. All power generation equipment needs to be properly grounded. It is against so many national and army regulations to not have a ground. Here’s an OSHA document encompassing grounding requirements for portable gen sets. https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/grounding_port_generator.pdf

grounding_port_generator.pdf

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Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2019 7:42 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:42:49 -0400

Pretty positive it’s apart of the BII, so I’d go with yes

Response by SSG Dale London made Apr 22 at 2019 8:20 PM

SSG Dale London — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 20:20:46 -0400

I wan not a 91D. I was a 98J with a 67N secondary but I do know you'd better ground that sucker.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Apr 22 at 2019 10:00 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 22:00:03 -0400

Have you been hanging out with 11Bs? SPC Matt Johnson

Hq, IX Corps, Korea, 1954, ASA troops would use WD1/tt (?) wire to purloin 110 volts for lights in their tents.

Great until we telephone guys started removing wires that were not ‘ours’. Several sets of TL-13s were ruined when they were used to cut 110 v wires!

Response by SFC George Smith made Apr 23 at 2019 12:27 AM

SFC George Smith — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 00:27:49 -0400

Looks like some one did not read the Directins

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 23 at 2019 5:30 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 05:30:03 -0400

Sjnce the first time someone was shocked, kidding of course they need to be grounded.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Apr 23 at 2019 10:54 AM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 10:54:01 -0400

Grounding rods are required ONLY when:
A) Generals are inspecting
B) OSHA is in the area
C) The forecast calls for rain
D) The ground is soft enough to drive them without a hammer
OR
E) Anyone who is within a grid square gives a damn about safety.

But only in those conditions.....

Response by MSG Danny Mathers made Apr 23 at 2019 12:41 PM

MSG Danny Mathers — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 12:41:42 -0400

Duh, you have to ask, then you are a candidate for "stupid is as stupid does't do."

Response by SGT Morrison (Mike) Hogwood made Apr 23 at 2019 1:32 PM

SGT Morrison (Mike) Hogwood — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 13:32:07 -0400

oh yes and if i can remember right that would about 9-12 feet driven in the ground,we had a guy who did not ground a 15K and the ground was wet,he had one foot on the trailer and a foot on the ground when he was lit up.he survived but used grounding rods after that

Response by SSG Brian G. made Apr 23 at 2019 2:05 PM

SSG Brian G. — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 14:05:33 -0400

Kindly tell whatever idiot is saying they do not require a grounding rod to sod off. They are an accident waiting to happen and YES, it requires a grounding rod. That is not just military standard but OSHA, and international as well.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2019 6:09 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 18:09:10 -0400

For safety reasons - HELL YES. The static charge can build. If there is any leakage in connections, the tires of the trailer do not let it ground out safely. Those are the 2 big reasons I know, I am sure there are more reasons. Let's see how well someone does with a 2MW jolt because it was not grounded properly!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2019 8:54 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Apr 2019 20:54:12 -0400

You have to keep in mind that electricity need to go somewhere and everything should be grounded during use. Just keep in mind it is in place to keep you safe.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 4 at 2019 2:21 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 14:21:50 -0400

Please, please don't use one. Then turn it on and send me a video.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2019 4:20 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 16:20:06 -0400

In AIT, 2016, our 5-10kw were trailer mounted but didn’t use grounding rods only bc we weren’t actively using it other than flip to run and pmcs. I would say that a skid plate would work unless in the field. Safety over rank. Just use the rod and get smoked for not putting lives in danger.

Response by SGT Chuck Taylor made Jan 20 at 2020 1:40 AM

SGT Chuck Taylor — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 01:40:28 -0500

There are components that can be damaged.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 5 at 2021 10:38 AM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:38:31 -0500

Well from my time if it was a generator it had a ground. The civilian standard has gone to two 10 foot rods spaced 6 feet apart connected to each other by 10 or 12 ga wire (been about 5 years since I had to set one up on civilian job). As for driving the fracking rod in, Hilti makes a heady duty hammer drill that makes short work of the job. We cut the rods and drive them the rest of the way in when we are finished, as you won't get them out.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2021 11:18 AM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 11:18:23 -0500

Always ground. Besides safety, a floating or intermittent ground can be hard on electronics as you know. Depends on design and reference voltage schema. In the right conditions 50-100 mA can kill you. Like in one arm, out the other, through the heart. 110 bites, 220 knocks you loose, but current kills. If you must test with a hand, use backside to avoid clenching and getting locked in. Never fuse or switch a neutral either. Broken neutral is very bad. Some have sold expensive ground testers, but the conductance scale (mho) of a digital meter will suffice. Human bodies differ in resistance, but 30-50 mohms is a realistic figure. A digital meter will display it, and you can reduce it by squeezing leads harder.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Mar 5 at 2021 4:16 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 16:16:00 -0500

If you don't have a ground rod then you become the ground >o<

Response by SPC David S. made Mar 5 at 2021 5:34 PM

SPC David S. — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:34:01 -0500

I hope that the ones saying no don't refuel any aircrafts.

Response by Wayne Soares made Mar 5 at 2021 8:45 PM

Wayne Soares — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 20:45:27 -0500

Thanks for the question Matt