Trailer park grounding

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I was recently called to investigate trailer equipment problems in a campground i.e exploding microwaves, tv's, stereos. I found each trailer ped was fed with 2 hots ,and a neutral. Also at each ped is what appears to be a #6 bare maybe attached to a ground rod. There is no bonding screw or bonding wire connecting neautral lug to ground lug or grounding wire attaching receptacles to ground lug. When I find something that seems so wrong I start double guessing myself.
Doesn't code require an equipment ground to be run with feeder conductors as well as a ground rod at the remote location? Unless of course it was installed before 1999. What about the 50a, 30a, and 15a receptacles not connected to ground except via contact with the metal of the ped. Please tell me I'm not going crazy Thanks
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
I was recently called to investigate trailer equipment problems in a campground i.e exploding microwaves, tv's, stereos. I found each trailer ped was fed with 2 hots ,and a neutral. Also at each ped is what appears to be a #6 bare maybe attached to a ground rod. There is no bonding screw or bonding wire connecting neautral lug to ground lug or grounding wire attaching receptacles to ground lug. When I find something that seems so wrong I start double guessing myself.
Doesn't code require an equipment ground to be run with feeder conductors as well as a ground rod at the remote location? Unless of course it was installed before 1999. What about the 50a, 30a, and 15a receptacles not connected to ground except via contact with the metal of the ped. Please tell me I'm not going crazy Thanks

If it was fed in conduit why would it need to have a ground wire run with the feeder? if no metal conduit, than you may well have an issue there.

I don't see that you would want to bond the neutral at each site since it is bonded at the source.


In any case if there is no connection of the ground lug to the neutral somewhere, the OCPD won't operate on a short circuit condition.

I think it is unlikely that the grounding situation you describe is what is causing equipment to explode.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
The earliest Code I have on hand is 1999 and an equipment grounding conductor was required for the site power in that Code. No to rule out a grounding problem, my first inclination for the problems you describe would be a poor neutral connection somewhere.
 
The conductors are in PVC
If an equipment grounding conductor is not run with feeder conductors and a new ground is established at the remote location, doesn't that make the remote location a new service which requires the neautral (grounded) conductor to be bonded to the grounding conductor.
250.32(B)1 Ex (1,2,3)
I agree, this shouldn't cause exploding tv's.
 
To Augie and Texie
I tend to agree with the neutral theory. I would like to get this grounding issue resolved and go from there. I've had the power company look at it and they claim it's a customer side issue.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
Prior to the Code requiring a equipment grounding conductor, a neutral to ground rod and a bond screw might well have been a the accepted method. I have no reference to support that.
I may be completely wrong, but I would think so an arrangement would be better than no ground at all.
(a base that ASSUMPTION on that being an accepted method for most outbuildings for years)
 

augie47

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Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
To Augie and Texie
I tend to agree with the neutral theory. I would like to get this grounding issue resolved and go from there. I've had the power company look at it and they claim it's a customer side issue.

Have you ever known POCO to claim otherwise :D
(I stand corrected, some issues are not "customer side" they are "acts of God" )
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Have you ever known POCO to claim otherwise :D
(I stand corrected, some issues are not "customer side" they are "acts of God" )

I was having the same thoughts. I used to do telephone PBX and when ever we had an issue with an outside trunk the standard response from the TELCO was always similar.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
The conductors are in PVC
If an equipment grounding conductor is not run with feeder conductors and a new ground is established at the remote location, doesn't that make the remote location a new service which requires the neautral (grounded) conductor to be bonded to the grounding conductor.
250.32(B)1 Ex (1,2,3)
...
Well it doesn't make it a new service, but yes, the grounded conductor gets bonded to "local" grounding system.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
To Smart
Anywhere in the code does it reference a reason that the trailer ped 20a, 30a and 50a receptacle ground screws don't need to be attached to the grounding lug with a grounding conductor?
Only section is 250.146, regarding receptacles installed in a box. I can see where one could stretch the intent to include equipment enclosures.
 
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