NCVT

Just wanted to share this with everyone but a few weeks back we went camping to a new location and in my normal fashion went and hooked up, pulled out my NCVT like always to check and about a foot away it started alerting me.  This was the first experience where I didn't even have to touch the camper for it to start registering.  It was super scary knowing where I could have ended up had the NCVT not been brought to my attention.  Thanks to techntrek and others this is a safer camping family with no unfortunate news!

Non Contact Voltage Tester? What was the issue? Did you have to relocate?

Since the NCVT lit up, I'm guessing no surge protector/energy management device?

I'm Mike Sokol from the No~Shock~Zone, the developer of using a Non Contact Tester for RV Hot-Skin testing. Thanks for posting your story here, and thanks to techntrek for getting the original thread started.  If you haven't done it already, all of you should take a look at this video where I intentionally hot-skin electrify a 40-ft RV with up to 120 volts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8h64X33aKg

You can actually guesstimate how much hot skin voltage there is on a large surface by how far away it makes your NCVT beep. Usually around 80 or 90 volts will trigger a VoltAlert a foot away.

Now depending on if this was a low-current or high-current leakage, it may or may not have been immediately deadly. However, ANY significant voltage on the skin/chassis of your RV signifies that your safety ground has been compromised and your RV could electrocute you at any time. You did the right thing and took this warning seriously. Let's stay safe out there...

Mike Sokol

Originally posted by Marx No energy management, that has been on the list of items to get.  After this experience it just moved up a lot higher.

Before you purchase any sort of Surge Protector or Electrical Management System (EMS) read the article I wrote comparing the two technologies at http://www.noshockzone.org/rv-electrical-safety-surge-strips/

The better units, such as the EMS series from Progressive Industries, will not only protect you from an open ground, they'll also shut down the incoming AC power if you accidentally plug into a TT-30 outlet miswired with 240-volts. An inexpensive MOV surge protector won't shut down the AC power if the pedestal has an open ground, nor will it protect your RV electrical system from plugging into a TT-30 miswired with 240-volts.

Please note that none of the Electrical Management Systems or MOV Surge Protectors will detect an open ground due to a loose or corroded connection in your RV's power panel. It's up to you to do periodic maintenance and testing of the wiring INSIDE your own RV to assure the safety ground is properly connected. Do note that a NCVT (Non Contact Voltage Tester) will indeed find a hot-skin condition no matter what the cause. Here's my article on how to check an RV for a hot skin condition with a volt meter or Non Contac Voltage Tester. http://www.noshockzone.org/rv-electrical-safety-part-iv-%E2%80%93-hot-skin/