Ron,
It is quite possible that you are correct if there have been changes in the 2002 NEC.
The following is a quote from an issue of the newsletter called "Electrical Currents" published by the office of the Chief Electrical Inspector, US Dept of Labor.
(I believe it refers to the '99 NEC. The emphasis is mine)
(Quote) "Ground rods at generators-
A premises wiring system whose power is derived from a generator and the generator has no direct electrical connection, including a solidly connected grounded circuit conductor (neutral), to supply conductors originating in another system, must be grounded as specified in Section 250-26. This requires a bonding jumper to connect the equipment grounding conductors to the grounded conductor and a grounding electrode conductor to connect the grounded conductors to a grounding electrode. This is a separately derived system, and a grounding electrode system must be properly established at the generator location.
NEC 250-5 (FPN No. 1) states: "An alternate alternating-current power source such as an on-site generator is not a separately derived system if the neutral is solidly interconnected to a service-supplied system neutral." The most common example of this is an on-site generator installed as a backup source of power. This is the type that
would employ a transfer switch to transfer utility and generator power. The transfer switch does not break the connection between the generator neutral and the utility grounded circuit conductor (neutral). The generator is required to have an equipment grounding conductor to ground any exposed noncurrent-carrying metal parts. This
equipment ground must be a type specified in NEC 250-91(b) and run from the normal system ground to the generator frame. It should be noted that a supplementary grounding electrode at the generator location is allowed under NEC 250-91(c). A grounding electrode is not required by the NEC, but could be recommended by the generator manufacturer." (End quote)
Ed
