Honda EU2200ic Companion reverse polarity

[MultiCountryDon]

Good Morning everyone- need some help please.
I have a 2008 Beneteau 36CC and recently bought a Honda EU2200ic companion generator so that I can have Air con etc away from shore power.
When I connect the Honda to my shore power inlet my panel "reverse polarity" light comes on. I am using the same power cord that works without issue with several marinas during the past month. I have 2 shore power cords, both give the same result.
Can I simply reverse 2 wires in one cord and then reserve it only for the Honda ? OR ?


Thanks in advance for the help.

Don

[smac999]

It’s because the gen does not have the ground and neutral connected. .

It’s not reverse pol. It’s a floating ground voltage at some random number.

[sailorboy1]

The standard fix, and the one i did, is to take a plug and connect its ground and common wire and plug it into the generaor.

[MultiCountryDon]

Thanks Sailor Boy
Just to be clear-put a jumper between ground and common ?

[sailorboy1]

Yes

If you are unsure google it and there are youtubes

[billknny]

If you are unsure about an electrical connection on a boat (especially) just DON"T do it! It's dangerous!

Trust your life to a random youtuber? Really?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by billknny

If you are unsure about an electrical connection on a boat (especially) just DON"T do it! It's dangerous!

Trust your life to a random youtuber? Really?

Yes, you are much better asking a random internet forum poster or boater

[thereefgeek]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Yes, you are much better asking a random internet forum poster or boater

My wife fixed our reverse polarity issue with the eu2000 and we made a YouTube video about it. That means we’re random you-tubers AND random Internet forum-posters.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NLBY8N2fcyw

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by thereefgeek

My wife fixed our reverse polarity issue with the eu2000 and we made a YouTube video about it. That means we’re random you-tubers AND random Internet forum-posters.

Means that you are double not to be believed

[s/v Jedi]

I recommend you do not do that. A shore power cord may never have neutral and ground connected. Also, the generator is just fine as it is. Change the “rev.pol.” label into “rev.pol/generator” and you will be safe as can be.

[smac999]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I recommend you do not do that. A shore power cord may never have neutral and ground connected. Also, the generator is just fine as it is. Change the “rev.pol.” label into “rev.pol/generator” and you will be safe as can be.

every dock will have the neutral and ground connected. so will every on board marine gen. and every marine inverter. it's code. the honda gen does not meet abyc code.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by smac999

every dock will have the neutral and ground connected. so will every on board marine gen. and every marine inverter. it's code. the honda gen does not meet abyc code.

No they don’t. Ashore, the neutral and ground are connected at the transformer.

When you are not connected to shore power, you are perfectly safe when your generator has no connection between ground and neutral.

[sailorboy1]

If i didn't connect the common and neutral at my EU2200i besides the reverse polarity light being on, it would trip my panel trip pak shore power breaker.

Please return to your bicker battle.

[Frankly]

The neutral and ground (in the US at least) are connected at the electrical service entrance or in separately derived system (ie generator) at the separately derived system.


Many main shore power circuit breakers have a trip coil (in addition to the reverse polarity light set up) that will trip off the main breaker if a significant voltage exists between the neutral and ground. If the neutral is left floating then that trip coil might see enough voltage to trip off the main.

If you sleep better with the neutral and ground connected, then make a dummy plug with the neutral (silver screw) and ground connected and plug it into one side of the duplex receptacle.

Either way it really ain't a big deal. I worry a lot more about CO poisoning when operating a Honda aboard then any shock hazard.

I still maintain that Honda did not make the ungrounded neutral decision lightly, and don't operate mine on Cbreeze often but when I do just let the neutral float just like the ship does.


Frankly

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Frankly

The neutral and ground (in the US at least) are connected at the electrical service entrance or in separately derived system (ie generator) at the separately derived system.


Many main shore power circuit breakers have a trip coil (in addition to the reverse polarity light set up) that will trip off the main breaker if a significant voltage exists between the neutral and ground. If the neutral is left floating then that trip coil might see enough voltage to trip off the main.

If you sleep better with the neutral and ground connected, then make a dummy plug with the neutral (silver screw) and ground connected and plug it into one side of the duplex receptacle.

Either way it really ain't a big deal. I worry a lot more about CO poisoning when operating a Honda aboard then any shock hazard.

I still maintain that Honda did not make the ungrounded neutral decision lightly, and don't operate mine on Cbreeze often but when I do just let the neutral float just like the ship does.


Frankly

Indeed, but when a Honda generator that has ground isolated from it’s hot and neutral leads triggers the trip coil, then it means something else is wrong with the wiring, like on Sailor1’s boat (his boat defies all laws of nature though so anything can be expected there).

For non techs: if the generator has no connection with ground, there can never be a voltage to ground. When such a voltage is measured (trips a breaker coil) then there is a problem with the wiring aboard (isolation failure). Imagine you take a 1 foot piece of wire and connect it to nothing. Now measure voltage between that wire and the neutral of a running generator. There should not be a reading. The ground wiring of the boat should only have a connection to neutral when on inverter power (relay inside inverter)

Using a plug like Frankly subscribes, addresses the symptom of a flipping breaker, but does not fix the cause.