Reverse Polarity ?

[st599]

Do they?

That's certainly what I've been told when working in Northern Europe, and have seen polarity issues when working there with UK kit.

If that's not the case elsewhere, it would be useful to know.

(In Germany, domestic 3 phase is also found quite often)

 

[billskip]

seen polarity issues when working there with UK kit.

With UK kit,maybe.
However if you look at the OP's photo the socket outlet doesn't prevent the plug being inserted either way, so who knows the output polarity?.the RCD on the panel will work if a leak to earth/ground
It maybe the generator built in RCD will not work without the internal N-E link as shown in jakew009 post 20

 

[PaulRainbow]

An inverter or generator in a fixed installation on a boat must have the Earth and neutral bonded and and Earth connection to the water.

Connecting to the boats existing electrical system constitutes "fixed".

If the Earth connection to the water is new a galvanic isolator may be needed, if not already fitted.

 

[ithet]

How will that indicator light work properly if the the generator (and then presumably it's "neutral") is not earthed?

 

[jamie N]

As an aside, if I saw an indicator lamp illuminated with a "polarity reversed" message, I'd assume that it's for the DC side of things, not the 'alternating' bit.

 

[PaulRainbow]

As an aside, if I saw an indicator lamp illuminated with a "polarity reversed" message, I'd assume that it's for the DC side of things, not the 'alternating' bit.

Then you'd be mistaken

If the DC system polarity was reversed lots of things would die.

 

[westernman]

Isn’t this just because the neutral is floating on the generator?

You will need to make up a plug that has the earth and neutral bonded. Then your RCD will work and the reverse polarity indicator will go out.

Yes. The neutral needs to be connected to "earth". That is what your batteries -ve is connected to.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Bonding of neutral MUST be done at source, nowhere else.

 

[st599]

With UK kit,maybe.
However if you look at the OP's photo the socket outlet doesn't prevent the plug being inserted either way, so who knows the output polarity?

Indeed, that's the issue when using UK equipment abroad. The fuse going in a UK plug doesn't necessarily isolate the equipment.

 

[st599]

As an aside, if I saw an indicator lamp illuminated with a "polarity reversed" message, I'd assume that it's for the DC side of things, not the 'alternating' bit.

It would be an incorrect assumption. DC circuits in the main, just don't work with a polarity reversal, AC circuits work, but don't necessarily fail safely.

As a UK boat that travels abroad often, we have a Martindale constantly plugged in to check phase neutral reversal, presence of low impedance earth and can if necessary check the RCD/RCBO.