shocking!!!

[huntke]

Ok we have a 2007 32QBBS bought new a year ago. We used it alot last year with no problems at all. Put it into storage around november and got it out about two weeks ago. The other day I used a floor jack to raise the axles so I could check the wheel bearings and thought I could feel a tingling sensation like I was getting shocked.....but I figured I was just crazy. Well tonight I go out in my bare feet to make sure it is locked grab the door handle and definatly get shocked to the point it almost hurt.....grabbed different metal parts around the outside and same thing. So my question is has anyone else had anything like this happen and if so what was the cause. We are suppose to go out this coming weekend and I really don't want to have to take it to the dealer. Thanks in advance for any help.........Kevin

[budfans]

I had 2002 fleetwood and had the same problem after about a year old. They found a pinched wire between the body and the fram that rubbed a bare spot in it!!!

[huntke]

Does your fleetwood have an enclosed underbelly? About all I could see under ours was wires going to the brakes.....but the belly is enclosed. I did find a couple of ground wires but they looked fine.

[budfans]

I don't have the fleetwood anymore but i think they said it was the hot wire from the battery up front. Does this happen with or without being plug in to land power?

[huntke]

It only happens when plugged into land power

[rockwood06]

We were camping at Frontier Town in Ocean City last year and experienced the same problem, I checked the ground coming out of the 30 amp power supply and found it to be bad, we notified the camp ground office and they sent out an Electician and he confirmed that the ground was bad so he changed out the receptacal, all was ok after that. I would say that you have a bad ground some where.

[Paul B]

Originally Posted by huntke

It only happens when plugged into land power

Check all ground and neutral connections. Then go check the same in your main power supply. Not familiar with electric stuff have someone that is. A loose ground or neutral in your main power box will cause this problem, same with your RV. Had a similiar thing with the appliances in my house once, I tightened all the connections and all was well.

If you have a "Main disconnect Switch" kill everything and then go to tightening, you'll be amazed at how many scrrews are not tight. That goes for the screw to the breakers too.

Good luck and let us know what you found......

Paul B - I am not an electrician but that is what I found with mine

[KyDan]

Please be CAREFUL.
More people are killed by electrocution on "household" voltage
than any high voltage.
As soon as you felt the first tingle you should have PUT ON SHOES
and unplugged the camper.

It's possible the problem is in your house wiring or extension cord.
If a ground is not grounded or a neutral is not grounded anywhere
this could happen.
It could also be a short in the camper.
Proceed carefully but don't just assume the problem is in the camper.

A "floating" neutral can shock you!!

If it were me, I'd take a volt meter and read voltage from
your trailer ground to a known house ground.
I'd check from the trailer neutral to house ground.
I'd check from house neutral to house ground.
ALL these should be ZERO volts.

I am not giving expert advice.
I can't trouble shoot this via long distance but these are things
I'd check if it were me.
YMMV
Offer not available outside the continental US.
If at all in doubt seek professional help/advice.

Good Luck!
KyDan

[huntke]

Thanks for all the advice. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.....haven't been getting home till after dark this week. The thought has crossed my mind more than once about something being amiss with the house wiring. Hopefully will have time in the next couple of days to check things out a little more closely. I will post when I can find something!

[Rockinwood]

Originally Posted by huntke

Thanks for all the advice. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.....haven't been getting home till after dark this week. The thought has crossed my mind more than once about something being amiss with the house wiring. Hopefully will have time in the next couple of days to check things out a little more closely. I will post when I can find something!

Yes,
please keep us posted, I am thinking in the power inverter, possible loose screws/wires, I hope you find the problem.

[RJW]

be careful, if not electrically knowlegeable you can be killed at low volts, since this is only happening when hooked to shore power, try different shore power, (neighbor) if it still happens it is camper related, if not likely house wiring related. If it is camper related you are looking for a shorted hot wire to frame of camper, Very Dangerous it will reach can reach the point where all the metal parts of the camper could be hot electricly ....let us know and keep family away until corrected.

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by RJW

be careful, If it is camper related you are looking for a shorted hot wire to frame of camper, Very Dangerous .

Yes it is very dangerous but not necessarily a shorted hot wire.
IF the trailer has a good ground and hot is shorted to frame,
it would be a "dead short" and should kick the breaker.

It could be a hot and neutral that are reversed somewhere, either
in the supply outlet or in the TT but again, if it was properly grounded
that should kick the breaker.

It could be a slight short to ground but more likely is a loose
ground or neutral somewhere.
Either way it's dangerous.
Rule of thumb-- NEVER trouble shoot any suspected electrical problem
in bare feet!!!!!

We're all curious what you find.

Good luck!
KyDan

[huntke]

quick update....I was flushing the fresh water tank last night just casue it was dark and I didn't feel like trying to run down the problem in the dark. Anyhow when I was draining the tank just the water coming out of the tank gave me a tingle. Should I be thinking something with the water heater or what? I can't think of anyother way the water could become energized.

[KyDan]

I can't believe you've still got it plugged in!!!!!!!
I suppose a cracked heater element in the water heater could do this....

The water heater is probably grounded.
By this I mean there is a neutral or ground wire connected to it.
If your trailer has this "floating neutral" I've mentioned or loose neutral
or reversed hot and neutral all of these could cause the "grounded"
WH to become electrified.

If you are getting "tingled" you are in danger.
I can't say it any plainer than that.

Be VERY careful.

[rockwood06]

I don't see it mentioned but are you using an exstention cord to plug into land power and if so what size?

[huntke]

I finally got the problem tracked down!!!! It was a bad electric element in the water heater..... I never in a million years would have thought that would cause the kind of problems we had but it did.

Thanks for all of the help and direction with this it was greatly appreciated.

[rockwood06]

If that's the case, check the wiring on your hot water heater and make sure it has a good ground, that just sounds odd, but I am not an Electrician.

[Bama Rambler]

Sounds like a good case for installing a GFI breaker on the pedestal (or home power). It would have made it harder to track down the problem but would have immensely safer than getting a "tingle".

That's also something to put in the file. If you get a tingle or if you're tripping a GFI for no apparent reason, check the water heater element.

[steveqvs]

Question: I thought waterheaters were propane? do they switch to electric when plugged in?


Be easy on me.. I am a newbie to TT's.
thanks

[aintgotnun]

Originally Posted by steveqvs

Question: I thought waterheaters were propane? do they switch to electric when plugged in?


Be easy on me.. I am a newbie to TT's.
thanks

a lot of water heaters do dual duty. they will work off of both propane and electric seperately or work off both together