Grounding is a critical safety step to prevent electric shock. You'll need a grounding wire and a rod.
- Get a piece of No. 12 AWG stranded copper wire. This is the recommended size.
- Connect one end of this wire to the grounding nut on the front control panel of your generator. Tighten it securely.
- Connect the other end of the wire to a copper, brass, or steel grounding rod.
- Drive that grounding rod firmly into the earth.
IF THAT DIDN'T WORK: If you're unsure about the connection, double-check that the wire is making solid metal-to-metal contact at both the generator's nut and the grounding rod clamp. Corrosion or a loose connection won't provide a proper ground.
HEADS UP: Never skip this step, especially when using the generator to power tools or in damp conditions. Failure to properly ground the generator significantly increases the risk of electrical shock. Always ground it before starting.