ve7prt wrote:
You have some good points there. However, even with an isolated power supply (which a portable inverter or generator would be) a ground wire can and will still do its job if you are using a metal cased device. Also, a GFCI outlet (which many mid-size inverters now have) can be used to enhance your protection.
BTW, as an aside, did you know that if you are in a house that has an older 2-wire electrical system (And not a 3-wire grounded system), you can put GFCI outlets in as a substitute? I read somewhere that if you have a house with older wiring and it is not practical to replace/upgrade that wiring, use of GFCI outlets is permitted instead.
Cheers!
Mike
As an aside: Yes, I know that.
Now to the point. What I'm trying to say is this.
If you are holding a metal cased device (Did I mention a Skill hand grinder.. I actually held it) that shorts hot to case (It did) on mains power, which is earth grounded YOU become a "Return path".
But since the inverter has no ground.. Even if you grabbed the hot wire with your bare hand (Assuming nobody put in a ground when you are not looking) THERE IS NO PATH it is an open circuit, SWITCH OFF, no flow. (Still I do not recommend it)
As to the 60 volts on the ground lead (I do see that and it does tingle a bit)
This is because the ground wire is sandwiched between the black and white in standard ROMEX and in other types they also lay side by side.
Two conductors sepererated by a non-conductor (Dielectric) form what is called a capacitor or condenser (Two names, same device). Given time to do the research and a bit of math I could tell you the capatience per foot of say 14ga.
Well in this case you have two capacitors in the same can forming an AC voltage divider.. In most RV's there is not enough wire for this to pass enough current to do much in the way of damage (Why it only tingles) but that is where it comes from....
Basically a very tiny current flows right through the insulation wire to wire.. A sensitive voltmeter will show 60 volts (1/2 the voltage) a el-cheapo might show less and if you put a load on it (Say a 10 watt lamp) It goes by by fast.
