I'm getting shocked when plugged in to shore power!!

[Flame]

Here's what just happened. I was just washing bugs off the front of my 98 concourse with only a bucket of water and a rag. I was NOT using a water hose and NO water was being sprayed. I was plugged in to my shore power at the time. I was wipeing the area around the front chrome bumper and license plate "step" area. I kept feeling little "stings" at my fingertips and fingernails and thought it was the detergent I was using burning my hands until I figured out I could touch the metal bumper or step anywhere with the back of my finger and I would get the shock!! I immediately walked over and unplugged my shore power and walked straight back to the bumper and NO shock anywhere! Ok...what is going on and how do I fix it? I was even wearing rubber boots!! How dangerous is it the wife and I will get electricuted in our motorhome?? Maybe it's my home recepticle or wiring. We have stayed at many rv parks and plugged in. Maybe this just happens to be the first time I noticed it? I don't know but anything other than 12 volts scares the crap out of me! Please advise!!

[red_land_baron]

It sounds like the receptacle where you plug in the shore power cable has the hot and neutral reversed. Most hardware stores sell a small plug-in module that can check the correct (or incorrect) wiring of an outlet. As far as danger...YES...you could be electrocuted! Do NOT use that outlet until you have it repaired!

[caconcourse]

It sounds like the receptacle where you plug in the shore power cable has the hot and neutral reversed. Most hardware stores sell a small plug-in module that can check the correct (or incorrect) wiring of an outlet. As far as danger...YES...you could be electrocuted! Do NOT use that outlet until you have it repaired!

Better Answer....Clay

[BobW9]

I also definitely agree checking the outlet for reversed/improper wiring using those little tester plugs is the first thing to try.

Flame, you don't mention how you're plugged in at home? Do you have a 30 Amp outlet, or are you using a plug adapter from 30A to normal 15-20A? If you're using an adapter, it needs to have the ground prong in it - you can not safely use an old-style adapter going to a 2 prong house outlet. Just thought I'd mention it because my previous house only had 2-prong outlets in the garage and we routinely used the 2-to-3 converter for plugging in various things at times - not super safe, but usually not a big deal. But for the RV it would be dangerous.

The tester plug will catch this, but thought I'd mention that I did once run into a grounding issue at a friend's older house one time (actually it might have been in their garage, too, now I think of it) and when we removed the outlet's cover, be darned if it hadn't had wiring for an old-style 2 prong with no separate ground and someone previously had 'fixed' that by just switching in a 3-prong grounded outlet... without having the 3rd prong wired to anything at all. Gotta love the handy-joe-homeowner.

[Flame]

I do have it plugged into a 30 amp receptical. I am not using a adapter. I put a volt meter to the "little" ground wire or secondary ground...whatever you call it...and it reads 8 volts. So something is going on. I have this wiring run from my shop next to the carport I keep the rv parked under. I do not know if the 3rd wire ground is hooked up through all my shop recepticals and all the way back to my breaker box. Can I just drive another seperate ground rod in the ground next to the rv plug and tie to it to get proper grounding??

[chin_k]

I think your rubber boot saved your butt. Glad you are OK.

Get one of the receptacle tester like other suggested. It is $6 from Harbor Freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/electrica ... 63929.html
Or you can go to the big box store and get one too.

It can be a short in your rig that let the hot wire touching the ground. I think it is very, very rare, but it could happened. I don't think the ground wire is touching the neutral in the AC panel in the rig, so it is more likely to be the two issues related to your house:

1, incorrect wiring of the 30 A receptacle. You did not hire the same fellow as 69camero's, right?

2, some appliance that leak voltage to the neutral or ground, and it share the same sub-circuit as the 30A, and when you plug in your rig, you can feel the shock.

Be careful and figure it out before it hurt anyone.

[Warthogg]

I think you have an Open Neutral.

[chin_k]

Another thing is that I strongly recommend everyone to have a GFCI for all the exterior outlet. The 30A/50A outlet that we plug our rig into should also be protected by GFCI. When I have mine added for my rig, the County inspector required that it be GFCI protected. It was not the case many years ago,but they are more strict about this nowadays, and it is a good thing. For those of you who can afford the upgrade, I really want bring this to your attention.

GFCI is not going to save your life or your house in all cases, but in flame's situation, it would have tripped and avoid the shock.

[Flame]

I have one of those testors but...are you just wanting me to check some recepticals in my rv? It wont plug in to a 30 amp recepticle will it?

[Flame]

I plugged my tester into a 115 volt recepticle right below my rv plug and also 3 other regular recepticals under the carport and the lights indicate REVERSED POLARITY. Would that be causing my problem??