Non Earthed Hook-up

Mar 14, 2005
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How do you know they are not earthed? Did the site owner tell you? I find it rather difficult to believe that the Norwegians are that unconcerned about their own safety.

Maybe you might have a polarity problem but that is another issue.
 
Jul 3, 2006
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As long as your outfit has a functioning residual current device (RCD) you should be perfectly safe, these devices are fitted to all modern caravans as far as I know.

They work by monitoring the balance between live and neutral, in a healthy system the current flowing in the live wire should exactly match the current in the neutral, anything more than 30 thousandths of an amp difference and the power is disconnected.

If you could guarantee that all appliances and wiring were in perfect condition then there would be no need for an earth but if there is a fault such that the metal casing of an appliance becomes live, if it is earthed then the fuse or circuit breaker will blow/trip rendering it safe. If the appliance casing is not connected to earth and becomes live but is connected via an RCD it will stay live untill you touch it when you will feel a slight jolt as the current flows through you to earth but the RCD will detect this "leakage" and disconnect in less than 0.2 seconds.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Hi John, I have found the no-earth problem a number of times in France and Spain.

I quizzed an electrical guy I used to work with about using an earth spike.

Basically you drive a metal spike into the ground a couple of feet and then connect it by a short length of cable to the chassis of the van. The chassis is earth bonded so you now have an earth through the van system.

I was thinking of using a coach screw welded to a length of rod to help with the removal.
 
May 30, 2007
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Hi John, I have found the no-earth problem a number of times in France and Spain.

I quizzed an electrical guy I used to work with about using an earth spike.

Basically you drive a metal spike into the ground a couple of feet and then connect it by a short length of cable to the chassis of the van. The chassis is earth bonded so you now have an earth through the van system.

I was thinking of using a coach screw welded to a length of rod to help with the removal.
hi clive,

as a domestic electrician we occasionaly install earth spikes. they are a copper rod about 4ft in length by 1/2 in diam and driven in to the hilt to be effective, making them nigh on impossible to remove so it could get expensive having to leave them on site..

there are criteria as to distances from the main supply to take into account as well. while what you suggest is better than nowt i wouldn't put all my faith in it. john.
 

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