Burnt Surge Protector

[W2PFY]

This is what happens when the neutral on a 240-volt source is not connected. I was running low on diesel fuel on my 23 KW 3 phase generator here at the camp. So I hooked up the single-phase generator up. I have in line at all times an overhead 60-watt bulb in the gen shack. When I turned the circuit breaker on, the 60-watt bulb lit up like a 1000 watt bulb. The governor took control of the load and really started pumping the juice out. Looks as if the generator acted like an autotransformer and was pumping out an unknown voltage high enough to burn the surge protector out. There was nothing plugged into it at the time. I had witnessed a similar condition at a friend’s home. One side of his 240-volt line was loose at the meter box. So he had with out load about 87 volts on the loose side and 180 volts one the tight side. When his 240 electric hot water heater came on, the voltage went so high that it blew out everything on one side of the line.

Bottom line, all connection on your power source be it a generator or the grid need to be clean and tight. I wonder how these surge protectors will fair with a lighting strike?

[WA1HZK]

Be afraid! be very Afraid......
I lost the throttle plate in the 10KW Army gas rig beside the house. Everyone inside said it was like standing inside a super nova!
Lotsa dead gear that day.
Keith
WA1HZK