Why don't RVs need an earth ground for AC circuits
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Oct-09-2015 02:40 PM
Two 6v Crown 260ah / TM-2030 monitor / SC-2030 controller / Two 160w panels / EMSHW30C surge protector / 2000w inverter / TST507 TPMS
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Oct-09-2015 10:08 PM
When disconnected from the grid, the power source is independent and the bond is optional.
It is what it is. And it changes depending on your mode of camping.
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Oct-09-2015 09:55 PM
I'm on page 7 of that 41 pages and realize whatever I do will in some way be wrong.
Two 6v Crown 260ah / TM-2030 monitor / SC-2030 controller / Two 160w panels / EMSHW30C surge protector / 2000w inverter / TST507 TPMS
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Oct-09-2015 08:04 PM
If you open up the pedestal at a campground, I suspect you would also find that at the pedestal neutral and ground are not bonded either. the neutral bus bar is likely insulated from the metal housing. At least that is what NEC code will want.
In fact, if the trailer has a neutral/ground bond an upstream GFI will trip and not supply power since newer GFI will trip either on a hot neutral imbalance or a neutral/ground bond.
One can come up with all kinds of cases where trailer neutral/ground bond will be dangerous or protect you. Likewise without a neutral/ground bond.
However, I'll leave it to NEC to decide what is best, and they say not allowed.
now this does cause an issue with those of us using a portable generator with an EMS system that will shut down with an "open" ground, which is what it will detect since a portable generator in compliance with NEC as a portable device doesn't have a neutral/groud bond. There are mutliple solutions, one common one is a plug with the neutral side shorted to the ground side and plugged into one of the outlets on a duplex outlet, thereby making the EMS think there is a neutral/ground bond.
This condition does not apply to most onboard generators because they usually do have a ground/neutral bond with the generator being the main power source.
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Oct-09-2015 06:33 PM
I let it go at that.
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Oct-09-2015 04:52 PM
Joel_T wrote:
I'm not an electrician and would love a safer understanding of all this. Is there one?
Sure ... wanna read 41 pages of discussion on the subject of portable gensets, bonding, earth grounding, etc, then have at it 😉 ... but don't expect to come away with any "safer understanding of all this" when even the "experts" who participated in that discussion can't agree! :S
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Oct-09-2015 04:30 PM
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Oct-09-2015 03:11 PM
The short answer, shore power is referenced to ground. Portable generators or inverters have no reference to ground. They don't even have a neutral. They have two wires, either one could be defined as "Hot" or as "Neutral". You could bond the "neutral" to generator chassis/receptical ground. It won't make the MH any safer. In fact, the MH will become less safe. With no bond, it takes two faults to get shocked. It takes just one fault to get shocked when bonded.
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Oct-09-2015 03:10 PM
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Oct-09-2015 03:04 PM
Navy combat ships do NOT ground any system. The reason
is that, with our 'normal' HOUSEHOLD grounded systems, if the HOT
wire touches ground the breaker trips or the fuse blows. In combat,
this is obviously NOT acceptable !............in place of the grounded
system, a GROUND DETECT system is used to detect grounds, and they
are removed as soon as possible.
I have long thought that this should be extended to homes and businesses.
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Oct-09-2015 03:03 PM
the utility power is connected to earth ground
therefore circuits connected to utility power need an earth ground as a safety
if something shorts in an appliance or device, and earth ground completes the circuit and trios the breaker, rather than the device/appliance/tool being electrically HOT and you being the ground to complete the circuit
the RV genset or portable genset, is NOT connected to earth ground, if something shorts in the RV there is NO electrical circuit between RV and earth or portable tool/appliance and earth so power cannot flow between RV or tool and you to the ground and back to the generator
but it can with utility power
RV genset or portable genset is "isolated power"
if you want to drive a 10ft ground rod and ground your generator
go ahead and do so, but you are safer with out it
But I Can Not understand it for you !
....
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Oct-09-2015 03:00 PM
When connected to generator it acts like an isolation transformer. Since the power source is isolated, there's no way for part of the current to flow back to the source through the ground and there's no shock hazard from the voltage to ground.
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