The inverter theory is interesting as I can't ever remember seeing one being used with an earth connected Maybe someone could advise how they should be earthed and is there any form of rcd built into any of them.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
Quote: Originally posted by Hellen Macphee on 30/4/2011
Hi
Just come back from a caravan trip and when my husband went to put down the LHS back steady he received an electric shock which went straight through the winder and him! Later on he received shocks from the caravan awning rail,when the aerial was blown down and then he received more shocks from the caravan handbrake to name but 3. Needless to say we turned off the electrics and got home in one piece. We are taking it into a caravan repair place but can anyone throw any light on what could be causing it as we recently had a motor mover fixed and wondered if there may be a problem with that to cause the shocks.
I cannot understand anyone leaving their electricity on in a caravan after the first shock never mind more than 3!!!!
Used as a stand alone power supply then it isn't recommended to earth an inverter.The neutral isn't normally connected to earth on and inverter, to earth it would require bonding the neutral and earth together at the inverter end.Just connecting the earth terminal to an earth spike achieves nothing.
An RCD isn't required,it wouldn't operate, unless the neutral and earth have been bonded, then one should allways be used.
If you want to run a number of appliances from a high power inverter and have the convenience of permanent wiring with mains type sockets, the safest way is to have a wiring system and outlets totally seperate from any wiring connected to the AC mains and earth.
The outlets from the inverter should be left unearthed and clearly marked "Inverter Power Floating.
Remember even a 60watt inverter can provide enough current to kill.
Saxo1
Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 02/5/2011
Quote: Originally posted by intenter on 01/5/2011 You cannot get a shock off DC ( battery ) . You can only get a shock off AC.
Of course you can get a shock off a DC source, it all depends on the voltage.
Iv'e worked on AC for 40+ years and even being very careful Iv'e had a few shocks.
Iv'e worked on DC for 40+ years at voltages from 3v ~ 600v and NOT being careful and I have never had a shock off it. Ever.... that is unless you put the wires in your mouth !
My work building , testing and repairing high powered strobe units for aircraft at AC voltages of 6.5KV and DC voltages of 600V stored in large capacitors never resulted in any shocks off the DC side.
I think you would be damed unlucky to get a shock off any DC as used in a caravan.
Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 02/5/2011
Quote: Originally posted by intenter on 01/5/2011 You cannot get a shock off DC ( battery ) . You can only get a shock off AC.
Of course you can get a shock off a DC source, it all depends on the voltage.
Iv'e worked on AC for 40+ years and even being very careful Iv'e had a few shocks.
Iv'e worked on DC for 40+ years at voltages from 3v ~ 600v and NOT being careful and I have never had a shock off it. Ever.... that is unless you put the wires in your mouth !
My work building , testing and repairing high powered strobe units for aircraft at AC voltages of 6.5KV and DC voltages of 600V stored in large capacitors never resulted in any shocks off the DC side.
I think you would be damed unlucky to get a shock off any DC as used in a caravan.
Congratulations Intenter - you have defied the laws of physics for 40+ years. Be careful though you might not be so lucky next time!
------------- Ollie
2016
Monplaisir - Provence
Camping Les Gorges du Loup
AC current is app 4 times more likely to result in death from electrocution, but it is possible to be electrocuted by DC it results in a heart failure known as Asystole it stops all electrical activity in the heart.
It depends on the resistance of the skin and the amount of current but DC has caused death at voltages as low as 47 volts.
The majority of deaths caused by DC are from tissue damage caused by high current burns.
Although rare it is possible.
Saxo1
One other possible (and scary if true) explanation is an underground cable fault under the pitch. This is what killed those racehorses the other month.
If the hookup was connected, it could be a missing earth in the hookup, post or caravan. The caravan chassis is connected to earth & if the earth in the hook-up is open circuit, it will float (these are present to stop interference from switch mode power supplies) The battery charger (also any electrical equpment with switched mode PSU's, like LCD TV's, laptops etc) will have internal filters connected between live, neutral & earth. This will flow a few milliamps down to earth, if the earth is missing in the hookup or post, the current will not beable to flow to earth, but if you touch the chassis it will flow through you instead. This should only be a few milliamps, not enough to trip the RCD. A basic test would be to connect the hook-up to the caravan & check for continuity between the plug earth & the caravan chassis. A proper safety test would involve much more then this, so if you can't find anything I'd get it checked professionally.
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Topic: Electric shock
Maybe someone could advise how they should be earthed and is there any form of rcd built into any of them.
