Electrical Safety

Started by Merlin, January 10, 2018, 10:16:46 AM

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Merlin

Member Mike Sokol is producing a series of videos and articles on RV electrical safety. The links will be available in this thread as he releases them.

High tension wire safety:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fs5hgO2Sy40&feature=youtu.be

Water puddle safety:
http://rvtravel.com/rv-electricity-are-water-puddles-dangerous/

Michigan

DavidM

I am not a big fan of learning something technical from a video, so I haven't and probably won't watch Mikes high tension video.

But I would encourage him to address what I think is a major failure in most RV DC wiring systems: no fuse or breaker near the battery. The boating standards agency ABYC requires a fuse within 7" of the battery unless it is to the starter motor. Why not RVs?

David

Merlin

Quote from: DavidM on January 10, 2018, 11:31:40 AM
I am not a big fan of learning something technical from a video, so I haven't and probably won't watch Mikes high tension video.

But I would encourage him to address what I think is a major failure in most RV DC wiring systems: no fuse or breaker near the battery. The boating standards agency ABYC requires a fuse within 7" of the battery unless it is to the starter motor. Why not RVs?

David

Good points.

Mike has (is) written (writing) articles on RV electrical safety, so I'll post those in this thread too. That way we'll be covered for those that like different media.

And the battery + fuse is one of those "duh" things for manufacturers. It's hard to believe they don't do that.
Michigan

MitchB

Do you put the fuse or breaker on the negative line or the positive one and what size do you use?
If it ain't broke it probably will be soon.

DavidM

#4
Common practice is to fuse the positive wire from the battery. In general a fuse is sized to protect the wire if it shorts somewhere downstream. 10 gauge wire which I think is what is hooked to our CL's batteries is good for 60 amps. But smaller is ok too and I used a 30 amp breaker, this one- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DIGK346/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I chose 30 amps because the incoming current from the TV is limited to 30 amps by the fuse in the TV and the maximum single appliance load I measured was the slide out at 20 amps and  the others were  less than 5 so I figured it was highly unlikely I would ever exceed 30 amps.

I mounted the breaker on the unused breakaway battery box (I had previously wired the breakaway switch to the trailer battery) when I installed the Drok battery monitor which I mounted inside the box. The breaker has the added benefit of acting as a disconnect switch.

I didn't quite meet ABYC's 7" limit, more like 18" but a heck of a lot safer than without one.

David

MitchB

Thanks, I'll add this to my Spring to do list.
If it ain't broke it probably will be soon.

FastEddieB

I was pointed to this fuse holder from someone here, I think:



I added one to my front single battery as well.

Merlin

Here's a good source of info that I use on fuse sizing/types for DC.

https://www.bluesea.com/articles/1441
Michigan

Chappy133

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