Why am I getting shocked?
- Thread starter zeus7625
- Start date
scottyb
Well-known member
That was my 1st thought. My electrical service was built before the code required 4 wires. I buried a ground rod and grounded my panel to it but the results were the same. I will be running a seperate ground from the panel back to the main disconnect to bring it up to code, but that was not my problem. Fortunately, I ran my electrical through a 3" conduit, so running the ground will be pretty simple.
evolvingpowercat
Well-known member
There is more to this than just the hot wire rubbing thru and making contact with trailer metal. There should have been a path for that hot current to return thru the ground system. That should have thrown the shore power breaker or the generator output protector. Perhaps the outlet you are plugging into for shore power has an open ground, or perhaps is mis-wired. Or, they may have compromised your ground system and opened the ground path from trailer to shore power / generator by mis-installing the transfer switch. Or, your shore power cord may be mis-wired or have an open ground. Please use that NCVT to make sure you don't have hot skin when you get the trailer back. I would also use a test meter to make sure your shore power ground line is good.
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scottyb
Well-known member
Shore power is good. All plugs and cords have been checked for voltage, ground, and polarity. Besides, the RV shocked me at two different locations. The problem was on the shore power side of the transfer switch and not effected on generator power. I intend to take the NCVT with me when I pick it up this week.
scottyb
Well-known member
Update. Picked up my Cyclone on Tue. The condition was indeed caused when the transfer switch was replaced. The tech said that the person failed to secure the wiring on the shore power side, and it wore through the sheath. He was reading 120V on the skin. Not good, and considering we were standing in water when it was 1st discovered, even worse.
When I picked it up, it was connected to shore power, and I brought along my NCVT. In addition, the tech had good ground wire coming from the panel in their shop, and a voltage meter. No voltage, everything was good. I'm still not happy about the 4+ week wait, not to mention their failure to get the necessary parts for some minor issues, within that time frame. I will have to return it later or do the work myself. Thankfully, I didn't have anything major scheduled during that time.
When I picked it up, it was connected to shore power, and I brought along my NCVT. In addition, the tech had good ground wire coming from the panel in their shop, and a voltage meter. No voltage, everything was good. I'm still not happy about the 4+ week wait, not to mention their failure to get the necessary parts for some minor issues, within that time frame. I will have to return it later or do the work myself. Thankfully, I didn't have anything major scheduled during that time.
As others have pointed out, there has to be a problem with your trailer grounding in order for your trailer frame to get hot. Did the tech find any problem there?
DonnyB007
Well-known member
Great You tube training clips.
Just to think I spent three years at a campground getting mini shocks all the time from my hot-skinned trailer. Then one day, I was cutting wood with my skill saw, and got one **** of a shock. I got fed up, and tested out my plug and a few others. I found out that three other trailers were electricfied along with mine. I told the camp site owner I was going to Ontario Hydro if he did not look at it. He did immediately and found the problem in another trailer that effected mine and the others. He knew I was real serious that last time and finally did something about it.
The guy who was the source of the problem was a do-it-yourself person who installed his own AC incorrectly. He also had some bizarre hydro line running from his trailer to his shed. He put male plugin ends on both ends of an extension cord and ran the line from his trailer plugin to his shed plugin; electrifying his shed. My neighbour was not at all happy with me that I "whistle-blew" on him and my wife and I ended up moving out of that camp ground.
Just to think I spent three years at a campground getting mini shocks all the time from my hot-skinned trailer. Then one day, I was cutting wood with my skill saw, and got one **** of a shock. I got fed up, and tested out my plug and a few others. I found out that three other trailers were electricfied along with mine. I told the camp site owner I was going to Ontario Hydro if he did not look at it. He did immediately and found the problem in another trailer that effected mine and the others. He knew I was real serious that last time and finally did something about it.
The guy who was the source of the problem was a do-it-yourself person who installed his own AC incorrectly. He also had some bizarre hydro line running from his trailer to his shed. He put male plugin ends on both ends of an extension cord and ran the line from his trailer plugin to his shed plugin; electrifying his shed. My neighbour was not at all happy with me that I "whistle-blew" on him and my wife and I ended up moving out of that camp ground.
porthole
Retired
that is exactly what has caused multiple house fires throughout the area affected by Sandy
evolvingpowercat
Well-known member
i am sure that there have been a lot of dangerous generator into utility back feeds in the Sandy area by people hooking up generators without following the saftey instructions to never connect a generator to home wiring unless a electrician installed saftey transfer switch is used. Hopefully no utility workers have been hurt or killed yet.
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Everyone.... I'm working on a really simple and safe test method for checking the continuity of RV frame grounds as well as the ground connections in all extension cord and dog-bone/pig-tail adapters. This method uses a substantial fault current which is much more robust than any digital ohm meter or other tester I know of. Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor) has already offered to post a video of my new test procedure on his RV Doctor Newsletter, and of course I'll be posting it on my own NoShockZone.org blog and www.youtube.com/howtoseminars video channel. So stay tuned for something really interesting.
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