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Reverse polarity


Cloudinspector

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I have a Honda EU20 portable generator which is used for battery charging. When this is plugged into the shoreline socket the reverse polarity indicator light illuminates. I have read elsewhere on a motorhome forum that this is caused by the generator Earth not being tied to the neutral line. If this is the case do I need to make up a correction lead with the Earth and neutral tied?

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1 hour ago, Cloudinspector said:

I have a Honda EU20 portable generator which is used for battery charging. When this is plugged into the shoreline socket the reverse polarity indicator light illuminates. I have read elsewhere on a motorhome forum that this is caused by the generator Earth not being tied to the neutral line. If this is the case do I need to make up a correction lead with the Earth and neutral tied?

Short answer - Yes :)

I suggest you indelibly label the lead "For connection of EU20i to boat shoreline inlet ONLY" for safety's sake. 

If you feel confident in doing so, you could instead make the link at the back of the socket on the genny. 

It is actually essential that you do one or the other in order to enable the boat RCD to protect you as designed. 

Edited by WotEver
  • Greenie 2
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2 hours ago, Cloudinspector said:

I have a Honda EU20 portable generator which is used for battery charging. When this is plugged into the shoreline socket the reverse polarity indicator light illuminates. I have read elsewhere on a motorhome forum that this is caused by the generator Earth not being tied to the neutral line. If this is the case do I need to make up a correction lead with the Earth and neutral tied?

You could N/E bond via one of the generator output sockets. Get a spare mains plug and connect the Neutral & Earth together. Label the plug so as not to use it for any other purpose. Doing it this way you don't need to modify your existing lead.

Edited by Flyboy
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But be sure the generator doesn't have a centre tapped earth.

(Not familiar with EU20 generators, but it does appear to have an earth from the Inverter Unit, which is connected to frame ground and the output sockets)

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1 minute ago, Iain_S said:

But be sure the generator doesn't have a centre tapped earth.

(Not familiar with EU20 generators, but it does appear to have an earth from the Inverter Unit, which is connected to frame ground and the output sockets)

Honda themselves instruct you to bond E-N for the EU20i

The advice obviously doesn’t hold true for every generator but as the EU20i is the generator OP is enquiring about I think we’re okay. 

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