Netsavers Line Conditioners are microprocessor controlled, tap switching power conditioners, that automatically correct brownouts and overvoltages, by boosting the low voltages, and by stepping down the high voltages. GFCIs protect against faults that occur when current leaks from cords, tools, and other equipment to ground. The imbalance is measured in milliamperes or thousandths of an ampere. If the fault exceeds the allowable level, the GFCI trips, shutting off current. Questions about grounding requirements and the effectiveness of GFCIs used in connection with Portable Generators have caused debate in the industry.
Ground fault is potentially deadly.
Electrocution can occur when a worker uses a faulty tool and current returns to ground or a worker contacts the hot or positive side of a circuit and provides a path to ground. CSAO conducted a series of tests to determine the effectiveness of GFCIs used on Portable Generators in typical construction scenarios. The generators were the most common type found in construction - portable units that can be handled and moved by one or two workers. Grounding can vary from one place to another, even when both are relatively close. In one test the GFCI tripped when the generator was grounded in wet earth but failed to trip when the generator was grounded 1OO feet away in soil that was drier and better drained.