Honda 6500IS generator

[Buddy]

I'm trying to get my rv ready for dry camping and hurricane season.I have my 50 amp down to 30 amps on the genny. My surge protector show good neutral but a opened ground. How can you not have a opened ground going down the road. You can't get a earth ground?

[5th_Time]

Buddy,



I recall some discussion about this on the this forum last year. Search past threads about this issue because I think some surge protectors are sensitive as to whether they are plug-ins or wired-in and if wired-in,whether they are wired before or after the transfer switch.

[atom ant]

I installed my surge suppressor downstream of the transfer switch to allow the generator to bypass it, but to provide surge suppression on the shore line.

I had heard of issues between genny and surge.

[Buddy]

I'm waiting for Leonard to call me back, but from what I'm hearing the only way any generator can be truly protected is with a earth ground by code.

[Dave&Ginny]

If I'm not mistaken....Tall-Pines (Ian) had some good information on this as well as some great pictures that he posted last year. You might want to check some of his posts. Like 5th time said, there was a long informative thread last year on the subject with several contributors.

[UNDRPSI]

Buddy I feel your pain. Been their done that. I have the Honda 6500IS and have the surge protector also. It drove me nuts for a weekend.
What you need to do is and it’s called Bonding. What it is is the connecting of the neutral and ground together. This is a very controversial subject but it works. What I did is bought a male plug and made a short jumper wire and connected the neutral and ground wires together and plug it into the 110 outlet of the front panel. I then can hook up the generator to the coach and all power goes through the surge protector. You will no longer get the open ground code.

P.S. I looked for that open ground all day after I installed the surge protector. It took 3 months for all my hair to grow back from pulling it out.

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by UNDRPSI

Buddy I feel your pain. Been their done that. Â*I have the Honda 6500IS and have the surge protector also. It drove me nuts for a weekend.Â*
What you need to do is and it’s called Bonding. What it is is the connecting of the neutral and ground together. Â*This is a very controversial subject but it works. What I did is bought a male plug and made a short jumper wire and connected the neutral and ground wires together and plug it into the 110 outlet of the front panel. I then can hook up the generator to the coach and all power goes through the surge protector. You will no longer get the open ground code.Â*

P.S. I looked for that open ground all day after I installed the surge protector. It took 3 months for all my hair to grow back from pulling it out.

I did that yesterday after I found it on google, It did work and I didn't show any faults on the surge protector. Both A/C units ran great, but I heard a noise in the bedroom and it was the pump on the washer trying to pump water out and I never turned it on. I turned it off, but the washing machine pump still ran. After going back to 110V shore power all was okay. I will try again today. Thanks G&N bonding

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by Buddy

I did that yesterday after I found it on google, It did work and I didn't show any faults on the surge protector. Both A/C units ran great, but I heard a noise in the bedroom and it was the pump on the washer trying to pump water out and I never turned it on. I turned it off, but the washing machine pump still ran. After going back to 110V shore power all was okay. I will try again today. Thanks G&N bonding

Did you put your 6500IS on a cargo carrier on the back hitch and plug into the 50 amp service?

[rcflame]

I don't know about the gen. surge protector thing, but as to connecting the ground & neutral together, I think if you look in you home circuit breaker box, or the one in you RV, you will see that the neutral and ground are both connected to the same buss bar.

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by rcflame

I don't know about the gen. surge protector thing, but as to connecting the ground & neutral together, I think if you look in you home circuit breaker box, or the one in you RV, you will see that the neutral and ground are both connected to the same buss bar.

Most homes has a earth ground that is tied into the neutral/ground buss bar, mine has two that I know of. It works without a earth ground, but I put one and grounded the Honda Generator to it just in case of lightning. If we do get a hurricane I will go Northwest anyway, a good excuse to travel.

[atom ant]

Be careful trying to prevent lightning by grounding, as you might end up attracting it. These things are not designed to take that kind of hit.


I was stopped by a fella the other day that was watching me level and he told me that he went to an RV seminar and they told him to never let his landing gear come in direct contact with the ground because of lightning.

So who is right? I work with electrical engineersthat design lightning protection systems and we all agree that the only constant about lightning is that there are no experts.



Edited by: atom ant

[Buddy]

I'm retired and will probable never actually use generator power on the road. The wife has it in her head. I worked 34 years as a HVAC Mechanic Superintendent over 34 Louisiana State buildings to enjoy air conditioning and myself when I retired. I don't want to rough it or I would have bought a pup tent.

[Buddy]

Funny thing is the wife bought the generator for Hurricane Gustav after being without power for 5 days and bathing in the in ground pool. I hooked it up and 4 hours later the power came on. Other than exercising it monthly and servicing it, it hasn't been used. She is trying to justify the 3400.00. However we as men have to keep the peace and go with the flow.

[johnboytoo]

You are a smart man Buddy !!!!

Course you would be being a Tiga

I was at LSU from 66 thru 71 (or so !) as a budding End-ji-sneering student !

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by johnboytoo

You are a smart man Buddy !!!!

Course you would be being a Tiga

I was at LSU from 66 thru 71 (or so !) as a budding End-ji-sneering student !

Where do you live now and yes I'm a Tiger fan. My son graduated from LSU as an Industrial Emgineer. Now working for DOTD as a civil engineer.

[rcflame]

In our 11 years of full timing we have never been able to justify a big generator. The stayed on BLM land at Quartzite a few years without a generator, Than had a chance to buy a used Honda 2000, fairly cheap. used that a few times but mainly spent time running it monthly and changing the oil yearly. Decided it wasn't worth the trouble and sold it and got my money back out of it. Many people we have met with generators in motorhomes and trailers are the same way. You may have good use for a generator, but my suggestion would be to seriously think it through before you go to the expense of purchase and maintenance.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by rcflame

In our 11 years of full timing we have never been able to justify a big generator. The stayed on BLM land at Quartzite a few years without a generator, Than had a chance to buy a used Honda 2000, fairly cheap. used that a few times but mainly spent time running it monthly and changing the oil yearly. Decided it wasn't worth the trouble and sold it and got my money back out of it. Many people we have met with generators in motorhomes and trailers are the same way. You may have good use for a generator, but my suggestion would be to seriously think it through before you go to the expense of purchase and maintenance.

You're right to a degree...... Most people buy an RV and park it at one spot, never really going too far and because of this they never really use the generator. Under these conditions, the generators are rarely used and they became a maintenance problem.

Personally I love the freedom and comfort that my RV gives me and the generator adds to this. I'm on the road a lot and I enjoy the convenience and comfort of having everything in my trailer working at a touch of a button with little hassle or noise while parking along side of the road or in a parking lot. I also have my RV as an emergency shelter in case we loose power during a disaster at home. ( I actually use my generator quite a bit and without hesitation)

They are expensive to buy but mine was included in our deal so it was financed. When I change out RVs, I'll have it pulled and put in the next one so to me it was a one time purchase. As always, there's many different points of views and you should only buy what works for you.

[atom ant]

After going from a MH to a TT without power, I figured the next one must have agenerator. I've had this Onan 5500 for 10 years now, and I've installed it on 3 fifth wheels. As I reflect, I agree I probably didn't have to have one in the first place but we do use it and who would have ever thought it would last longer than most cars I've had. I'ts kind of like an automatic satellite dishor W/D, it's a toy same as the Redwood.
Edited by: atom ant

[UNDRPSI]

Buddy
Glad the bonding worked for you. I have my Honda close by but dont carry it with us all the time.
One thing you need to remember DO NOT LEAVE TTHE BONDING PLUG IN WHEN YOU HOOK IT TO YOUR HOUSE IF THE POWER SHOULD GO OUT!!!! IT WILL BLOW THE ELECTRONICS ON THE INSIDE AND MESS UP TH INVERTER... Don’t ask how we found this out.

[Buddy]

I just ran the Honda 6500IS for an hour or so and I'm getting as followed;

1 AC unit - 21 amps
2 AC units - 34.5 amps @ 3300 RPM
Probable half throttle.