Grounding Your Camper Part II

[cracker39]

George, you're confusing me again. Please defile "earth" as in "earth ground". When I think of "earth ground", I think of a metal rod driven into the ground with a ground wire attached to it. I've never heard of any RV owner doing this. Or, is the terminology you're usine for "earth" just meaning the ground wire (green or bare) which is grounded to the chassis?

[GeorgeTelford]

Earth wire to mains, is still grounding the system.

The earth wire the power company supply by wire still leads back to the ground under your feet.

If I ever mean Ground spike or Stake I say so


(green or bare) which is grounded to the chassis?

Yes green or bare but I would say Bonded to the chassis instead of grounded.

I never reccomend amateurs to use Ground spikes, But if ever the earth wire is broken completely in the supply, having even a poor earth stake/spike is preferable to no earth at all, because it at least gives the GFCI a chance to save life.

[cracker39]

George, in the first topic on grounding, I made a reply that I don't want you or Bruce to take offense at...that is about me being confused. Electrical matters tend to confuse me it they get too technical. I have a question about my system that I am emailing you about.

[Chuck Craven]

OOPS put the tool in the wrong thread.
So here it is! The higer the seconday current rating the more power can
be transferd to the load.
www.mikenchell.com/forums/album_persona ... ser_id=207

Chuck

[Ira]

PLEASE use a meter between damp carpet and earth to see if there is a Voltage

George, exactly how do I do this? And anyone else here in the states, what does an inexpensive meter sell for?

[madjack]

PLEASE use a meter between damp carpet and earth to see if there is a Voltage

George, exactly how do I do this? And anyone else here in the states, what does an inexpensive meter sell for?

...10 bucks or so most anywhere such is sold...it may be to late to do a voltage check since the "short" has prbably dried out by now
madjack

[TD4FREEW/CTD]

Home Depot has a nifty little device called a Voltage Detector. $15. senses voltage through induction and flashes red and makes noise when voltage is present. all you need to do is wave it around the power source in question.

these are however, not very accurate, and can go off when only potential for voltage is there, not real voltage.


harbor freight has a meter that can do anything a novice will ever need for like $10 on sale.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=42396

this is exactly what i use at work.

[Ira]

Home Depot has a nifty little device called a Voltage Detector. $15. senses voltage through induction and flashes red and makes noise when voltage is present. all you need to do is wave it around the power source in question.

these are however, not very accurate, and can go off when only potential for voltage is there, not real voltage.


harbor freight has a meter that can do anything a novice will ever need for like $10 on sale.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=42396

this is exactly what i use at work.

Will I need a degree in engineering to work this thing?

[cracker39]

Won't this devicedo the necessary checking of campground hookups?

[Ira]

Won't this devicedo the necessary checking of campground hookups?

Dale that's what I have--and everything still tests fine although the boxes are shocking me!

[cracker39]

That device ;robably does it't job testing polarity on the camp hookup, but probably isn't designed to check for shorts in your wiring. I'd want this device just for checking the campground socket before I plugged in my shore cable.

If the boxes are shocking you, then it sounds like somewhere, the hot wire is getting to the boxes. Again, water could cause that "leak".

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Ira

You still trying without a GFCI in line? Also the boatyard supply cannot be protected by one either.

But once you have a GFCI fitted in you have a few problems to deal with

1. Find leak

2. Seal Leak

3. Dry out the tear

[TD4FREEW/CTD]

Home Depot has a nifty little device called a Voltage Detector. $15. senses voltage through induction and flashes red and makes noise when voltage is present. all you need to do is wave it around the power source in question.

these are however, not very accurate, and can go off when only potential for voltage is there, not real voltage.


harbor freight has a meter that can do anything a novice will ever need for like $10 on sale.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=42396

this is exactly what i use at work.

Will I need a degree in engineering to work this thing?

absolutely not.

i could teach an 8 year old to work one of these, if i trusted him with his own life, that is.

here you see a standard duplex recepticle being tested for voltage between the hot and neutral. the meter is in the AC Voltage - 750 setting. this is for alternating cutrent up to 750 volts. simply stick onetest lead in the neutral prong slot and the other in the hot prong slot. watch the meter for a reading. between 110-120 volts is normal. as you can see, i have 115. not all outlets will let you just stick the probes in and take your hands away. that particular outlet is new and still has good spring tension. it may be necessary to probe around until you get a good contact. if you still cannot get a good contact, or are unsure, you can remove the recepticle and put the probes to the screw or tabs on either side of the outlet.



this is an example of testing the ground at the recepticle. one probe is placed in the hot prong slot, and the other in the ground prong slot. voltage between hot and ground should be the same as between hot and neutral, assuming the neutral is good.



here you can see how to test if either the ground or neutral is good. there should be 0 volts between ground and neutral. if you have any voltage above 5, its pretty safe to say one of them is bad. check each one individually between the hot wire to determine which is the culprit.



as long as you know which slot is the hot/neutral/ground on your hookup these methods should work.

of course, please remember to use common sense when working with any electrical device. do not touch the bare metal parts of the prong when testing, and read the owners manual before use.



personally, i would not trust one of those outlet testers with my life. i have seen them show a good outlet when the ground was bad. they cannot show combinations of problems, and they are sometimes completely wrong. for instance, one time i went to a service call where several outlets were not working. the outlet tester told me hot and ground reversed. totally false. the problem ended up being a poorly connected neutral bundle had come apart and started arcing until it burnt the wires and the connection was lost.

anyway, yeah. they kinda suck sometimes.

[asianflava]

Is there a polarizer on your lens? I can see everything except for the display. Or maybe bad lighting?

[TD4FREEW/CTD]

Is there a polarizer on your lens? I can see everything except for the display. Or maybe bad lighting?

i can see it clear as day on my puter