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07-18-2015, 04:44 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Brooklin, Ontario
Posts: 543
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Electrical Current flowing through door
I have an electrical issue that has me completely confounded? There is an electrical current flowing through my Rig that can be felt at the entrance door. What makes this problem more confusing to me is that this is the second time it has happened at the same park with two different vehicles.
Two years ago we were camping at Arrowhead Provincial Park in our Sunset Trail TT. We were plugged in at the post, it was raining that weekend and you could clearly feel AC current at the door. At times there was enough current to be verging on painful and at other times it was nothing more then an annoying buzz. The post is far enough away that we were using 75 feet of 30 amp cable and I always use a surge protector plugged in at the post.
Today a friend has my 2015 Greyhawk at Arrowhead. It rained yesterday , he is plugged into the post, has 100 feet of 30 amp and the surge protector in place. All plug connections are elevated to keep them off the wet ground. He is again able to feel AC current at the door of the trailer. He dried and inspected all of the plug connections and the problem continued. Finally he switched to a different receptical on the post and problem ended.
I am totally confounded as to what the problem is here, but having had it happen at the same park on two different vehicles tells me it is their problem? Does anyone have any idea what the issue would be and what can I do to ensure it does not impact my RV?
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Griswald One - Life is a Misadventure!
2015 Greyhawk 29ME / Chevy Sonic
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07-18-2015, 05:04 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Where ever the boss says we're going.
Posts: 16,096
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Bad grounds/neutrals some place. We had that issue many, many years ago at a Rally. It turned out that there were some bad spots in the wiring, the facility had to shut down all the power for the day and replace some of the feed cables.
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DISNEY LOVERS
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07-18-2015, 05:06 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,856
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Also very dangerous. Avoid that pedestal until it is fixed. You may be able to do some testing with a VOM to identify the problem but the cg should be the one to tear into it.
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07-18-2015, 05:09 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Irondale
Posts: 27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Griswald One
I have an electrical issue that has me completely confounded? There is an electrical current flowing through my Rig that can be felt at the entrance door. What makes this problem more confusing to me is that this is the second time it has happened at the same park with two different vehicles.
Two years ago we were camping at Arrowhead Provincial Park in our Sunset Trail TT. We were plugged in at the post, it was raining that weekend and you could clearly feel AC current at the door. At times there was enough current to be verging on painful and at other times it was nothing more then an annoying buzz. The post is far enough away that we were using 75 feet of 30 amp cable and I always use a surge protector plugged in at the post.
Today a friend has my 2015 Greyhawk at Arrowhead. It rained yesterday , he is plugged into the post, has 100 feet of 30 amp and the surge protector in place. All plug connections are elevated to keep them off the wet ground. He is again able to feel AC current at the door of the trailer. He dried and inspected all of the plug connections and the problem continued. Finally he switched to a different receptical on the post and problem ended.
I am totally confounded as to what the problem is here, but having had it happen at the same park on two different vehicles tells me it is their problem? Does anyone have any idea what the issue would be and what can I do to ensure it does not impact my RV?
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I'm thinking the neutral on the recepticle at the post has a bad connection.
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07-18-2015, 05:12 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Brooklin, Ontario
Posts: 543
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Thanks guys... I am only moderatly conversant in electrical work... So this question is for my education only... How does the faulty neutral at the post translate into a current flowing through my rig?
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Griswald One - Life is a Misadventure!
2015 Greyhawk 29ME / Chevy Sonic
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07-18-2015, 06:09 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Port Orchard
Posts: 2,064
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YOU become the return/neutral. This problem could potentially be deadly. Be careful out there!
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Don
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07-18-2015, 06:42 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Sierra Vista
Posts: 79
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Neutral and ground are, electrically, the same reference point. Your trailer contact with ground, though metal water etc. has, at least partially become the path of least resistance. As others have said, dangerous.
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07-18-2015, 08:19 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Irondale
Posts: 27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Griswald One
Thanks guys... I am only moderatly conversant in electrical work... So this question is for my education only... How does the faulty neutral at the post translate into a current flowing through my rig?
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What the previous posters said. The ground completes the circuit instead of the neutral, everything in the trailer is grounded and becomes the circuit. If the trailer is hot, it can be grounded by you touching the trailer and a ground outside of the trailer. A short circuit through you, not a good thing.
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07-18-2015, 08:28 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Surprise, Arizona
Posts: 464
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Had the same issue at Pismo Beach, Calif. Happened when I connected the RV's propane hose from my BBQ to the RV propane connection !
A bit scary. Fortunately, I didn't turn on the propane !! and disconnected and proceeded to use my 3 gal tank I brought along. Haven't had that problem since.
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2015 GrayHawk 29MV/ Toad - 2018 Equinox (automatic)
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07-18-2015, 11:13 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Brooklin, Ontario
Posts: 543
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Dealership lack of knowledge
Thanks All!
The amazing part of this discussion is when this happened in my TT I assumed that the problem was with my trailer. When I called the dealership and spoke to their service department, they never even suggested the possibility that the problem might be with the parks wiring. They took my rig in to the shop and kept it for the winter where the supposedly "Fixed the problem"... I never trusted that place and this seems to be one more reason to prove my distrust... And one more reason to be happy with the purchase of my new Rig from a much more reputable dealer!!!
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Griswald One - Life is a Misadventure!
2015 Greyhawk 29ME / Chevy Sonic
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07-19-2015, 08:39 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Fuquay-Varina
Posts: 884
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The OP noted he uses a surge protector. What if he had a surge protector/voltage monitor which also checks for bad grounds? One of those would have noted the problem, right?
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2014 Greyhawk 31FK
2007 Honda Shadow Sabre 1100cc
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07-19-2015, 09:10 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Port Orchard
Posts: 2,064
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Yes, a surge protector that included a circuit analyzer would have picked up on the problem. I'm currently using Surge Guard Model 44260 which monitors open ground, open neutral, reverse polarity, and has surge protection. A bit spendy at $85 but worth it if it protects me and my rv equipment.
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Don
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07-19-2015, 04:41 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Owensboro, KY
Posts: 242
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I haven't yet had the need to trouble shoot electrical problems on TT. Is the ground and neutral separate at the incoming terminals and within the panel of the TT? I assume that is the case. Then, the ground and neutral should be separate and continuous to a point as close as possible to the source (CG transformer) or, next best case, to the next driven ground rod. If the neutral and ground are tied together at the pedestal or TT (and no gnd rod) then the return current voltage difference due to earth and conductor impedence will raise the potential of the ground at the pedestal and TT (including TT door) and you become a parallel path back to the transformer neutral/gnd. If you can verify the TT neutral and gnd are separate then the problem is in the CG electrical supply and they should fix. I would move to another campsite if they can't take care of it immediately. It only takes a 100 to 200 milliamps to kill.
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07-21-2015, 04:13 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Gilmer, Texas
Posts: 1,053
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what size wire are YOU calling "30amp"cable .75 ft is a long way with 12 or 10ga.
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S.A.Young
2011 321RLTS
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07-21-2015, 05:04 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Bartonville
Posts: 513
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A good surge protector, with indicator lights, will tell you if there is a problem with the pedestal. I plug mine in before I level and disconnect my trailer. More than once I have chosen another campsite and avoided having to move AFTER I make this discovery. Here's the one I have:
Camping World has it right now for $150 + shipping. Portable Surge Guard Protectors, 50 amp - TRC 44270 - Surge Protectors - Camping World
Amazon may have it cheaper.
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2015 Jay Flight 32RLDS Elite
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07-21-2015, 05:05 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Brooklin, Ontario
Posts: 543
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Good Question... Not Sure?
Quote:
Originally Posted by poohbear
what size wire are YOU calling "30amp"cable .75 ft is a long way with 12 or 10ga.
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The 75ft I have on board comes from the rigs 25 feet and a 50ft extension cord bought from a camping supplier, I assume 10ga. but I have had it for years so I honestly don't recall.
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Griswald One - Life is a Misadventure!
2015 Greyhawk 29ME / Chevy Sonic
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