Generac 6852 Transfer Switch installed (to power my house from the Pro Power 240V plug)

[eopiela]

You have to: (presuming your Solark is set Limited to Load).
1. Remove the ground pin from the cord running to the truck (this stops the GFCI from tripping).
2. Turn off time of use under system work mode.
3. Turn on Gen Charge under Battery Settings, limit to 70 amps (keep in mind this is referring to amps @ 51.7v not 240---really confusing).
4. Cut power from grid.
5. Gen Force under Battery Settings.
6. Wait about a minute, then it will cut in.
7. It picks up house load first, then whatever excess charges the battery.

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[Henry Ford]

I'll try posting here before I start a new thread...

I installed a Generac 6852 and wired it according to the diagram on page 14 of the owner's manual. If it's wired like that the truck senses a ground fault and trips the breaker the instant any circuit is turned on. I tested all the circuits it's all of them. If I disconnect the ground wire from the PIB to the switch panel it works perfectly.

I'm assuming everyone who has successfully installed a Generac 6852 has the grounds hooked up according to the diagram. That is PIB to switch panel ground bus, switch panel ground bus to main panel ground bus. Additionally each circuit from the switch panel is grounded to the main panel. Maybe one of these is wrong? I believe the truck senses the ground to the main panel, correctly figures this is two grounds and trips the breaker. The only way around this is to disconnect one of the grounds. I chose the ground from the PIB because I thought it wise to keep the switch panel and circuits grounded to the main panel.

Any insight is appreciated. Hopefully my description of the connections is understandable. I realize I say "ground" when I mean "ground wire." In my system (and everyone else's I assume) the only thing that is actually "grounded" is the main panel.

 

[carys98]

I'll try posting here before I start a new thread...

I installed a Generac 6852 and wired it according to the diagram on page 14 of the owner's manual. If it's wired like that the truck senses a ground fault and trips the breaker the instant any circuit is turned on. I tested all the circuits it's all of them. If I disconnect the ground wire from the PIB to the switch panel it works perfectly.

I'm assuming everyone who has successfully installed a Generac 6852 has the grounds hooked up according to the diagram. That is PIB to switch panel ground bus, switch panel ground bus to main panel ground bus. Additionally each circuit from the switch panel is grounded to the main panel. Maybe one of these is wrong? I believe the truck senses the ground to the main panel, correctly figures this is two grounds and trips the breaker. The only way around this is to disconnect one of the grounds. I chose the ground from the PIB because I thought it wise to keep the switch panel and circuits grounded to the main panel.

Any insight is appreciated. Hopefully my description of the connections is understandable. I realize I say "ground" when I mean "ground wire." In my system (and everyone else's I assume) the only thing that is actually "grounded" is the main panel.

Yes, all of the green wire grounds are connected together. When you are running on the grid power there should not be a connection from the ground to neutral on the PIB. Take an ohmmeter and verify that you do not have continuity from the ground pin (the one with the tab) and any other pin on the PIB. If you do then that is your problem.

 

[Henry Ford]

Yes, all of the green wire grounds are connected together. When you are running on the grid power there should not be a connection from the ground to neutral on the PIB. Take an ohmmeter and verify that you do not have continuity from the ground pin (the one with the tab) and any other pin on the PIB. If you do then that is your problem.

No continuity between PIB neutral and ground when on utility power.

When on Truck power what would cause a ground fault that would trip the breaker?

 

[wiffleballpractice]

When on Truck power what would cause a ground fault that would trip the breaker?

One possible cause for detecting a ground fault would be a ground fault. Maybe try testing for any shorts to ground with the switch set to generator. Have you confirmed that your pro power works outside of this transfer switch system (powering something from the 240V plug)?

 

[Henry Ford]

One possible cause for detecting a ground fault would be a ground fault. Maybe try testing for any shorts to ground with the switch set to generator. Have you confirmed that your pro power works outside of this transfer switch system (powering something from the 240V plug)?

It works if I disconnect the ground but I don't really have anything else to test it on.

I went back and forth with a buddy last night and my current theory is a shared neutral* between a circuit on the switch panel and one in the main panel. That would connect to ground at the main panel and the truck would trip. Hopefully I can troubleshoot today.

This is plausible because my house has had two remodels since being built. One of the remodelers was me. I'm not saying I shared a ground between circuits but I definitely wasn't thinking about a truck powering my house when I was crawling around my attic.

*Edited to correctly say neutral instead of ground.

 

[Maquis]

It works if I disconnect the ground but I don't really have anything else to test it on.

I went back and forth with a buddy last night and my current theory is a shared ground between a circuit on the switch panel and one in the main panel. That would connect to ground at the main panel and the truck would trip. Hopefully I can troubleshoot today.

This is plausible because my house has had two remodels since being built. One of the remodelers was me. I'm not saying I shared a ground between circuits but I definitely wasn't thinking about a truck powering my house when I was crawling around my attic.

NEC 250.48 requires all Equipment Grounding Conductors (EGCs) that get spliced in a metal box to be connected together. This could very well be your problem if circuits from your Generac panel share a device box or splice box with a circuit from your main panel.

 

[Henry Ford]

NEC 250.48 requires all Equipment Grounding Conductors (EGCs) that get spliced in a metal box to be connected together. This could very well be your problem if circuits from your Generac panel share a device box or splice box with a circuit from your main panel.

I meant to type "shared neutral" above. The ground wouldn't be the problem. All grounds are routed back to the main panel. They would be isolated from the switch neutrals...unless someone connected neutrals of different circuits and I put one of those circuits in the switch panel.

 

[Maquis]

I meant to type "shared neutral" above. The ground wouldn't be the problem. All grounds are routed back to the main panel. They would be isolated from the switch neutrals...unless someone connected neutrals of different circuits and I put one of those circuits in the switch panel.

I should have realized that’s what you meant. Duh!

One way to find circuits with shared neutrals is to temporarily put each one on a GFCI breaker. If there’s a shared neutral, it will trip as soon as you put any load on the circuit. It won’t tell you where the shared connection is located, but can narrow things down.

 

[Henry Ford]

I should have realized that’s what you meant. Duh!

One way to find circuits with shared neutrals is to temporarily put each one on a GFCI breaker. If there’s a shared neutral, it will trip as soon as you put any load on the circuit. It won’t tell you where the shared connection is located, but can narrow things down.

That's a good idea but I think I'm narrowing in on the issue. I pulled neutrals from the switch panel one at a time to test for continuity to ground. I discovered a circuit that is definitely faulting. Based on the circuit I don't think it's likely there's a shared ground. Maybe just a ground touching a neutral in a junction box.

It's going to be a pain opening every box and inspecting the wiring but I think that's what has to be done. The hardest one is the one I installed behind the TV but it's also the most likely to be faulted because it was installed by an amateur electrician...me.

 

[Henry Ford]

This is what was causing my ground fault issue with the Generac switch panel. It's the wiring for a fireplace fan I installed two years ago. I did way more troubleshooting than was warranted for such a simple mistake but I eventually figured it out. I'm hoping for a power outage soon!

 

[carys98]

This is what was causing my ground fault issue with the Generac switch panel. It's the wiring for a fireplace fan I installed two years ago. I did way more troubleshooting than was warranted for such a simple mistake but I eventually figured it out. I'm hoping for a power outage soon!

Glad you tracked it down. When you first posted I checked mine to be sure there was no path from neutral to ground I found that my ground wasn’t connected at all. I opened my PIB and the green wire had slipped out from under the screw. Now we both get to wish for a power outage.

 

[Henry Ford]

Glad you tracked it down. When you first posted I checked mine to be sure there was no path from neutral to ground I found that my ground wasn’t connected at all. I opened my PIB and the green wire had slipped out from under the screw. Now we both get to wish for a power outage.

Nice find! Now you are slightly safer or at least more code compliant.

Have you tested again since finding the loose ground? Just now while testing I discovered the truck shuts down after awhile if you walk away with the fob in your pocket. It seems like there should be a way to run Pro Power Onboard without having to run the truck...as I'm typing this I just realized my phone is connected to Android Auto in my truck while I'm sitting at my kitchen. Kind of annoying.

 

[carys98]

Nice find! Now you are slightly safer or at least more code compliant.

Have you tested again since finding the loose ground? Just now while testing I discovered the truck shuts down after awhile if you walk away with the fob in your pocket. It seems like there should be a way to run Pro Power Onboard without having to run the truck...as I'm typing this I just realized my phone is connected to Android Auto in my truck while I'm sitting at my kitchen. Kind of annoying.

My truck is at the dealer right now. I tried to get the TSB for the modem but now they are telling me I have to wait till June. I'm going to try it tonight.

Yeah, there are a lot of complaints about the way Pro Power behaves. I keep my truck in the garage so if I need it I plan to start it, turn off the HVAC, turn off the shutdown timer, put up the calm screen, and leave the fob in the truck while it is running. If I had to leave it in the driveway I would set everything up and then lock it and remote start it through the app.

 

[TaxmanHog]

'm typing this I just realized my phone is connected to Android Auto in my truck while I'm sitting at my kitchen. Kind of annoying.

Go into your wifi network settings on the phone, manually disconnect the projection SSID emanating from the Lightning.

Also there is a setting on the truck to disable the shutdown timer

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