grounding new 12v branch circuit
My 12v dist. panel has a fused branch circuit that is not used. I would like to add a few small lights from that lead. My question is, what is the proper, safe way to ground it?. ...Hot wire to the sw...
Forum Discussion
I get tickled.
In a thread about the 12v system, it is asserted that you CAN NOT connect the 120v system's ground wire to the frame.
In a thread about the skin of the RV shocking you, the answer is to ground the frame to the 120v system's ground wire, then to the power source's ground path.
Come on guys. Ground is ground is ground, on every system. While purists will say 12v doesn't have a ground wire, the 12v negative wire is electrically identical so I will use the terms interchangeably. Note, that does not include the 120v neutral.
If you crawl under my MH, you will find literally dozens of 12v ground wires bolted to the MH frame in each of 4 or 5 areas, and the 120v ground wire going from the breaker box to the frame. They did not carry each and every 12v ground wire back to the distribution system. Also, the negative (ground) wire from the battery goes only to the frame. The negative (ground) 12v wire from the converter goes only to the frame.
Also, both the chassis and house batteries are connected to the frame, so the grounds of both 12v systems are connected. The only thing that separates those 2 systems is the isolator/relay that separates their hot wires. Otherwise, the relay to connect them together would have to be double pole to connect both the hot wire AND the ground wire.
To the OP, you can carry the ground for your lights anywhere you want that connects back to the battery. That includes the RV frame, as well as the distribution system's ground buss. The only thing I would not do is use a ground wire from the 120v system, but that is for esthetic and trouble shooting purposes. Electrically, it would work just fine.
In a thread about the 12v system, it is asserted that you CAN NOT connect the 120v system's ground wire to the frame.
In a thread about the skin of the RV shocking you, the answer is to ground the frame to the 120v system's ground wire, then to the power source's ground path.
Come on guys. Ground is ground is ground, on every system. While purists will say 12v doesn't have a ground wire, the 12v negative wire is electrically identical so I will use the terms interchangeably. Note, that does not include the 120v neutral.
If you crawl under my MH, you will find literally dozens of 12v ground wires bolted to the MH frame in each of 4 or 5 areas, and the 120v ground wire going from the breaker box to the frame. They did not carry each and every 12v ground wire back to the distribution system. Also, the negative (ground) wire from the battery goes only to the frame. The negative (ground) 12v wire from the converter goes only to the frame.
Also, both the chassis and house batteries are connected to the frame, so the grounds of both 12v systems are connected. The only thing that separates those 2 systems is the isolator/relay that separates their hot wires. Otherwise, the relay to connect them together would have to be double pole to connect both the hot wire AND the ground wire.
To the OP, you can carry the ground for your lights anywhere you want that connects back to the battery. That includes the RV frame, as well as the distribution system's ground buss. The only thing I would not do is use a ground wire from the 120v system, but that is for esthetic and trouble shooting purposes. Electrically, it would work just fine.
