Important - check this every time you set up

Something I didn't make clear in my first post, if any camper (or an appliance, or the shell of the power pedestal at a campground) tests positive it means 2 things.  Problem one, there is a fault somewhere which has electrified the exterior metal.  Problem two, the ground ("equipment grounding conductor") is not connected properly so it isn't doing its job to prevent problem one from killing you.  So if the tester gives you a positive reading you have 2 problems to fix.  Unplug the camper immediately without touching it, or the power pedestal, only the cord.

I'm constantly amazed at the level of technical expertise there is on this forum. Keep up the good work. Your advice makes us all safer and makes our Pods more useful and fun. Thank you all who participate here whether asking or answering questions. It makes all of our camping experiences safer and more fun. Safe Travels.

Originally posted by wingnut2312 Ok, so since the could potentially kill someone, I'm going to ask a very 4th grader ish question. The Non contact pens, are you to stand barefoot or shoed outside with your hand firmly wrapped around the pen? If so, do you touch it to the step or just any solid metal part? Great info and article, but I wish they would just have a section that says "if you are half retard, do this". I would happily admit to being half retarded and go thetre.

Actually, here's a video of me doing a hot-skin test with a Fluke VoltAlert.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8h64X33aKg

Yes, you stand on the ground near your RV after plugging into the pedestal and turning on the circuit breaker, but don't touch the RV with your hand first. You do need to have your hand wrapped around the voltage pen/tester to establish the earth reference but any grip will do. These NCVT pens are all plastic and rated to safely touch up to 1,000 Volts AC without passing any current to the person doing the test, so you don't have to worry about getting shocked if you do touch an energized surface.

All modern RVs have every major metal piece bonded to the chassis, so you can pick anything convenient for this test. The wheels or hitch are great places to test, as are the metal steps and the metal door frame. Note that these testers work from a distance depending on voltage, so if your RV is hot-skin energized to 120-volts it will beep and light up from more than a foot away, sometimes up to 2 feet. If it's energized to 80 volts it will beep from maybe 6 to 8 inches away, and 40 volts will cause it to beep once you touch the surface with the tester plastic tip. There's no need to dig through paint or rust like you would with a voltmeter probe.

Since your tow vehicle is attached to the RV via the metal hitch, it will also have the same hot-skin voltage as your RV. So if your RV is hot-skin electrified and still hooked to your tow vehicle, you can get a shock while opening your car door.

With any voltage tester it's important to establish that the unit itself is working before you do the test. That's why I prefer the style of Non Contact Voltage Tester that requires you turn it on, then has a blinking light showing that the battery isn't dead. Many of the newest testers are "always on" which appears to be convenient. But you won't know if the batteries died while hanging out in your tool box and it could fail to indicate an energized surface. So it's best to poke your tester into the pedestal outlet first to establish that it's still working before you do your hot-skin test.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Ok, so since the could potentially kill someone, I'm going to ask a very 4th grader ish question. The Non contact pens, are you to stand barefoot or shoed outside with your hand firmly wrapped around the pen? If so, do you touch it to the step or just any solid metal part?
Great info and article, but I wish they would just have a section that says "if you are half retard, do this". I would happily admit to being half retarded and go thetre.

Would your safety chains left on the ground complete the circuit? Would this help at all?