egar
100 Post Member
Posts: 204
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Post by egar on Jan 21, 2013 17:21:49 GMT -5
I ran my ground wires for AC and DC through the floor to a bolt that comes down through the frame. The bolt was put in new during construction but the frame is rusty. Is this the reason for the shock? Should I drill a new hole to catch some fresh raw metal in the frame? Is it ok to tie both grounds onto the same bolt? DC is nt being used yet as I haven't gotten a battery yet.
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Post by dawgpound on Jan 21, 2013 18:25:43 GMT -5
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egar
100 Post Member
Posts: 204
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Post by egar on Jan 21, 2013 18:50:11 GMT -5
Ross, I just used a tester that reads Reverse Polarity. What did I do wrong?
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Post by schweetcruisers on Jan 21, 2013 19:01:56 GMT -5
That means something you connected is putting positive current to the ground. You've got some wires crossed somewhere.
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egar
100 Post Member
Posts: 204
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Post by egar on Jan 21, 2013 19:06:13 GMT -5
I knew wiring the panel seemed too easy. Story of my life
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egar
100 Post Member
Posts: 204
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Post by egar on Jan 21, 2013 21:32:17 GMT -5
I went out and checked the outlets and wiring looked fine. This time, polarity tester read fine at each plug and I didn't get shocked even though I was barefoot and it had rained. Can't explain it
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Post by kto17 on Jan 21, 2013 22:14:36 GMT -5
Did you have any lights in the camper on? Or a switch for a light? Just wondering what was different....
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vikx
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Posts: 3,556
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Post by vikx on Jan 22, 2013 3:24:04 GMT -5
The AC system should always be grounded to the trailer frame. The box should be grounded as should the main incoming wire and ground bar. The ground bar is separate from the neutral bar. White wires to the neutral, copper to the ground bar. Black to the hot lugs.
In a trailer, white/neutral is not the same as ground. In very old (mostly 50s) trailers, the ground was from the box to the frame. The wiring did not have a ground running to fixtures or receptacles. The White neutral wires were connected at the neutral bar, running to the fixtures.
There can be confusion because house wiring sometimes combined the grounds and neutrals in one bar. That is not the case in a vintage trailer. Neutrals are always isolated. The ground to the frame is a safety.
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egar
100 Post Member
Posts: 204
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Post by egar on Jan 22, 2013 7:02:55 GMT -5
I ran a ground from the ground bar in the panel to the frame when I wired it.pi don't get it though, seems like my body would complete the ground when I touch the trailer....
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Post by kto17 on Jan 22, 2013 14:59:28 GMT -5
I'm not sure which is right, but I'm curious to talk to my electrical engineer buddy to see what he says
I do know you should always check the plug at any campground prior to plugging in to be sure it is wired correctly.
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Post by schweetcruisers on Jan 22, 2013 18:30:18 GMT -5
I talked to the E.E. who helped design my electrical system. He seems to think the 110v ground should be hooked up to the frame. He told me the only way you would get shocked is if you had a open ground(neutral wired to the ground). Even if my E.E. friend is wrong, I have the ground already run so all I have to do is unhook it. I seem to remember my original 110v being grounded to the frame.
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vikx
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Post by vikx on Jan 23, 2013 3:27:33 GMT -5
The breaker box should be grounded to the frame. If the trailer incoming cord has a ground, that is connected to the frame via the breaker box ground bar, as is the trailer wiring, if a ground was used.
The 110 system is grounded to the frame.
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johnv
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Post by johnv on Jan 23, 2013 20:08:17 GMT -5
egar (original poster), are your neutral bus and ground bus connected together in the load center?
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vikx
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Post by vikx on Jan 24, 2013 1:10:54 GMT -5
Never ground the neutral bar in a trailer! The neutral and hot (white and black) wires are separate from the ground. If the incoming cord has a ground, it is green.
A solid copper ground goes to the frame from the ground bar in the breaker box. Often, the ground bar must be added to the box if it didn't have one. The green wire also goes the the ground bar and any solid copper Romex wires from the inside circuits.
The neutral is not a ground and should never be connected to the ground in a trailer...
All of my trailers (over 25 and counting) have had a ground to the frame from the breaker box. The only instance of a missing ground is the very old trailers with a fuse block.
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johnv
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Post by johnv on Jan 24, 2013 8:16:54 GMT -5
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johnv
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Post by johnv on Jan 24, 2013 8:27:10 GMT -5
These pictures show the original load center wiring in our 63. Notice the grounds being pulled together to a lug in the lower left (the lug attaches to the housing via one of the mounting screws). The neutral bar is on the right and does not contact the housing or the ground lug. The wire with the green insulation ran to the frame. John    |
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vikx
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Post by vikx on Jan 25, 2013 0:42:34 GMT -5
It's all about being safe...
Johnv, great pictures! These old breaker boxes are often just fine to use. The old ground lug brought a smile to my face-they made it easy in the old days...
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vikx
3K Post Member
Posts: 3,556
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Post by vikx on Jan 25, 2013 0:44:08 GMT -5
Not exactly the safest set up. No ground in this one. LOL. 1954 Bellwood: Attachments:
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