Grounding Fault - Semi Emergency

[John Oliver]

Trailer is parker in lot at auto repair center. Will have to remain overnite, waiting for parts. Mechanic volunteered to let us use 50 A power if we want to spend nite in AS.

Plugged into their outlet and got 50 A power, everything in AS runs fine, BUT Exterior of AS is Electrified !!! Touch the door or skin from outside without shoes and it will shock the bejesus out of you ---- ask me how I know ???

Any ideas, we would really like to stay in trailer overnite, security etc. but not at risk of life and limb.!! Temps are in the low 100's 103 at 1730, so we need the AC to be able to use AS.

Any ideas? Why would AS not be grounded?? If I hook up to Tow Vehicle, will that ground??

Ideas and thoughts Please...

[mimiandrews]

That's no kidding dangerous!

The outlet you're hooked into probably has the neutral and hot wires switched. I would NOT use it. There's a danger of electrocution when someone touches the trailer skin, either you or someone whose family would sue, big time.

[perryg114]

Is the trailer wired for 50A or are you using an adapter? What is your trailer wired for?

Perry

[GCinSC2]

Highly recommended video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8h64X33aKg

Mike has many videos for RV's and their electrical systems.

No shortcuts, this is a safety issue.

[Paprika]

As mentioned in replies to your duplicate post, the outlet is likely wired wrong. That's a potentially lethal situation, so do NOT plug in!

I always use an outlet polarity tester before plugging in. In fact, Airstream included one in the "starter kit" that came with my 2017 International. Kudos to them!

[ITSNO60]

Is your trailer actually wired for 50 amps or are you using an adapter?

[Bill M.]

Head to a motel. It is just one night. Something wrong with the hookup. Unplug the trailer.

[bibbs]

Yes something is wrong! For one night it's not worth fixing. You might try a 20amp 120v outlet with an adapter.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by bibbs

Yes something is wrong! For one night it's not worth fixing. You might try a 20amp 120v outlet with an adapter.

Might be a dangerous situation to recommend plugging anything into that campground's electrical system IMO.

[OTRA15]

Were you able to straighten this out?

Good luck!

Peter

Originally Posted by John Oliver

Trailer is parker in lot at auto repair center. Will have to remain overnite, waiting for parts. Mechanic volunteered to let us use 50 A power if we want to spend nite in AS.

Plugged into their outlet and got 50 A power, everything in AS runs fine, BUT Exterior of AS is Electrified !!! Touch the door or skin from outside without shoes and it will shock the bejesus out of you ---- ask me how I know ???

Any ideas, we would really like to stay in trailer overnite, security etc. but not at risk of life and limb.!! Temps are in the low 100's 103 at 1730, so we need the AC to be able to use AS.

Any ideas? Why would AS not be grounded?? If I hook up to Tow Vehicle, will that ground??

Ideas and thoughts Please...

[GCinSC2]

John,

We all learn from each other's input. What was the outcome and fix for this safety issue?

Thanks

Gary

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by John Oliver

. . .
Ideas and thoughts Please...

Hope you were able to resolve this.

Peter

[waninae39]

get one of these
i would not plug in without a valid surge protector

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f317...or-170850.html

[uncle_bob]

Hi

As noted above, you have a potentially lethal situation. Why is less of an issue. Disconnect now and do not reconnect the same setup to the same outlet.

The list of "what could it be" is a bit long. The most likely *is* an outlet that is not wired correctly. Cables, adapters, even something in the trailer could also be the source. A multimeter and some "quality time" could sort that part out. The starting point is the outlet. Check each component in the string from there to an outlet in the trailer. Doing this in a safe manner is not easy. Better to let somebody else handle the job if you are not familiar with all of the issues.

Bob

[OTRA15]

Could you please update us on this? I see that you have not posted on AirForums since your original post below.

Hope everything is OK.

Thanks,

Peter

Originally Posted by John Oliver

Trailer is parker in lot at auto repair center. Will have to remain overnite, waiting for parts. Mechanic volunteered to let us use 50 A power if we want to spend nite in AS.

Plugged into their outlet and got 50 A power, everything in AS runs fine, BUT Exterior of AS is Electrified !!! Touch the door or skin from outside without shoes and it will shock the bejesus out of you ---- ask me how I know ???

Any ideas, we would really like to stay in trailer overnite, security etc. but not at risk of life and limb.!! Temps are in the low 100's 103 at 1730, so we need the AC to be able to use AS.

Any ideas? Why would AS not be grounded?? If I hook up to Tow Vehicle, will that ground??

Ideas and thoughts Please...

[John Oliver]

Thanks for all the input. Guess I didn't live to be old by being equally stupid. 50 amp receptacle WAS wired incorrectly - as some of you surmised - hot to ground, thus AS was "energized". We declined repair shop offer of electrical service, fired up generator and spent the night in shop's parking lot ! Next morning, I cut female plug off of the repair shop cord and suggested that they might want to have a "kilowatt knowledgeable" technician ( an electrician ) check into the problem.

Repairs effected quickly and we are now in Butte, MT. after four weeks of scaring trout in every creek, river and pond we could find in Wyoming, Utah and Idaho.

If we can avoid massive fires in Western Mt. - Lolo Valley, North of Missoula - we are heading up to Glacier and Flathead Valley to scare more trout !!

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the update.

Scare some trout for us!