Comments on: Electrical Safety http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/electrical-safety/ RV Campground & Camping Information - RV, Motorhome, Camper, Travel Trailer & 5th Wheel Owners Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:40:31 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Tami http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/electrical-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-2444 Tami Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:29:40 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/15/electrical-safety/#comment-2444 Larry, We have a Keystone Raptor 5th wheel trailer. We do store our RV outside and at a storage facility. We do feel the batteries are probably dead. They didn't charge at all when hooked up to our Ford F350 dually truck. Since they are dead, can you recommend a good battery to buy? And if new batteries don't work, what else beside a blown fuse could it be? The converter runs all the time, and sometimes sounds like its going to die. It will rev up and down at times. Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. Tami Larry, We have a Keystone Raptor 5th wheel trailer. We do store our RV outside and at a storage facility. We do feel the batteries are probably dead. They didn’t charge at all when hooked up to our Ford F350 dually truck. Since they are dead, can you recommend a good battery to buy? And if new batteries don’t work, what else beside a blown fuse could it be? The converter runs all the time, and sometimes sounds like its going to die. It will rev up and down at times. Thank you so much for all of your suggestions.

Tami

]]> By: larrycad http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/electrical-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-2110 larrycad Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:13:11 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/15/electrical-safety/#comment-2110 Tami, can you give us a bit more information? What kind of RV do you have as a start. Keep in mind that all of the 12 volt power in an RV originates at the battery or batteries which are the source of voltage and current. If the batteries are dead it would cause this particular problem, or possibly a blown fuse. Has the RV been in storage? If so, it is very possible the battery is dead and either needs charged or replaced. Give us some more information and we will try to save you the repair bill. Larry Tami, can you give us a bit more information? What kind of RV do you have as a start. Keep in mind that all of the 12 volt power in an RV originates at the battery or batteries which are the source of voltage and current. If the batteries are dead it would cause this particular problem, or possibly a blown fuse. Has the RV been in storage? If so, it is very possible the battery is dead and either needs charged or replaced. Give us some more information and we will try to save you the repair bill.

Larry

]]> By: Tami http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/electrical-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-2109 Tami Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:43:03 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/15/electrical-safety/#comment-2109 Our 12volt system is not working. Usually when we hook up, we can use the 12volt lights, fridge, etc. Now nothing is working. We have running lights but that is all. What could possible be wrong? Before we take it to get repaired, is there something we could do to fix it. Any information would be helpful. Thank you. Our 12volt system is not working. Usually when we hook up, we can use the 12volt lights, fridge, etc. Now nothing is working. We have running lights but that is all. What could possible be wrong? Before we take it to get repaired, is there something we could do to fix it. Any information would be helpful. Thank you.

]]> By: Larry Cad http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/electrical-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-905 Larry Cad Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:06:26 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/15/electrical-safety/#comment-905 Al, I don't disagree with your point because you are correct. However, if I were to point out potential (no pun intended) safety hazards with 12 vdc sources, I would be more concerned with the possibility of an explosion of a battery due to arcing. There are many issues with which to be concerned when dealing with electrical systems. If you are not certain, ask, or have someone who is qualified do the repair. Al, I don’t disagree with your point because you are correct. However, if I were to point out potential (no pun intended) safety hazards with 12 vdc sources, I would be more concerned with the possibility of an explosion of a battery due to arcing.

There are many issues with which to be concerned when dealing with electrical systems. If you are not certain, ask, or have someone who is qualified do the repair.

]]> By: Al Grayson http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/electrical-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-883 Al Grayson Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:20:34 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/15/electrical-safety/#comment-883 People are usually properly wary of 120 V but many do not understand that 12 V can injure or in rare cases even kill. The reason that 12 V kills so rarely is that the resistance of the skin is high enough to prevent a hazardous current (over 5 milliamps) to flow through the body. The current has to flow through skin twice. However, if a wire, such as a single strand of stranded wire, punctures the skin, it may make contact with the interior of the body. Blood and interstitial fluid (about the same stuff as blood plasma) are electrolytes - conductive fluids. Now, the resistance is reduced to one layer of skin. Still, at 12 V, probably will do no harm. But if both conductors (like the aforementioned strand AND perhaps a burr on the car body) puncture the skin, the resistance goes to almost...nothing! Now, 12 V is enough to push a LOT of milliamps through the body. 10 ma is a strong shock and 25 ma may be fatal if it goes through the heart or brain. Usually even in such a case as double penetration of the skin the current will not pass through a fatal area but will cause the victim to jerk violently and bang his head on something solid, sharp, or both. Don't be careless with any electricity! People are usually properly wary of 120 V but many do not understand that 12 V can injure or in rare cases even kill.
The reason that 12 V kills so rarely is that the resistance of the skin is high enough to prevent a hazardous current (over 5 milliamps) to flow through the body. The current has to flow through skin twice.
However, if a wire, such as a single strand of stranded wire, punctures the skin, it may make contact with the interior of the body. Blood and interstitial fluid (about the same stuff as blood plasma) are electrolytes – conductive fluids. Now, the resistance is reduced to one layer of skin. Still, at 12 V, probably will do no harm. But if both conductors (like the aforementioned strand AND perhaps a burr on the car body) puncture the skin, the resistance goes to almost…nothing! Now, 12 V is enough to push a LOT of milliamps through the body. 10 ma is a strong shock and 25 ma may be fatal if it goes through the heart or brain.
Usually even in such a case as double penetration of the skin the current will not pass through a fatal area but will cause the victim to jerk violently and bang his head on something solid, sharp, or both.
Don’t be careless with any electricity!

]]> By: Herewego http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/electrical-safety/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Herewego Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:01:37 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/01/15/electrical-safety/#comment-86 So....if I want to prevent arcing, I shouldn't lick my fingers when I begin an electrical job? Nice job, Larry! Look forward to future editions of your blog. So….if I want to prevent arcing, I shouldn’t lick my fingers when I begin an electrical job? Nice job, Larry! Look forward to future editions of your blog.

]]>