[aprssig] More generator stuff

[Jim Lux]

We're straying a bit (a lot?) OT, but since it's safety related, hopefully 
it will slide:
Dale wrote:
If your generator does not have 220V it would use a 3 prong.
The neutral on 120/240V generators are not at earth ground.
The fourth prong is earth ground on the gen frame.
It uses two seperate 120v circuits.
---

Depends on the generator. Some are isolated, some aren't, some have a 
removable jumper inside, some have been modified one way or the other. Some 
use a 3 prong non-grounding receptacle for 220V (Hot, Neutral, Hot).

There have been probably dozens of different receptacles used over the past 
30 years for this kind of thing. There's at least 3 different series of 
"twistlock" type connectors for instance, with half a dozen flavors within 
a series for number of circuits, voltage and current ratings. When I worked 
in the special effects business, we had bins full of a bewildering variety 
of connectors with which we'd make up suicide cords and adapters.  The 
standard is that there is NO standard.

Particularly for generators that hams might come across from surplus or 
used sources: If it's important, get an ohmmeter and check.  Don't just 
trust that the manufacturer did the "right thing", or that all the previous 
users and owners did either.  Do the subsequent users a favor, and label 
the generator with what you find (along with the date!)


Jim, W6RMK