What to do with the green ground wire...

[galladanb]

I spent a good amount of time chatting with the electrical guy at lowes, discussing the main load / junction box install with a main and two circuits...

All of that makes sense and I think I can manage the install.

We or I failed to ask him about the green ground wire.

Like where should I put it? Chassis ground? Forget about it or what?

I did google it and did a search here, but whatever...

 

[Alcatraz]

I spent a good amount of time chatting with the electrical guy at lowes, discussing the main load / junction box install with a main and two circuits...

All of that makes sense and I think I can manage the install.

We or I failed to ask him about the green ground wire.

Like where should I put it? Chassis ground? Forget about it or what?

I did google it and did a search here, but whatever...

Its the common wire, or neutral wire.

 

[Alcatraz]

Its the common wire, or neutral wire.

Wait... before you ground that what exactly are you doing?

 

[speedhighway46]

Do not combine the white neutral wire and the green ground wire in 120 VAC mobile installations, as would be proper with AC systems in houses.

Check the National Electric Code for "floating neutrals."

The green wire should always go to chassis ground.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah what green ground wire on what? as speedhighway pointed out vehicle applications are different then sticks and bricks. the people at Lowes have no idea. highdesertranger

 

[galladanb]

I'm starting the 110v side of the vans electrical systems.

Black = hot
White = neutral
Bare copper or Green = ground

The round pin or third leg in normal 110v plugs...

Just not sure where to put it...

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

The green ground wire should be attached to your chassis.

If it is, then the vehicle will be safely grounded by the shore power system when you are plugged in.

If you don't, then if something goes wrong and one of your hot wires touches metal and energizes it, you could get a shock, maybe even a lethal shock, if you touch the body while standing on the ground outside.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Okay... I'm gonna show my ignorance of all things auto related... what would the chassis consist of to which a ground wire could be attached? I guess I'm asking what the difference is between frame, chassis, and body.

 

[speedhighway46]

Chassis ground is the frame of the vehicle. I like to tie in the ground of my 120 VAC system to the same point where the negative side of the battery 12VDC system is attached to the frame. Then you are assured all grounds are tied together through the path of least resistance.

 

[highdesertranger]

and DO NOT bond the neutral and ground like a stick and brick. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

There are main panels, and sub panels. The building power receptacle that you plug the vehicle into is fed from a main panel. A vehicle is a sub panel. This sub panel relies on the ground connection provided by the main panel, (where the vehicle is plugged into). Inside the vehicle all the wires are held separate of each other.

In a vehicle the green or bare wire gets connected to the metal components of the vehicle AND the incoming power plug.

If you go to the main panel for the outlet that you plug the vehicle into and open it up, you will see the green or bare wire, (same thing), and the white wires are connected together. Do NOT do this to any panel or device inside of the vehicle. None of the three colored wires in a vehicle will be connected to each other.

If your vehcle does not plug into an outside source, ( only connected to it's own inverter), you still wire the vehicle the same way, (keep all colored wires separate, black to black, white to white, green or bare to green or bare.) If you are wiring a device that has three wires one can wire the green or bare wire to any metal part that is grounded, but a better way is to run the ground wire back to where the power comes from. Having a dozen separate ground locations can make it difficult to troubleshoot if a ground connection does fail.

 

[DannyB1954]

It is  important note, If you are installing an outlet to plug things into, be sure the black wire connects to the brass colored screw and the white wire connects to the silver colored screw.

note where the green wire comes into the vehicle it gets connected to the vehicle chassis and also all the devices wired in the vehicle.

 

[DannyB1954]

Ran out of edit time. This is a corrected diagram.

 

[speedhighway46]

Danny:

Perfect example of floating neutrals for a vehicle 120VAC system! At no place is the white neutral and the green ground connected, as they are in a residential system.

Anyone planning to install a 120VAC system in their vehicle should use this diagram as an example to follow.

Just my opinion . . .

 

[LoupGarou]

No GFCI?

 

[John61CT]

imo a pro is called for, if nothing else to look it over before going "into production"

 

[galladanb]

THANK YOU!!!! Great image, I am printing and using it! (May be a few days, still hunting and gathering doo dads!)

Yes, I will plan for a GFCI! No worries!

Don't worry, I am experienced, knowledgeable, just lacking in loads of confidence!

And I am grateful for you guys sharing, especially about the white and green connections. I did not realize that was done.
I would have never come up with that.

 

[rvpopeye]

If that's a metal breaker box , the ground buss bar needs to be lifted from the box wall or neutral + ground will bond through the box..

 

[Weight]

http://noshockzone.org/category/rv-safety/ scroll down to find some answers.

 

[galladanb]

OK, last minute change of plans...
I've had the blue Sea 12 breaker box on order for a couple of weeks now,
and with no sign of it coming anytime soon, I cancelled that order.

Based on another thread, I found this jewel...
http://www.bestconverter.com/PD5000-30-Amp-ACDC-Power-Control-Panel-_p_27.html#.WNk1Ro7av06

It is a 30-Amp-ACDC-Power-Control-Panel that will work better for my needs.
It seems pricey, but once I factor the blue sea and the house items I bought
last night from Lowes, I will actually save some money!!!!

It will combine, yet handle separatly, the AC and DC systems.