Hello,
I have a diesel powered 10Kw generator, puts out 240V@43A.
I have a small un-attached garage that has a sub-panel, with power coming from the main house. The sub panel has a grounding rod attached.
I install an outdoors sub-panel, under a lean-to, where the generator is permanently installed. Can I use the ground rod from the other sub-panel to attached the generator ground too?
Not unless you tie the new grounding point back to the main electrical service. Then you have to decide if you want to separate the neutral and ground in the generator. Best check with the manufacture about that.
Your going to need a transfer switch of the correct number of poles. Tying the neutrals together can create more problems than switching the neutrals. Example a 3 pole switch instead of a two pole.
Best check locally to see how it is done correctly.
If you keep all your grounds together, and your nuetrals together, provided all your sources are well behaved you should be OK. I wouldn't recommend shorting N-E, they exist for two very different purposes, even though in many cases they can be approximated for eachother.
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