grounding 12v to trailer frame?

[bdosborn]

As for driving a stake for grounding as someone said, I would not recommend it. I will agree that some campgrounds electrical systems are screwy, but it can actually work against you. I have seen it a few times where when that is done it makes a better ground and all the issues of the system come your way. Either plug into the GFI outlet or get a cord with one built into the end.

A ground rod does nothing at all to reduce touch potential and here's why:

Touch Potentail and Ground Rods

Bruce

[Chuckles]

Thanks for all the advice. I will follow the code and ground to the frame even though I am not using it as a return on any of the lights or plugs. Also, I didn't think of using dielectric grease on the crimp connections... Good Advice

[len19070]

Yet something so easy to achieve with so little effort....And arrogance too ....
Dale

[Dale M.]

Yet something so easy to achieve with so little effort....And arrogance too ....
Dale

When did I say that.... Having a CRS moment...

Dale

[H.A.]

....

[MtnDon]

Driving a ground rod is not all that easy... they are 8 feet long, by NEC rules. Pulling one out is also not easy. I have tried. I have recently had a lot of experience driving ground rods as I improve my lightning protection at our mountain property. Yesterday I did number 12. (Trying to get the ohms reading very low.) I use a fencing T-post driver down to ground level and finish off with a 3 lb hammer. I do need a short ladder to get started.

Connecting a ground rod out there away from the main campground electrical distribution system can also cause problems. There can be more than one ground rod in a system, but if there are more than one, the individual grounds should all be connected together. Separated ground rods can cause more harm than good; they can cause GFCI issues.

[Redneck Teepee]

Brings back memories Don. Several years ago, (I'm thinking about 20 or so) when we bought and installed our plasma cutting table at the shop we had to have a certain ohm reading to satisfy the factory install and start up guy. The ground is very sandy there and we ended up with 11 ground rods, some of them 30' deep to achieve the required ohm readings.

We drove them in with a bit removed Roto Hammer, very doable with the sandy soil we were going into.

[Dale M.]

Driving a ground rod in camp ground is just not practical on many levels... Get a volt meter or at least a receptacle tester and learn to trust them...... Also its a bad idea because its not your property to do it on.... Its some what irresponsible and tends to be inappropriate fix for probably non existent problem....

If you have power pedestal problem in camp ground notify management, or move to different spot....

Dale

[SalsaDog]

Lot of misinformation and witches tales here.... There is no harm in grounding one side (typically negative) of battery to trailer frame, in the whole scheme of things at some point everything is grounded to mother earth and the planet does not implode/explode... You wire line telephone phone system which run on 48 volts DC grounds the positive side of their battery/power plant to mother earth, Nicola Tesla grounded the neutral side his AC circuits to mother earth....

The whole problem is some people do not understand the magic of electricity.... Or proper way to make a electrical connection....

As for grounding the chassis or connection to chassis, all you need to do is drill hole for ground connector(s) take file or sand paper or small grinder and clean paint or rust or any surface contamination till you have clean shinny metal, place a dab of dielectric grease on bare spot and bolt (screw) connection together, it's done, it's good forever..... This is what I do and I do not have electrical problems... Period!!.. I have had batteries in vehicles 6-8 years with out any corrosion on battery posts or cables, how come you say, dielectric grease....

Also use dielectric grease in trailer/tv plug and on any wire connection/splice where crimp connectors are used.... Another failure of electrical connection by corrosion is poor quality connectors and crimping tools ... You need a tool the makes a gas tight crimp and you need to use dielectric grease to keep oxygen out of connection because oxygen is main instigator of corrosion... Those $5 auto-parts crimpers that come in your 200 piece connector kits are pure junk....

Anyone that scoffs at electrical codes (NFPA) and RV industry rules about electricals ( AC or DC) is a danger to themselves and to anyone that comes in contact with their equipment...

38 years working with AC & DC power system in communications industry and only dangerously shocked once when a cord on power tool when defective....

IF you understand it and respect it, its the best friend you ever had... IF you do not respect or understand it, its your worst enemy... It's like fire, a wonderful servant but a cruel master....

Dale

Thank you, common sense is a rare commodity in the US. Now, where will I put the homebrew frig and brewing equipment in the 6x12?

[Da'engineer]

Thank you, common sense is a rare commodity in the US. Now, where will I put the homebrew frig and brewing equipment in the 6x12?

Who needs a bed when you have beer?

[BC Dave]

- I vote to have this sticky-ed; I know this is touched on in other electrical threads. but should be highlighted.

There's good knowledgeable comment here on why and why not and how to properly ground to a frame, tipping my hat to Bruce & Dale "et al". Generally, due to the rules, its not permitted to ground you 12V negative to frame in an RV, so there's no chance to a hot frame due to a 12 V positive touching a 12V ground to frame ... to be clear on the 120V side you need to have the green 120 ground bonded to the frame. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I learnt something here and I wished I ran separate black negatives back to the battery, but grounded to the frame like all automotive. That being so I haven't had any issues with the 12V negative being bonded the frame and it would also be connected via the hitch to a tow vehicle anyway.

So what issues might I have with plugging in to the tow vehicle with a frame 12V negative & a 120V grounded to the frame; charging while towing or can there be any issues with a 120V converter charger? (geez there is a lot to consider and worry about )

I'm just about to add a 45amp converter charger and that's a fair amount of amperage potential to go through a frame -yikes!- or I just isolate that I guess but I can do that ...I have to run the negative to frame now as its set up ...

Cheers BC Dave

[Socal Tom]

I ran a ground to the frame, its primarily used at the ground for charging while towing.
For the interior lights etc, I ran a ground wire to a common point and ran two wires to everything. Many 12V accessories assume you are attaching them to a car with a grounded chassis, so the connecting screws provide the ground path.

As far as the original question, should the 12V ground be run to the frame. Every automotive manufacturer does, every RV I've ever looked at was ground that way. So yes, if done correctly its perfectly fine.
Tom

[bdosborn]

Its a requirement in the NEC section for RVs as well. I don't know why people have such an issue with bonding the battery and AC to the frame when all the standards require it.

Bruce

[BC Dave]

Its a requirement in the NEC section for RVs as well. I don't know why people have such an issue with bonding the battery and AC to the frame when all the standards require it.

Bruce

...!..no issue here (but why does this seem so confusing)... ok so I understand the NEC; incoming 120VAC is "green" bare copper grounded to the frame. And there should be a 12V DC negative (ground) to frame form the house battery. So why not use the 12V neg ground for power; because the to frame connection might get corroded? Right? and always be careful to insulate and fuse the 12V DC positive so no hot framing happens ... this is simple

[bdosborn]

...!..no issue here (but why does this seem so confusing)... ok so I understand the NEC; incoming 120VAC is "green" bare copper grounded to the frame. And there should be a 12V DC negative (ground) to frame form the house battery. So why not use the 12V neg ground for power; because the to frame connection might get corroded? Right? and always be careful to insulate and fuse the 12V DC positive so no hot framing happens ... this is simple

You got it.

Bruce