Ground Neutral Plug use?

[Gliddenwoods]

I want to charge my Oliver with  Blueitti (sp?) battery "solar generator". 

Is it correct that I need to plug a "ground neutral plug" in one of the Bluetti outlets to make it work correctly?

[FloraFauna]

I needed to do so with my Champion generator.  

[Snackchaser]

I've never heard of a Blueitti.  However there are a similar issues with a  Jackery.  They have what's called a floating neutral.  Also common in some generators.  So yes, a floating neutral requires a neutral to ground bonding plug.  Otherwise the Electrical Management System (EMS) will see it as an open ground.  

But there is a problem.   Many  (if not all) of these power packs have no reference to ground what-so-ever.  So the "u-ground" pin hole of the receptacle is not connected to anything, it's just an open hole.  So a neutral to ground bonding plug wouldn't connect to anything in the ground pin hole, and it won't work.  

Now that I've confused everyone, including myself, there is a bypass trick.  Use a 1-outlet to 3-outlet adapter, or an extension cord with a "Wye" that provides 3 extra outlets to plug into.  Plug the neutral to ground bonding plug into one the extra outlets to effectively bond the neutral and ground... despite there being no ground on the power pack.   Cool huh.  

This is one of many reasons to have a $10 plug-in circuit tester, the ones with three lights that show various conditions such as open grounds.  I recommend you test all circuits when rigging such power supplies.

Cheers!  Geoff

[Gliddenwoods]

47 minutes ago, FloraFauna said:

I needed to do so with my Champion generator.  

Into an outlet in the Oliver or in the generator?

[Gliddenwoods]

4 minutes ago, Snackchaser said:

I've never heard of a Blueitti.  However there are a similar issues with a  Jackery.  They have what's called a floating neutral.  Also common in some generators.  So yes, a floating neutral requires a neutral to ground bonding plug.  Otherwise the Electrical Management System (EMS) will see it as an open ground.  

But there is a problem.   Many  (if not all) of these power packs have no reference to ground what-so-ever.  So the "u-ground" pin hole of the receptacle is not connected to anything, it's just an open hole.  So a neutral to ground bonding plug wouldn't connect to anything in the ground pin hole, and it won't work.  

Now that I've confused everyone, including myself, there is a bypass trick.  Use a 1-outlet to 3-outlet adapter, or an extension cord with a "Wye" that provides 3 extra outlets to plug into.  Plug the neutral to ground bonding plug into one the extra outlets to effectively bond the neutral and ground... despite there being no ground on the power pack.   Cool huh.  

This is one of many reasons to have a $10 plug-in circuit tester, the ones with three lights that show various conditions such as open grounds.  I recommend you test all circuits when rigging such power supplies.

Cheers!  Geoff

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.bluettipower.com/collections/solar-generators%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOorYwy_9QQeUU5f8w-gieqaqxkTNeuxvTgwk7-IXFxfPsFHY-ShT&ved=2ahUKEwiZwsmvkJKVAxXDmisGHevaGgUQFnoECBsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1JV2q4OjzofNCgrtpnFEQd

[Steph and Dud B]

37 minutes ago, Gliddenwoods said:

Into an outlet in the Oliver or in the generator?

A generator. There is another option in a pinch. You can use the Bypass switch on your EMS control panel (ours is in the "attic" over the bed). This will keep the EMS from blocking power from the "ungrounded" generator, but it will also remove all protection provided by the EMS. However, power from the Bluetti is already supposed to be clean, right?

[Gliddenwoods]

27 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

A generator. There is another option in a pinch. You can use the Bypass switch on your EMS control panel (ours is in the "attic" over the bed). This will keep the EMS from blocking power from the "ungrounded" generator, but it will also remove all protection provided by the EMS. However, power from the Bluetti is already supposed to be clean, right?

That sounds dangerous and I could fry something; yes?