# gfi protection



## spockmckoy (Sep 12, 2013)

Hi, does anyone have experience with the GFI protection on a Generac 8kw generator? I tried to hook it up today to a panel with a mechanical interlock and the seller says you can't because of the gfi protection. I want to energize an entire home panel. I've been told you need to 'switch the neutral' or the gfi will trip. 30 amp max on the kit. If you eliminate the gfi module, does anyone know if this will disable any output of the generator? It has an inverter. The main house panel breaker and the breaker from the generator have a mechanical interlock so only 1 can be on at any given time, so backfeed is not an issue. I want to use the common neutral bar in the house panel to bond the generator to.


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## Dqalex (Nov 25, 2012)

The person who told you this is correct. Your generator needs to have a floating neutral. There can only be one place for the ground and the neutral to be bonded and that in your house in the main box. If you neutral bond in two places you can get caught in a loop and trip the GFI. From what I've seen its not hard to do. . For us with Honda Generators there is no worry. All current Honda Generators except for the EB series have floating neutrals from the factory. There are some videos on YouTube on how to do it.


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## spockmckoy (Sep 12, 2013)

I solved the problem. I disconnected a wire from gfci module that controls the main shunt trip breaker. I have the ground/neutrals from the genset bonded in the main house panel and am using a mechanical interlock in the main panel so there is no issue with backfeeding. All works fine now. The GFI trips, sends its alarm, but nobody is answering and all is working fine. Generators never had GFI protection on them in the past and I'm not dealing with the sensitivity/cost issue now. Just more nonsense from lawyers and the nanny state.


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## Dqalex (Nov 25, 2012)

Interlocks are nice. 
I put mine in a few years ago and it really paid off after Sandy. I saw some of my neighbors, My God what they did after the storm hooking up their generators its amazing more people didn't have serious accidents. An inlet box outside with an interlock on the main panel is a nice setup.


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