To ground or not to ground inverter

[Nabsim]

I know there was a discussion on one of the forums about this but don’t see it here. I am just swapping inverters and there are a couple of things in the manual have me unsure which way to go.
Grounding: I don’t use the earth ground on the case of my inverter as never really been happy that it should be used in a van. This clip from the manual, not sure if it is telling me to continue to not use the ground stub or not.


Connection: Until now I have used a suicide lead, yes I know the risk but nearest I get to EHU is my generator and always unplug first. I was thinking I would go safer this time and make up a lead going to the EHU inlet socket so no two inputs could ever be connected but the clip above is telling me not to do that, do not connect to van 230v at all just devices direct. If that is the case why have this?

Thoughts?

 

[PeteS]

Worth opening up the inverter and see if the earth pins on the outlet are connected. I would suspect that the earth pin of those two sockets are not connected to the earth of the inverter, I doubt they are connected to anything. Happy to be proved wrong. That statement is based on opening up 3 different chinese style inverters from ebay/amazon and finding them all with no earth connection on the outlet socket.
This type of inverter is for stand alone use.
So earthing the inverter will do nothing to protect the output in these cases.

This would not be true of kit produced by the likes of Victron that are designed for off grid living from solar etc, those types of inverters would be referenced to earth.

 

[wildebus]

I know there was a discussion on one of the forums about this but don’t see it here. I am just swapping inverters and there are a couple of things in the manual have me unsure which way to go.
Grounding: I don’t use the earth ground on the case of my inverter as never really been happy that it should be used in a van. This clip from the manual, not sure if it is telling me to continue to not use the ground stub or not.
View attachment 5537

I think the bit about the Neutral Connector connected to Ground is maybe more for a US mindset where on the supply side their AC Neutral is connected to their Ground on the 120V circuits from what I can gather (US AC is weird compared to UK!
As (I think?) you will be using this standalone and a device plugged into it, and that device is not connected or physically grounded to the chassis, I don't think it makes any difference to supplying power to that device.

The warning about not connecting to AC distribution wiring is true of any inverter - connect two AC supplies together .. BOOM!
As you know with remembering to unplug the Suicide Lead - but it is called a "suicide lead" not because of the damage to the supplies but the damage to the person!! Lose it immediately!

Connection: Until now I have used a suicide lead, yes I know the risk but nearest I get to EHU is my generator and always unplug first. I was thinking I would go safer this time and make up a lead going to the EHU inlet socket so no two inputs could ever be connected but the clip above is telling me not to do that, do not connect to van 230v at all just devices direct. If that is the case why have this?
View attachment 5538
Thoughts?

It is the risk of having two supplies joined together which I think is why the warning is in place. If there is no way to have two simultaneous supplies connected (and that does mean just connected - don't have to be on necessarily) then you could connect to the EHU input, but you will also need to make sure the other Inverter outlet is unplugged as well as any mains chargers.

The bit about the RCD .... what does the writing on the right say? It is cut off but does it say "OFF: when inverter uses along ... SIDE(?)"

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I did earth the one I fitted in the self build as I was running cable everywhere, but not since and most smaller ones which plug into the ciggy socket have no earth other than on the 12v side.

 

[Nabsim]

I am changing from the suicide lead now, it serves it purpose.

Here is the full leaflet David

 

[wildebus]

Bit of Chinglish there so hard to get full definate meaning. I just downloaded another vendors manual version of the same product and they have the same text on page 13, but they don't have the same illustration of the RCD. Maybe due to the confusion of that page they removed it?

I think "uses along" is meant to say "used alone"?

 

[Nabsim]

This is on a separate leaflet in the box David, the one regarding RCD that is.

Not had a second switch like that before, just ignore or RCD off if going direct to device and on if going to ehu?

Initially I am direct to device anyway so it should be off

 

[wildebus]

This is on a separate leaflet in the box David, the one regarding RCD that is.

Not had a second switch like that before, just ignore or RCD off if going direct to device and on if going to ehu?

Initially I am direct to device anyway so it should be off

"going to EHU" means plugging to EHU input? in which case seems right.

 

[Nabsim]

That’s the plan sorted then, good job everything is so easy huh lol

Next job is disconnecting calorifier, removing broken strap, wiring in immersion, refitting new strap and saddle then connecting everything back up. Think it may be more than today lol

 

[Nabsim]

800W Induction hob on full chat.

 

[wildebus]

Looking good

 

[trevskoda]

No grounding if through a rcd unit.

 

[Nabsim]

Just realised most reading won’t know what inverter I got. The photonics universe one I was originally looking at went out of stock not long after I posted here and hasn’t come back in yet. I ended up buying a 1500W Explorer branded PSW from Alpha battery’s. Always been pleased with things I have purchased from them and backup is good if needed. Of course not forgetting the wind camping discount makes it even better.

Both inverters pictured are 1500W models, the Krieger was modified sine wave and the Explorer is pure sine wave. The explorer is physically bigger and is quite a bit heavier. The cables with the Krieger are superior being 24mm and longer than those with the Explorer so would budget for cable if buying one. Both come with remotes.

So far so good, not got calorifier out yet to wire in and try immersion heater element but induction hob works fine, it is under one of the sofas so any sound is less than it would be in the open, can hear it hum with hob running flat out but not noisy at all I would say

Personal preference thing I like the steel nuts for the cal,es on the Krieger rather than the knurled nuts on the explorer just makes me happier if I get a spanner on it and can feel it’s tight

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