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Old 09-26-2019, 03:56 PM   #1
bjstager
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30amp shore power causes trailer to shock you

We plugged into 50amp. Within 5 minutes the shore power breaker tripped. After that 50amp would always trip. We plugged into 30amp and found after that the trailer metal shocked you? Any ideas? We can not find the issue. Everything was running fine inside, but all the metal outside was “hot”.

Also we then plugged into our generator and the charge moved to the generator instead of trailer metal.
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Old 09-26-2019, 03:59 PM   #2
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Google “hot skin” , I believe it’s a bad ground.
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Old 09-26-2019, 04:02 PM   #3
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We did and can not find where a ground could be that’s bad. We have tested things checked shore power. Still confused why on generator it doesn’t have the same affect. This is a brand new trailer as well.

Actually. Generator took the charge. The metal on generator was taking the charge and was reading 120
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Old 09-26-2019, 04:25 PM   #4
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My guess would be the issue is at the pedestal, hence you have no issue with the gen. I'd keep your rig disconnected from it, get the campground staff over to look at it or move you to a new spot.
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Old 09-26-2019, 04:26 PM   #5
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Your trailer "ground" (bare wire) and "neutral" (white wire) are probably tied together and "somewhere in the trailer wiring" a plug or an appliance is wired backwards. In other words, the black wire "somewhere" is tied to "the white wire side". That makes the neutral side "hot" and since ground and neutral are "bonded" then the skin of the trailer (metal components) have the 120VAC potential on them. What could happen, if someone might unfortunately be standing on damp ground (like after a rain or morning dew) and touch the trailer, they may be electrocuted.

Now the above being said, you states that it happens when plugged into both the 50 amp and the 30 amp plugs at a campground. It is possible that the particular campground pedestal is wired incorrectly (neutral and ground reversed on the campground plug) which could cause the condition. That's one of many conditions that a quality EMS will not only identify, but will protect your trailer from becoming a 'live wire".

This issue is (or can become) a death trap if the right (wrong) conditions exist.

You need to have the trailer inspected and the wiring repaired before someone gets hurt.
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Old 09-26-2019, 04:26 PM   #6
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We have moved to 3 sites now and same issue on all
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Old 09-26-2019, 04:31 PM   #7
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We traveled for 5 days and no issues. Got to this site and it happened. The 50amp won’t work at all. All breakers were off in trailer as a test.
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Old 09-26-2019, 04:43 PM   #8
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If you're using a 50/30 amp power cable adapter, that may be the problem, or you could have a short in the actual power cable (either end or the actual cable) or a problem with the inlet power plug/receiver on your travel trailer.

If you have another power cable or can borrow one from the campground you might be able to rule out the cable issues and isolate the problem to the trailer wiring/inlet receptacle....

If things work correctly with a new power cable, you know yours is bad and if things do not work with a new power cable, you know the problem is with the trailer.
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Old 09-26-2019, 04:45 PM   #9
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If you've been moved to 3 diff sites, and have the same issue, then I'd agree with JRTJH; somewhere your trailer has positive connected to ground. I'd breakout the flashlights, keep power off, and get it looked at as soon as you can. Unless the whole camp is wired incorrectly.... Do you have an EMS as JRTJH mentioned?
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Old 09-26-2019, 05:26 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
If you have another power cable or can borrow one from the campground you might be able to rule out the cable issues and isolate the problem to the trailer wiring/inlet receptacle....

If things work correctly with a new power cable, you know yours is bad and if things do not work with a new power cable, you know the problem is with the trailer.
Agreed!

Seems that your issue is upstream of the transfer switch as you note no issues on generator. 50 Amp/ 4 wire trips immediately and 30amp/3 wire is putting 120 to the ground / camper. With a voltmeter you can test out the power cord for cross connectivity between leads. That would seem to be more likely and easier to check.



Be careful - sparky dont play well with others!
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Old 09-26-2019, 07:32 PM   #11
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Are you camped anywhere near high voltage powerlines? The induced voltage from them can cause a hot (voltage) skin on metal clad trailers. I'm assuming your trailer is metal clad as a filon skin wouldn't conduct electricity that you'd notice.
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Old 09-26-2019, 08:02 PM   #12
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The generator was actually taking the ground fault/charge. We found bare metal on generator and tested so on generator it moved the charge to the generator frame instead of the trailer frame. Calling keystone in the morning as the trailer is brand new.
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Old 09-26-2019, 08:06 PM   #13
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No. And there are several campers here and no one else has this issue.
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Old 09-27-2019, 05:04 AM   #14
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BJ, to coin an old (1960's) phrase, Danger, Will Robinson. I would ask that when you do locate the problem, kindly return to the forum and fill us in. In the meantime, I'd avoid that beast like cooked liver!
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Old 09-27-2019, 06:41 AM   #15
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The generator was actually taking the ground fault/charge. We found bare metal on generator and tested so on generator it moved the charge to the generator frame instead of the trailer frame. Calling keystone in the morning as the trailer is brand new.
The "charge" did not move to the generator. The generator does not have an earth ground like the campground service should. You have a serious issue where the line is going to the neutral or ground. If someone touches the camper, or the generator while it's plugged in and running the camper they could be killed. This is not over reacting, drama, or anything other than simple truth. The electricity is using the ground and there fore the camper's frame or when powered by the generator the genset chassis to return the flow of electrons. If say you are the path of least resistance then that flow of electricity will traverse through you, or your child, or dog, etc. It takes only a fraction of an amp (the measurement of the flow of electrons) to stop a human heart. The 50 amps, 30 amps, or whatever the generator is producing is obviously much greater. Be safe. If you have a death wish and think "it's O.K." then please think of the innocents that may die.
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Old 09-27-2019, 07:08 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Google “hot skin” , I believe it’s a bad ground.
What chuckster says
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Old 09-27-2019, 10:02 AM   #17
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Assuming you have a portable generator, is it grounded?? Every generator I have owned has said to ground it in instructions. Yet I have never seen anyone driving a ground rod while camping. ( myself included ) If you say ALL breakers were off when tested, including the main, the problem must be between main breaker and power cord male end. Disconnect both ends of power cord and check for continuity between blades on plug to test if cord is shorted or wired correctly. There should not be continuity between male and female ends of ground to neutral. That will eliminate the cord as the culprit. Since the trailer is new contact the dealer ASAP to document the problem. If it were me and I had to stay in one spot until checked out by a professional I would go to an electrical supply or home store and get the ground rod I mentioned and ground the chassis of the trailer to provide an alternative path of current flow than yourself or others.
Let us know what you find and be safe, Hank
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Old 09-27-2019, 01:20 PM   #18
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Until you get it checked out properly, if you have a shovel, stick in deeply into ground, use your jumper cables to the connect the metal of the shovel to the frame of the RV, this should get you by til a repair can be made.
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Old 09-27-2019, 06:48 PM   #19
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To update everyone after hours of service. We are not near a keystone dealer here in Ehrenberg, AZ on this trip so we had to get mobile service and hope that Keystone does the right thing. We isolated the issue and found that the line running from the shore power plug to the breaker box must be compromised. We had a new line ran and everything works fine. Where the line runs it is under cabinets. Very likely a clamp or screw must have compromised the line. After 2500 miles and multiple hookups it finally must have melted to compromise the line. We could not get into the underneath underpinning so we made the call to run a brand new line and 100% fix.

Guess the cabinet installers didn’t realize that the screws they used that are 1/2 to long in several spots in the upper cabinets are likely the same that installed to the floor and likely comprised the line.

Thank you all for everything and hoping with this knowledge someone else with this issue will now know.
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Old 09-27-2019, 06:49 PM   #20
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I just posted the reply. To add to this. This is a 1 month old trailer. Along with this we have had 2 water leaks in the kitchen area that has soaked the boards and drawers. Already have a missing screw on a fender. Have screws that are too long used to install cabinets and we had to back them out 1/2 inch so we could sit things flat in cabinets.
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