# Electrically Earthing to a Van



## bartsville (Aug 24, 2009)

Hi All

A worrying thing happened to me yesterday while changing the waste pipe on my Fiat Compass Drifter. As I reached under the van I felt a slight shock from the door frame. I disconnected the hook up and the problem disappeared so I reconnected it and stood inside the van and touched the same frame and the problem was not there so basically when i stand outside the van current is earthing through me to ground I presume though I'm not electrically minded. Could this be an earth problem with the hook up cable or something in the van I can look at 

Thanks in advance for any advice

Barrie


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

I doubt you have an earth fault or an RCD would trip either in the van or on the bollard. I suspect you built up a static charge in your clothing and it discharged when you touched the earthed chasis. 
If in doubt though, get it checked.


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

I agree with Clive. (teach me not to speed read)


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## bartsville (Aug 24, 2009)

I agree it should be checked but I don't think its static as we both tried it and it is still doing it even after you touch it which should discharge any static


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi Bartsville

You do have a problem and the problem has the potential to be serious so my advice is to get a qualified person to check your van as soon as possible and until you have had it checked do not connect a mains hook up. ( I know that sounds extreme but you don't get second chances with electricity)

There may be more than one problem ... I would guess that there are faults with either your vans wiring, your hook up cable or the sites supply and earthing .... but at a distance I would not like to make any guesses.

The problem was raised in an earlier thread where several suggestions as to what may be wrong were discussed ...you should readit :-

Electric shock from body of motorhome <<<

BUT do please call that qualified electrician and if you are still on a campsite report the problem to the owners.

Mike


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## bartsville (Aug 24, 2009)

Hi Mike

No we are not on a site I only noticed it when we got home and plugged into the house supply

But as you say I need to get an Electrician to look at it

thanks


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Did you have an RCB in the house? Most houses do not. If not then a fault near the mains entry point would not blow the RCB in the van.
It certainly sounds as if the van is not properly connected to earth somewhere so you really do need a good electrician with the proper test equipment.


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## stearman65 (Nov 22, 2010)

*RCD's / MCB's*

I recently completed the wiring on my conversion. As it is classed as a new conversion I had to comply to the current (no pun intended) IEE regs which I believe is the 18th Edition. My wiring for a 230v AC hook up comes into the van in the usual Euro W/proof socket to a 4 pole isolator, only 3 poles used, to a polarity checker, then to the 63a 30MA double pole RCD, then out to the sub fusing double pole MCB's I've attached a copy of my diagram in case anyone is contemplating a self conversion. Following installation I had the system checked by a qualified electrician & it passed with flying colours.
Stearman65


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*SHOCKING*

Im an electrician so i thought id drop you a line quickly!!.If you do not have a RCD trip protecting the circuit which is supplying your lead out to your van you can still get a "shock" from the metal parts of your van even if the van has a "trip". The trip in the van only protects the circuits which originate from it and the fault could be in the lead or house wiring or socket. Get it checked by an electrician who is familar with testing and he should own a "megger" test instrument and test the timing of the rcd and its earth loop impedance,hope it helps


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

....and we're on 17th Edition.


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

You could check thet the earth has not pulled out of your plug and socket on either end of your EHU lead to start with.

You can buy socket testers very sheaply and plug one in inside your van. This will indicate any abnormal connections to the van.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Stearman65.

Excellent diagram.

My only slight quibble is that I would have liked that test socket to have been protected by a 6A MCB.

Andy.

I fully agree that the interior RCD protects only within the van.

I use an in-line RCD at the bollard end plug which protects the very vulnerable cable to the van.

Well, I am not bothered that it protects the cable - what is important is that it protects me standing barefoot on wet grass as I firkle around hooking up!

It also protects within the van.

My MH failed its annual habitation check because the (original Hymer) installation doesn't have an RCD in the van.

Twisted logic in my view.


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Is it right that the earth is switched? Can that be allowed?


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## TDG (May 26, 2009)

pippin said:


> .....I fully agree that the interior RCD protects only within the van....


I hear that van tyres make quite good insulators :roll:


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## stearman65 (Nov 22, 2010)

safariboy said:


> Is it right that the earth is switched? Can that be allowed?


That is correct. Imagine the situation where the hook up has been switched or damaged & the earth you connect to has become live.
Stearman65.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

_I hear that van tyres make quite good insulators_

Does the rubber not contain carbon?


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## TDG (May 26, 2009)

pippin said:


> _I hear that van tyres make quite good insulators_
> 
> Does the rubber not contain carbon?


I guess then that the rubber insulating mats in front of the switchboards must have been low carbon :lol:


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