Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > MH-General Discussions & Problems
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-09-2024, 04:08 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 4
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?
smallcountry is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 10-09-2024, 04:29 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 36,557
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.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2024, 04:37 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 1,617
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.
SafariBen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2024, 08:06 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Argosy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 2,407
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.
Argosy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2024, 08:26 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 459
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
TacomaJoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2024, 08:34 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 1,617
Flange bolt if you have one, the flange will compress the electrical terminal evenly and keep it flat against the steel frame.
SafariBen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2024, 09:01 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,872
Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
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.
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
Mudfrog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2024, 09:52 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 36,557
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudfrog View Post
Agree,, and I would also give it a quick burst of spray paint after making sure the connection was secure.
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.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2024, 05:55 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Argosy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 2,407
Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
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.
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.
Argosy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2024, 06:35 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Fulda, MN
Posts: 1,469
Blog Entries: 1
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
David 70 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-11-2024, 07:29 AM   #11
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 4
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.
smallcountry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2024, 02:05 PM   #12
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 4
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.
smallcountry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2024, 04:56 PM   #13
"Formerly Diplomat Don"
 
Dutch Star Don's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 25,008
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
Dutch Star Don is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2024, 06:23 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Apollo Beach & Key West , FL
Posts: 4,054
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
PanJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
chassis



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Onboard ground fault conflicts with campground ground fault skatebus80 Country Coach Owners Forum 3 07-15-2017 01:42 PM
Ground clearance with jacks up down to the ground Rvlegaleagle Class C Motorhome Discussions 8 09-01-2016 07:54 AM
Positive ground or negative ground? 1010 iRV2.com General Discussion 43 07-14-2015 12:29 PM
Leveling a Winegard Carryout when setting on the ground wagonmaster2 Technology: Internet, TV, Satellite, Cell Phones, etc. 4 06-04-2012 11:13 PM
no ground ok-ground trips gfi FLYING BUTCH iRV2.com General Discussion 14 06-01-2011 07:52 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.