Earthing items running on a portable generator?

Apodemus

The recent discussion on here about household earth systems has me wondering what happens if you plug a "must be earthed" device into a portable generator (or a temporary  battery/inverter combo)?  How do people do this while ensuring that the set-up is adequately earthed?  

Eldi_Dos

Any portable gennie I have used has had a knurled nut that you can attach a earth lead connected to a temporary rod driven into the ground. Do not see it used much in work situations.

Caravanners would have more of a insight into this I would imagine.

Rodders53

The IET is the place to go...

https://electrical.theiet.org/media/1550/operation-of-portable-generators.pdf from 2011 but may still be worth reading?

https://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-matters/years/2020/82-september-2020/mythbusters-6/ ismore recent.

Apodemus

Thanks for these responses!

I don't think I've ever seen someone use a ground rod on a temporary generator and I've seen very little mention of this on any of the sites that talk of mobile-use of an inverter (rather than fixed off-grid or back-up use).  Of course outlet RCDs for all appliances will also help.

That IET site is good...I can see me losing lots of time browsing their articles!

Eldi_Dos

I think the practices in use for a portable gennie that is in and out the van several times a day and a temporary generator thats say powering some site offices are going to be quite different.