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10-09-2024, 04:08 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 4
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Setting up a new chassis ground for house
Not sure how you start a new conversation, but here it goes.
I have a class c and was having issues with the leveling system. The ground at the hydraulic motor is usually the issue, but not this time. I was working with a tech at Lippert and he seemed to think my issue was a bad/poor ground for the house battery based on readings I was getting on my multi-meter. He recommended cleaning all connections at ground points. So I got to the chassis ground and put a wrench on the bolt to remove the ground wire(s), it just fell off in my hand. So he was most likely correct. Since the bolt was rusted at the chassis, I intend to just tap another spot on the chassis to establish the ground. Here's my question, the bolt I replace it with should be self tapping and what material should it be made of?
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10-09-2024, 04:29 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 36,553
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I would use a steel bolt and stover locknut along with a thick star washer as a ground point. Grind, scrape or sand the chassis to get it clean before you bolt the cable to it.
Stainless is less conductive then standard steel.
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10-09-2024, 04:37 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 1,614
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Doesn't have to be self tapping, I'd prefer a 5/16 or 3/8" grade 2 bolt, it's just copper you're bolting, grade 5 or 8 would work fine also. Self tapping might break off in the frame, not a typical use. The most important things are to clean the frame, clean the terminals (copper doesn't need to be as clean as steel), and use grease of some sort to keep them all clean.
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10-10-2024, 08:06 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 2,402
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Even though stainless is less conductive that's what I use. The power has to go through so little to get to the frame the loss is negligible. I use internal external star washers between the bolt head and frame, cable lug and frame, and cable lug and nut with a lot of dielectric grease everywhere.
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10-10-2024, 08:26 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 459
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Bottom line is that the bolt doesn't need to conduct. The electrical connection is between the flat surface of the frame and the lug. The bolt/screw just holds a physical pressure to keep them in contact.
__________________
2019 Palomino Solaire 147X
2013 Ford F150
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10-10-2024, 08:34 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 1,614
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Flange bolt if you have one, the flange will compress the electrical terminal evenly and keep it flat against the steel frame.
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10-10-2024, 09:01 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,870
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
I would use a steel bolt and stover locknut along with a thick star washer as a ground point. Grind, scrape or sand the chassis to get it clean before you bolt the cable to it.
Stainless is less conductive then standard steel.
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Agree,, and I would also give it a quick burst of spray paint after making sure the connection was secure.
__________________
03 Itasca Sunova, Workhorse P32 with the 8.1 and 4L85-E
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10-10-2024, 09:52 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 36,553
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudfrog
Agree,, and I would also give it a quick burst of spray paint after making sure the connection was secure.
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Yes, spray paint, grease or undercoating AFTER the connection is made. Slobbering grease on electrical connections before connecting them is wrong. Even no conductive Di-electric grease is an overcoating.
Your wheel bearings along with any other rotating part uses oil or grease to stop metal to metal contact.
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10-11-2024, 05:55 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 2,402
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
Yes, spray paint, grease or undercoating AFTER the connection is made. Slobbering grease on electrical connections before connecting them is wrong. Even no conductive Di-electric grease is an overcoating.
Your wheel bearings along with any other rotating part uses oil or grease to stop metal to metal contact.
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Clearance for oil or grease is built into rotating parts, electrical needs to be metal to metal. A good star washer, not a cheap Chinese knock off, will bite into the metal on both sides of it, you can see the marks when disassembling.
Dielectric grease is silicone based making it water resistant. When used during assembly it leaves no gaps for moisture or dirt to accumulate. Permatex suggests using dielectric grease on all electrical connections.
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10-11-2024, 06:35 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Fulda, MN
Posts: 1,469
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Using a self-tapping bolt will insure you of better metal to metal contact and less chance of it rusting at the contact points. that is why the ground bolts are welded to the frame at the factory.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Adventurer 32v, P32 Workhorse
2005 Winnebago Adventurer 38J W24 Workhorse 8.1l, 5 Speed Allison MH2000
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10-11-2024, 07:29 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 4
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Thanks for all the great input. I have to work on this a bit more since my trip to HD didn't yield exactly what I wanted, plus the ohms reading has gotten better but I'm apparently still not where I need it to be. HD didn't have the flange bolts or star washers and I think those may establish abetter contact with the frame.
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10-22-2024, 02:05 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 4
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So this is follow up with the loss of chassis ground and set up for a new ground of house battery.
I have to mention also that the members were a traffic help along with a Lippert tech that made it possible to solve the issue.
As previous;y mentioned, the ground cable came off the chassis at the touch of that cable. I did go and get the flange bolt & nut plus star washer at NAPA. Applying dielectric grease and bolting to the chassis gave me the voltage I needed from the controller.
The leveling system is functioning as engineered & I'm a happy camper.
Thanks to all that responded to my original post.
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10-25-2024, 04:56 PM
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#13
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 25,003
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If you had one ground lead problem, I would check for others, like the engine to chassis grounds, starter and batteries. Often there are other grounds in an RV.
__________________
Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali 4x4 6.2L
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10-26-2024, 06:23 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Apollo Beach & Key West , FL
Posts: 4,054
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Back in the early 90's we were traveling thru the area of Ocala National Forest in my Class A. We stopped at a convienence store for a drink. When I went to start the motor back up, nothing. Radio/stereo still worked as did the lights. OK... my be the solenoid or starter. I jump the solinoid, nothing, Jump direct to the starter, nothing. Call Roadside assistence. They tow us about 50 miles to a service station. Then look it over and are stumped. They say the electrical guy will be in tomorrow, so we camp in the lot. Electrical guy comes inteh morning and is stumped.
He gives up. I start messing around and was thinking.. why does everything else work... I checked everything over again. Still no start, but stereo,etc. all worked. Eventually, I figured out that the ground cable from the battery to the frame would pass low current, but due to internal corrosion, it would not pass high current demands like with the starter. I went into the station, picked up a generic battery ground cable, hooked it up and we were on our way.
So, the cable and battery showed continuity to ground, but the resistence/corrosion wouldn't allow for high current demands, but allowed the stereo,fans,etc. to work. So, don't forget to check the actual cable in addition to checking/cleaning the attachment points.
__________________
2013 DS 4338
2015 F-150 toad with kayaks,bicycles and a Harley in the back
new toad 2023 Sprinter with all the toys inside
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