Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Got this tingle (with all the talk about wiring)
| Got this tingle [message #104374] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 09:10  |
Smitty52
Messages: 181
Registered: July 2007
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I am almost finished with the EFI install and have determined that the next project will be to move the fuse boxes and elec stuff to one of the closets so we can get at it when needed. The PO converted the rear lounge to a permanent bed so to get to a fuse is a major problem.
While working on the EFI, I have had the coach plugged in to shore power. I notice that when I act as a ground, ie laying on the ground under the coach or grabbing the door handle while outside, I get a definite tingle. Me thinks I should not be feeling that. If I unplug the shore power then all is fine. So, something is amiss and I am looking for ideas on the best way to track it down. The water heater is gas so there is no element to short out. Probably related is that when I use the rocker switch near the entry door to turn on lights it will immediately blow the fuse. The lights work fine if I use the switches on the lights if the rocker switch is off. (now you know why I needed to get at the fuses so often)
While I am excited to finally have a GMC I would prefer not to feel it everytime I open the door. Ideas?
Wayne and Lisa,
Bolton Landing, NY,
Patriot Guard Rider,
Standing for those who stood for us.
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| Re: [GMCnet] Got this tingle [message #104383 is a reply to message #104374] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 10:16  |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Wayne, find that sucker and do not subject yourself to being the ground path
for the 120 Volt circuit. First and foremost, check that you have a 3 wire
plug on your shore power cord. If you have, then check the receptacle that
you are plugged into to see if it is grounded. Pull the receptacle cover and
see if the green wire is present and hooked up. It may also be just bare
copper. Finally, go to the service panel in your house or shop and check
there. After you have confirmed that you do in fact have a working ground
wire, investigate the coach wiring for loose connections on the ground path.
This circuit has the ability to kill under the right conditions so it is
important. If you are not comfortable opening up service panels & such, Get
an electrician and pay them. We can't risk any more GMCers.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 Royale 403
On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 7:10 AM, Wayne E LaMothe <superglider@juno.com>wrote:
>
>
> I am almost finished with the EFI install and have determined that the next
> project will be to move the fuse boxes and elec stuff to one of the closets
> so we can get at it when needed. The PO converted the rear lounge to a
> permanent bed so to get to a fuse is a major problem.
>
> While working on the EFI, I have had the coach plugged in to shore power.
> I notice that when I act as a ground, ie laying on the ground under the
> coach or grabbing the door handle while outside, I get a definite tingle.
> Me thinks I should not be feeling that. If I unplug the shore power then
> all is fine. So, something is amiss and I am looking for ideas on the best
> way to track it down. The water heater is gas so there is no element to
> short out. Probably related is that when I use the rocker switch near the
> entry door to turn on lights it will immediately blow the fuse. The lights
> work fine if I use the switches on the lights if the rocker switch is off.
> (now you know why I needed to get at the fuses so often)
>
> While I am excited to finally have a GMC I would prefer not to feel it
> everytime I open the door. Ideas?
> --
> Wayne and Lisa,
> Bolton Landing, NY,
>
> Big Blue Bus AKA Triple B, 78 Royale center kitchen,
>
> Patriot Guard Rider,
> Standing for those who stood for us.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: Got this tingle [message #104389 is a reply to message #104374] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 11:07 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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| Smitty52 wrote on Wed, 27 October 2010 10:10 |
I am almost finished with the EFI install and have determined that the next project will be to move the fuse boxes and elec stuff to one of the closets so we can get at it when needed. The PO converted the rear lounge to a permanent bed so to get to a fuse is a major problem.
While working on the EFI, I have had the coach plugged in to shore power. I notice that when I act as a ground, ie laying on the ground under the coach or grabbing the door handle while outside, I get a definite tingle. Me thinks I should not be feeling that. If I unplug the shore power then all is fine. So, something is amiss and I am looking for ideas on the best way to track it down. The water heater is gas so there is no element to short out. Probably related is that when I use the rocker switch near the entry door to turn on lights it will immediately blow the fuse. The lights work fine if I use the switches on the lights if the rocker switch is off. (now you know why I needed to get at the fuses so often)
While I am excited to finally have a GMC I would prefer not to feel it everytime I open the door. Ideas?
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Wayne,
It is unlikely that the tingle is even related to the light switch/fuse issue. That light should be in the coach 12VDC circuits and the tingle is a 120VAC shore power issue.
Are you sure that the water heater is only gas? Many have multiple capabilities. That can only part of the problem.
That tingle means that the shore power ground is not adequate or defective. This can be a dangerous situation. I bet that if you take a meter (any meter) and push one probe into the ground and touch the coach it shows something and it should not.
Royales (IIRC) were Coachman fit and so are a 120V - 30amp shore power connection. (That does not make a lot of difference, but I wanted to clarify the situation.) Your shore power cable has 3 pins, Hot, Neutral and Ground.
Start at the inside at the source and make sure that these are all connected to the correct pins in the shore power cable. A neutral for ground swap will easily cause this problem. If you are in doubt, there should be labels for each pin inside that connector.
When you are sure that the house end and the cable are good, then open up the coach's breaker box. The shore power should come into a breaker (hot), an isolated neutral bar and a ground bar that is attached to the box directly. Often people that don't completely understand the issue mix up ground and neutral inside the breaker panel. It could be there or it could be any AC appliance.
If you haven't found the problem, you may need try each circuit. This is not as hard as it sounds, but you will need the afore mentioned meter to ground. When you open (switch off) the breakers, the reading should go away at some point. That will isolate your problem circuit. If you have to pop the main to get that to happen, then you have a problem either in the box or with the shore power feed.
If you need help when you find something, we'll be right here.
Next Problem -
By lights, are you referring to the galley lights?
If you are, the problem is simple. That light has two sources, the switch and the 12v that can be selected at the light. Somebody messed with something and grounded (shorted) the wire from the doorway switch to switch in the light. Simple fix - disconnect the external switch wire at the doorway switch. (No great loss - it doesn't work now.) That will stop it from blowing fuses. Finding where the wire got damaged may be a problem. but if you can follow it, it probably got crushed to one of the body frames. Good luck finding that.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: Got this tingle [message #104394 is a reply to message #104389] |
Wed, 27 October 2010 11:39 |
Smitty52
Messages: 181
Registered: July 2007
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I printed out Bob Hendrickson's info on the AC systems from the GMCES site and will start with his ideas. Thanks all for the ideas. I may get to ohm out the power cable tonight but it is usually dark by the time I get home and that makes it hard to really see what I am doing.
Wayne
Wayne and Lisa,
Bolton Landing, NY,
Patriot Guard Rider,
Standing for those who stood for us.
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