BCM Community

I followed the recent post about neutral/ground bonding and I understand the reasoning behind not having the them bonded at the electrical panel installed in an RV. It appears that the PO of my conversion wasn't aware of this and thus I want to make it right. Currently, I have an 8 breaker panel with the one neutral/ground bar, which currently has all neutrals and grounds landed at it. In giving the bus a once over, I found a grounding rod in one of the bays with a battery cable connected to it (one end had a battery post connection clamped to the rod and the other end is a lug). I assume this was how he handled the neutral/ground issue.....I guess he drove the rod in the ground and connected the lugged end to the coach to create a bond to ground. I know this is wrong and want to make it right. I plan to be using my bus at campgrounds with 30 amp connections. I have a 30 amp to 50 amp adapter that I plan to use, but I know that once I connect it to a GFCI protected outlet, it'll trip it. Can anyone offer any solutions to make this setup safe?

First, look to see if the present neutral/ground bar is electircally bounded to the load center case. If it is bonded, this will become your new ground bar. Add an additional isolated bar for your neutrals. If the present bar is isolated, add a bonded bar for your grounds.  Attach all neutral wires to the isolated bar and all grounds to the bonded bar. Connect a heavy gauge wire from the load center case to the bus chassis. Make sure all 3 wires (hot, neutral, & ground) are connected in both ends of your shoreline cord and that your neutral and ground are bonded at you generator. If you use a transfer switch make sure it switches the neutral as well as the hot.  Jack

The current bar is isolated so I'll be looking for a new bar to install the grounds separately and then bond them to the chassis. As far as my shoreline cord, I have four wires...my bus is wired for 240. The 30 amp adapter I have, I'm assuming, bonds the two 120 legs in my 50 cord end into one 120 leg.

I don't have a transfer switch, I've got a receptacle wired to my generator that I plug my shoreline into when it's in use. I'll definitely check to see if the ground and neutral are bonded at the generator though.........