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Old 05-23-2016, 07:11 PM   #1
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Electrical ground on 2012 250RB ?

Looking under my trailer I see a cable grounded to the gas line !!
This can't be right. Not by my electrical code. What do you have? Also a electrical box not designed to be out side (not water proof).
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Old 05-24-2016, 06:03 AM   #2
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I'm not surprised at all. I've found the later on mine. Just the other day I noticed that my tires were manufactured in 2011 for my 2014 trailer. I thought I had checked everything upon pick-up, forgot that! So my 2 year old trailer has 5 year old tires from the factory.
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Old 05-24-2016, 07:49 AM   #3
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That interior junction box is common on all trailers. Just open it up and turn the mar connectors (wire nuts) to face the 'up' position. They are probable facing down thus collecting water inside. It is only 12 v from truck to trailer lights but still could short out if water was allowed to sit in nuts. Also make sure there are drainage holes on the bottom.
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Old 05-24-2016, 10:11 AM   #4
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the ground wire attached to your metal gas line is to provide a path to ground for any possible voltage to discharge. this is similar to the ground attached to houses with metal water pipes, any voltage developed on the pipe is shunted to ground via the shore power connection vice through your body when you touch the metal pipe.
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Old 05-24-2016, 02:45 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zrxkuma View Post
the ground wire attached to your metal gas line is to provide a path to ground for any possible voltage to discharge. this is similar to the ground attached to houses with metal water pipes, any voltage developed on the pipe is shunted to ground via the shore power connection vice through your body when you touch the metal pipe.
I understand the purpose. My point is that it does not comply with the electrical code that states you shall not use a gas pipe as a electrical ground!
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Old 05-24-2016, 03:36 PM   #6
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I have a feeling that trailers do not follow an electrical code as they are assemblied by guys that are not electricians and are not inspected for electrics or any inspection at all. and the dealers do not look at anything unless there is a problem.
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Old 05-24-2016, 04:23 PM   #7
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Well, they are supposed to build to the RVIA standards. The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association: RVIA Main Site Home
And the NVPA fire codes. NFPA 1192: Standard on Recreational Vehicles
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Old 05-24-2016, 05:05 PM   #8
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I understand the purpose. My point is that it does not comply with the electrical code that states you shall not use a gas pipe as a electrical ground!
You have this backwards. The gas line is not the ground. The trailer is the ground and the gas line is bonded to the trailer to prevent an accidental electric charge from igniting the gas.

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Old 05-25-2016, 05:24 AM   #9
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You have this backwards. The gas line is not the ground. The trailer is the ground and the gas line is bonded to the trailer to prevent an accidental electric charge from igniting the gas.

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Old 05-25-2016, 06:56 AM   #10
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This code is specific to flexible yellow covered gas pipe used in homes. This not used in RVs. It is for lightening protection. A strike has the tendency to burn a hole in this tin walled pipe, I know from experience.
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Old 05-25-2016, 10:44 AM   #11
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But the diagram points out the pipe could be:

"Pipe

components must
be made from steel,
galvanized steel, black
iron, copper and/or
brass"
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Old 05-25-2016, 11:58 AM   #12
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But the diagram points out the pipe could be:

"Pipe

components must
be made from steel,
galvanized steel, black
iron, copper and/or
brass"
When the flexible pipe is used the bonding has to be on the solid pipe.
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Old 05-28-2016, 10:42 AM   #13
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grounding

didn't think my first post would be about electrical grounding but here is my 2 cents. i'm no expert, at least not licensed, ha>>, but I think the gound wire attached to the gas line is to eliminate any static electricity build up on the gas line so that when you hook up an appliance to the quick disconnect, like my Z1 has at the back, there is no possibility of a spark at the QD, which is obviously bad. The references to "code" are for house building code, totally different. House code doesn't want grounding to a gas line because the gas line goes underground and in the event of a lightning strike would be a main path for the static discharge, very bad. The main ground for your "house" is 8 foot rods in the ground outside your house breaker box, the rods are wired direct to the ground buss bar inside your breaker box. Similarly, your rv is grounded through the 30/50 amp power box at the your camp site. That ground wire on the gas line is just there to bleed off any static discharge on the gas line itself. Again, just my 2 cents worth, but I would not, and am not, going to take that ground off of the gas line on my Z1
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Old 06-21-2016, 09:27 PM   #14
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I was wrong - its a static discharge not a electrical ground.
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