Electrical Shock!!

Littlemo, at a minimum, get one of those 3 prong testers with the lights on it like the others have posted photos of. Any hardware or big box store will have it. When you plug into the pedestal, plug that tester to an outlet inside your RV and see if the lights show correct wiring. Best advise is to buy one of those Progressive Industries EMS boxes; you plug that into the pedestal first then plug your RV into the EMS. A good on runs around $200-250 but can save all the electrical wiring and devices in your RV as well as alert you to any ground problems. I have a 30 amp EMS for my rig.

Haulinhazmat wrote:
Would someone explain floating ground. Thanks

Ok, look at this:

RV----------GROUND (Earth ground rod)

This is normal ground, NOTE the earth ground rod is at the SERVICE entrance and there may be plugs, outlets and adapters not shown

Now look at this

RFV---X X-----Ground (Earth ground)

Notice the break in the wire?
This is a floating ground. It floats (Not grounded) usually at around 60 VAC.

Haulinhazmat wrote:
Would someone explain floating ground. Thanks

Typical ground is bonded to the neutral back at the source and is connected to a ground rod.

Floating does not have such a connection such as when using a Honda 2000 generator. In this case you would have 60 volts to ground from each side. Measure it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_ground

Would someone explain floating ground. Thanks

littlemo wrote:
Thanks Bobbo and Westend.
Like I said I am ignorant of Electrical tech so don't laugh @ my next question, (and I know you won't;), but would something like a jumper cable work?

I wouldn't use a jumper cable, there is just too much chance of a poor connection. Remember, this is a safety device and has to be able to do it's job. You want a clean, bright piece of frame at the attachment point and seal that location so it doesn't rust. You want a good interface into the earth. I'd recommend that if you do go forward with this back-up ground, pour some water on the ground where you force the rod into the ground.

I hope that you will make sure that the primary ground through your load center and path to a shore pedestal is good and working. I don't want the electrocution of your pet on my conscience if somehow the cable came loose or the ground rod was pulled with this secondary ground attachment. IOW, this shouldn't replace your primary ground path.

Bobbo wrote:

littlemo wrote:

westend wrote:
If you're really concerned about the Yorkies, you could trail a wire off the frame of your RV to ground. That would offer a better path to ground than the Yorkie foot on a metal step. Your shore connection should offer the proper path to ground.

Tell me more. I am ignorant about wiring and electrical issues. What kind of wire from frame to ground? A piece of electric wire?

Bare copper 10 gauge solid wire is best. I wouldn't get stranded wire for this. Go to any big box hardware store to buy it. If they don't have bare copper wire, buy the green wire and strip off the insulation from a long section of the end going into the earth, and enough off the other end to get a good connection.

I don't disagree with this- but where does it end? They say if you REALLY want to ground something, you should have a copper rod driven 3 or 4 feet into the ground to connect to- laying wire on the ground, or a paved pad may or may not be an effective ground.

Thanks Bobbo and Westend.
Like I said I am ignorant of Electrical tech so don't laugh @ my next question, (and I know you won't;), but would something like a jumper cable work?

littlemo wrote:

westend wrote:
If you're really concerned about the Yorkies, you could trail a wire off the frame of your RV to ground. That would offer a better path to ground than the Yorkie foot on a metal step. Your shore connection should offer the proper path to ground.

Tell me more. I am ignorant about wiring and electrical issues. What kind of wire from frame to ground? A piece of electric wire?

As said, your shore power should have a continuous ground path. That eliminates the need for any secondary ground.
A second path to ground would be insurance that, should the primary fail, you have another path other than the shore connection.

I don't have a need for Yorkie spark elimination so haven't given it a lot of thought. If I was to do it, I'd use a braided ground strap or stranded wire connected by clamp to a short length of copper bar. During setup, the YDS (Yorkie De- Sparker) would be pulled out of it's holder and the copper bar pushed into the ground.

littlemo wrote:

westend wrote:
If you're really concerned about the Yorkies, you could trail a wire off the frame of your RV to ground. That would offer a better path to ground than the Yorkie foot on a metal step. Your shore connection should offer the proper path to ground.

Tell me more. I am ignorant about wiring and electrical issues. What kind of wire from frame to ground? A piece of electric wire?

Bare copper 10 gauge solid wire is best. I wouldn't get stranded wire for this. Go to any big box hardware store to buy it. If they don't have bare copper wire, buy the green wire and strip off the insulation from a long section of the end going into the earth, and enough off the other end to get a good connection.

westend wrote:
If you're really concerned about the Yorkies, you could trail a wire off the frame of your RV to ground. That would offer a better path to ground than the Yorkie foot on a metal step. Your shore connection should offer the proper path to ground.

Tell me more. I am ignorant about wiring and electrical issues. What kind of wire from frame to ground? A piece of electric wire?