I have been away from this site many moons, and have been out of RVing pursuing other hobbies, but I am about to pull my 1992 Southwind out and start a "remodel". It has an issue that had plagued it when it was put away, and now must be addressed. I have decided to come back and tap into this wealth of knowledge!Several years ago, I was moving the RV to our lake house. I was under the front (where the batteries are) and touched the frame with my arm, and got a shock! I was NOT on shore power, it was just sitting in the drive. I had charged the batteries because they were dead. It started, I drove it 100 miles, parked it. Within 1 day, all the batteries were dead. I figured I had left it sit a couple of years, that's what I get.About a year later, I'm bringing it home, so I put new batteries in, 2 house and 1 chassis battery , leave it plugged into shore power overnight to make sure all is well. Next morning, all dead! I jump it, drive it in, kill it, won't start. I left it where it sat, but now Have to find out what is going on.Nothing has been added or deleted. Nothing has been changed or rewired. Converter is humming (haven't checked voltage) but it acts like something is taking out power faster than the alternator, charger or converter can keep up. There are SOO MANY SWITCHES, solenoids, relays for this and that, wiring for 120v, 12v, ahhhh! (not a wiring person!) Where is the best place to start? Is there a "90% of the time it's this" sort of answer?

disconnect the batteries and check the hot side cables to chassis ground. If one of them is shorted to ground thats an easy place to start. You might have to follow the hot side, usually red, cables to where they end at a relay or the converter/charger or somewhere. Find the one that is shorted to ground to wherever it goes. foolow it. Very simplified but what you need to do.

Here is an article that might help.This is a common problem with RV'sCheck out..........HOT SKIN A KNOWN PROBLEM

Ka Ron wrote:Here is an article that might help.This is a common problem with RV'sCheck out..........HOT SKIN A KNOWN PROBLEMExcept he said he was not on shore power when this happened.

You felt a shock while not connected to AC power? Sounds like an inverter creating AC power has a short to ground.

Pull out your digital voltmeter. Check from chassis to ground (metal stake in ground/water pipe in ground, etc) on both DC and AC scales.That will give you the FACTS. Then start pulling fuses/wires until the reading goes away.

Electrified frame, dead batteries!!! | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

Harvard
Explorer
Sep 16, 2014
I am posting this as being a possible source of the OPs "Hot Skin":

A quote from another thread:

"Again, just because I could, I parked my 28 Ft Class C under a 6KV single phase line (about 20 feet in height) and measured a very steady 62 VAC RMS (88 VAC peak) from the chassis bumper to Earth using a 10 MegOhm input VOM. This Class C has a rubber roof and non conductive walls (other then metal frame work imbedded in the walls, I think)."

And yes, the there was NO shore power cable connected, this was a deliberate attempt to demonstrate the capacitive coupling between the 6KV line and the RV when said RV was NOT grounded through a shore power cord or any other conductive path to EARTH.
kab449
Explorer
Aug 28, 2014
Shacklaw wrote:
It just seemed like it went from "everything is good" to "nothing is good" all of a sudden. I questioned if one of the power disconnect solenoids shorted out and put power to the frame, and me being grounded, I caught the DC voltage/amps. Like I said, so much wiring!!!

I do have a Fluke Meter,"prick" tester and some other plug in AC and DC test stuff. Batteries are gone gone, dead! So looks like I need to buy another round and start looking.

IN a unrelated (maybe) matter, I need to evict some squirrels who have built a nice condo in the stack above the fridge/furnace. Just keeps getting better!

Rodents have a habit of chewing everything they can find, including wiring. You may have just solved your problem.
Shacklaw
Explorer
Aug 27, 2014
It just seemed like it went from "everything is good" to "nothing is good" all of a sudden. I questioned if one of the power disconnect solenoids shorted out and put power to the frame, and me being grounded, I caught the DC voltage/amps. Like I said, so much wiring!!!

I do have a Fluke Meter,"prick" tester and some other plug in AC and DC test stuff. Batteries are gone gone, dead! So looks like I need to buy another round and start looking.

IN a unrelated (maybe) matter, I need to evict some squirrels who have built a nice condo in the stack above the fridge/furnace. Just keeps getting better!
fpresto
Explorer
Aug 27, 2014
wa8yxm wrote:
Though it is not impossible you should not get a shock when touching the frame if not connected to shore power.. You have no "Return path" however if jacks are down.. Then it is possible.

I think that you have it backwards. If the skin is charged with no path to ground and then you touch it, you are providing the path to ground and then feel a shock. If it is well grounded through the jacks you would probably feel nothing as the electricity takes the path of least resistance.
The issue with the dead batteries and a small shock and if it proves to be AC then it is almost certainly the inverter.
gwheel
Explorer
Aug 27, 2014
By any chance did you happen to have a trouble light in the area that you was, inspecting? Also with the right conditions, some people are a bit more sensitive than others, and can actually feel 12 volts dc, if they are damp or sweaty. Most of the electrical problems in autos that I have encountered over many years, have been corroded connections which translates into bad grounds, or open connections. Also a bad battery can cause good batterys to discharge if the isolation diodes happen to short, this actually happened on my old pace arrow. Someone earlier in this post mentioned to remove the battery, connection and I personally believe that's a great start. If you don't have a multimeter, and a test light, it would be a great time to get one, and if you can find a friend that has a bit better understanding, offer him a beer (to be drank later), for his help. Understand about the never give up concept, I too, am a bit hard headed. Good luck, your bound to find the answer, and there lots of good folks here to help. Geo
Shacklaw
Explorer
Aug 27, 2014
I am definitely not an electrical person, but extremely hard-headed! LOL!
I'm going to follow some of the suggestion above until I run completely out of ideas, then someone will look at it, point, and say "there's the problem right there", flick a switch and boom, everything is great!!! I'll keep you guys posted! thanks for the help!
Mandalay_Parr
Explorer
Aug 27, 2014
Since you are not an electrical person, I suggest you find one to help you. Seriously.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 26, 2014
Though it is not impossible you should not get a shock when touching the frame if not connected to shore power.. You have no "Return path" however if jacks are down.. Then it is possible.

In my case if I come in contact with selected chemicals (Like battery acid) it can FEEL like a shock. I am able to figure out the difference but the instant sensation is shock..

I will not tell how I determine the difference.
Shacklaw
Explorer
Aug 26, 2014
Yes, I was shocked with no Shore power, no motor running, no generator running. I was sweating and arm was wet, but it was a good enough jolt to make you hurt yourself!

Thanks for the help!
Shacklaw
Explorer
Aug 26, 2014
Ok, good stuff, some things I haven't thought about. The inverter, never crossed my mind!!! I was thinking since the batteries were going out so quick, it was the converter shorted out. And using the ground as a ground! So simple I would never have thought about it! I get frustrated with wiring very quickly, but these are some good starting points. I figured it was going to be a mess, but it has to be done!