Low voltage from trailer to ground?

[Offspring22]

So I was working on my trailer yesterday - Just put in some new jacks, which required drilling a few new holes. I was climbing out from under the back of the trailer and grabbed the bumper and I don't know if I felt a shock, or just rolled a nerve and got that "funny bone" buzzy feeling. I'm leaning towards the latter.

Anywho, I grabbed my multimeter and I measured about 0.4v DC from some exposed metal on the trailer to a wet spot in the gravel ground. Thought to myself, WTF, so went to the front and got the same reading from the jack stand to the ground.

Here's where it gets a bit weird.

I am not connected to shore power, just 12v battery, and solar.

I disconnected the solar/battery and I get the same 0.4 DC reading.

My father has a small home built tear drop parked next to ours with no power systems (just a trailer signal/break lights), and I'm getting the same 0.4v from his hitch to ground.

I tried a hand full of other trailers in the storage lot and they all got 0.2-0.4 DC from the jack to the ground.

I also tried 2 different multimeters. I can't detect any amperage though.

Anyone have any ideas?

[ARoamer]

Any utility poles nearby? I have heard of high voltage leaking from poles. If so, call your utility company.. Hydro Eh! and see what they say.
Strange issue.

[Offspring22]

Originally Posted by ARoamer

Any utility poles nearby? I have heard of high voltage leaking from poles. If so, call your utility company.. Hydro Eh! and see what they say.
Strange issue.

Nearest utility pole is about 130 yards away. Not a big pole, just a single line on it.

[16WhiteColly]

Really do not see how 0.4V DC would give a shock. Does your trailer have an Inverter?

[JimD]

You should not be able to feel anything from .5 volt. Since you are measuring this on everything you test I would say there is not a problem with your rig.

Just for the fun of it (?) can you insulate the the jack connection to ground? I am assuming there is no wheel on the jack. This would be the only connection point to ground so in theory if you break that connection you would not be able to measure anything from ground to your rig.

Have you tried measuring anything else from ground to metal? Cars (they would be isolated through the tires), yourself (maybe touching ground), whatever.

[Route 66 Traveler]

I know you said you were not on shore power, but did you check for AC voltage on your meter? Usually DC voltage isn’t felt at such a low voltage.

[Offspring22]

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

I know you said you were not on shore power, but did you check for AC voltage on your meter? Usually DC voltage isn’t felt at such a low voltage.

Yeah, didn't see any AC voltage.

[Offspring22]

Originally Posted by JimD

You should not be able to feel anything from .5 volt. Since you are measuring this on everything you test I would say there is not a problem with your rig.

Just for the fun of it (?) can you insulate the the jack connection to ground? I am assuming there is no wheel on the jack. This would be the only connection point to ground so in theory if you break that connection you would not be able to measure anything from ground to your rig.

Have you tried measuring anything else from ground to metal? Cars (they would be isolated through the tires), yourself (maybe touching ground), whatever.

The jack is sitting on a scrap piece of 2x6. I couldn't find any voltage from my truck hitch to ground. Actually my dad's little trailer where I found the same .4v has a plastic wheel on the jack.

[Route 66 Traveler]

Must have just pinched a nerve…..

[Route 66 Traveler]

We had a friend who had high voltage power lines running close to their property line. For fun the kids would run around after dark holding fluorescent tubes and watching them glow in the dark. The closer they got to the lines, the brighter they got.

That was the premise of my previous question….

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_DIjsB3eu-Y