Inverters / Earth connection

Gone for a Burton

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Hi
When I am off grid, I have a pure sine wave inverter which I plug into 230v main input to run all van electrics.
Bit concerned since sockets are showing no earth. Have connected ac earth on inverter to chassis but still not showing earth on inverter or van sockets.
Concern is, if I have a fault on appliance on van wiring, could it be possible that chassis would become live and therefore dangerous if touched when standing outside.
Never see anyone with earth spikes outside when out and about so what other options are there and should I be worried.
Thanks in anticipation
Phil and Georgina
 
Is this a conversion or factory built van?

Regarding inverter, wait for someone else to reply but I would never connect the inverter earth to anything
 
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When you use your hook up lead for 240 it use earth from hook up point.

As for inverter I've never had a inverter with a earth cable .
And if you connect one to chassis that would be wrong as that is the vans neutral connection point.

Bang ...surely , one of our great tec guys will be along soon.
 
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It may be of interest to have a look at the following book published by Victron, and specifically chapter 7 (although the whole book is interesting) . https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Wiring-Unlimited-EN.pdf. Section 7.5 discusses installations in a mobile environment.

Different Inverters have different types of internal wiring. I would tend to go with whatever the installation guide for the inverter you are fitting recommends (assuming it has a decent installation guide!)
 
Hi. It is a factory built van.
Think I may have misunderstood your initial post, was thinking you had a problem whenever 240V was present but reading again I think you just meant when using the inverter. If so I stick by my original post but am certainly no expert.
 
It may be of interest to have a look at the following book published by Victron, and specifically chapter 7 (although the whole book is interesting) . https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Wiring-Unlimited-EN.pdf. Section 7.5 discusses installations in a mobile environment.

Different Inverters have different types of internal wiring. I would tend to go with whatever the installation guide for the inverter you are fitting recommends (assuming it has a decent installation guide!)
The reason I would never connect an inverter ground to chassis is I believe (not necessarily rightly) that under a certain fault condition the chassis could become live so the possibility of shock could arise entering or exiting a vehicle. I know you can’t get a shock unless a circuit is completed.
I think the Victron document backs this up as I don’t have an rcd fitted after the inverter and in effect I have a floating system. I “think” this is fine in a vehicle but because I only “think” that I also posted wait for someone else lol
The Victron document says this may not comply with local regulations, are you aware of any ‘local regulations’ that may apply in the U.K. to leisure vehicles in regard to inverter earthing?
 
Hi
When I am off grid, I have a pure sine wave inverter which I plug into 230v main input to run all van electrics.
Bit concerned since sockets are showing no earth. Have connected ac earth on inverter to chassis but still not showing earth on inverter or van sockets.
Concern is, if I have a fault on appliance on van wiring, could it be possible that chassis would become live and therefore dangerous if touched when standing outside.
Never see anyone with earth spikes outside when out and about so what other options are there and should I be worried.
Thanks in anticipation
Phil and Georgina
This is a link to my experience with inverter earthing
 
Having been in a situation where overhead power lines became tangled with the canopy on a 70 tonne dumper I was in made me aware of how to safely exit a ‘live’ vehicle lol.
Is there such a thing as local regs for private leisure vehicles in the U.K., anyone know?

Edit: thinking about it I was also involved with a trench, a pick axe and a high voltage underground cable that wasn’t supposed to be there. I survived but half the pick axe vanished as we found when we later found it. Maybe nobody should listen to anything I ever say about electricity 😂😂😂😂
 
Having been in a situation where overhead power lines became tangled with the canopy on a 70 tonne dumper I was in made me aware of how to safely exit a ‘live’ vehicle lol.
Is there such a thing as local regs for private leisure vehicles in the U.K., anyone know?

Edit: thinking about it I was also involved with a trench, a pick axe and a high voltage underground cable that wasn’t supposed to be there. I survived but half the pick axe vanished as we found when we later found it. Maybe nobody should listen to anything I ever say about electricity 😂😂😂😂
Not so much as being for the high jump, Neil, more being for the pole vault ... Waiting for the current state of play 🤭

Steve
 
Not so much as being for the high jump, Neil, more being for the pole vault ... Waiting for the current state of play 🤭

Steve
Lol Steve,probably why I am a great believer in fate, my time wasn’t up back then it seems :)
 
Some say the inverter will not give a shock, and ok if through a rcd unit, some inverters do require a eth and folk put a steel plate under a wheel and pour water over it, my thoughts are if the inverter has an eth then wire to the rcd box, if it dont then it should be safe.
 
My Honda 10i lhad an earth connection and I ran a cable from this to earth via a ground stake I drove in to the ground copper rod, I soon got fed up with the genie and sold it and now have Solar Panels
 
My Honda 10i lhad an earth connection and I ran a cable from this to earth via a ground stake I drove in to the ground copper rod, I soon got fed up with the genie and sold it and now have Solar Panels
I have never used a ground spike on my genny either and it gets used a lot come winter
 
I think ground spikes are unrelated to the OP question.
 
I have seen the inside of three different inverters and in all cases the earth pin wasnt connected on the 3 pin socket. So earthing the unit itself would not help
 
Why connect to an inverter when on mains? The purpose of an inverter is to convert 12 volt dc to 240 ac. One only needs an inverter to operate ac equipment when off grid. The 240 v ac circuit in a van must be earthed somewhere to ground, otherwise if when connected to mains, a mains tester will show no earth. I would say that an earth connection on an inverter is there for the purpose of earthing the inverter case to the van earth in case of a fault with the inverter and the case becomes live, just as any metallic equipment has to have an earth connection in domestic situation. I am not a professional, but this my common sense interpretation of electricity, electric metal components in mains electric environment. Hope it makes sense and helps your dilemma in some way.
 

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