Forum Discussion
Harvard
May 30, 2019Explorer
So, summarizing the Hot Skin problem:
First, the door is electrically connected to the Chassis AND the Chassis is NOT grounded to the pedestal ground wire.
The outside Hot Skin where the RV is connected to shore power BUT having an open ground allows the RV Chassis (on rubber tires) to float above Earth potential. Due to the capacitance between H and G and the capacitance between G and N the chassis will float at a VAC of about 120/2 = 60 VAC OR LESS to Earth.
The OR LESS is there because there could be capacitive coupling (or a resistive path) between the Chassis and Earth that would tend to reduce the float VAC to EARTH.
If the Chassis to Earth voltage exceeds 60 VAC then there is ALSO a resistive leakage path from Hot To Chassis... DANGER...this is a lot more then a tingle.
When we are inside a properly grounded RV our bodies are likewise floating unless we are touching a conductive path to Chassis Ground. Our floating bodies act as capacitive plates and are exposed to 60Hz Electric Fields. The coupling strength of these EFs to our bodies vary in intensity. They vary in intensity by virtue of the body's proximity to hot wires and the effective area of exposure. At no point is the inside Body to Hot coupling as strong as the inside Body to Chassis coupling so the body floats at relatively low voltages.
For Example: Strange "Hot Skin" Electrical Issue - Getting minor Shocks
First, the door is electrically connected to the Chassis AND the Chassis is NOT grounded to the pedestal ground wire.
The outside Hot Skin where the RV is connected to shore power BUT having an open ground allows the RV Chassis (on rubber tires) to float above Earth potential. Due to the capacitance between H and G and the capacitance between G and N the chassis will float at a VAC of about 120/2 = 60 VAC OR LESS to Earth.
The OR LESS is there because there could be capacitive coupling (or a resistive path) between the Chassis and Earth that would tend to reduce the float VAC to EARTH.
If the Chassis to Earth voltage exceeds 60 VAC then there is ALSO a resistive leakage path from Hot To Chassis... DANGER...this is a lot more then a tingle.
When we are inside a properly grounded RV our bodies are likewise floating unless we are touching a conductive path to Chassis Ground. Our floating bodies act as capacitive plates and are exposed to 60Hz Electric Fields. The coupling strength of these EFs to our bodies vary in intensity. They vary in intensity by virtue of the body's proximity to hot wires and the effective area of exposure. At no point is the inside Body to Hot coupling as strong as the inside Body to Chassis coupling so the body floats at relatively low voltages.
For Example: Strange "Hot Skin" Electrical Issue - Getting minor Shocks
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