Section 8 - The Electrical Distribution System
Foretravel Owners Manual
Page 8-3
Rev. 06-02
There are several ways this could happen, all of which would have a 50%
chance of making a real killer out of your RV. PERHAPS THE MOST COM-
MON WAY IS THROUGH THE USE OF A TWO-CONDUCTOR EXTEN-
SION CORD TO CONNECT THE RV TO THE PARK RECEPTACLE. A
second way would be by using a "cheater plug" from which the equipment
ground pin had been removed and last, but probably not the only other way,
would be from a plug without a ground pin, which was cut off (because it
wouldn't fit any park receptacle).
Even though the neutral conductor is not grounded in a recreational vehi-
cle when it is wired at the factory, it could inadvertently be grounded later on
through some faulty appliance or through a puncture in the insulation. Or it
may be the hot conductor that shorts to some metal part of the RV. In either
case, without the grounding circuit intact, you may never know the difference
until you have touched the outside of the vehicle while standing on damp
ground.
With the grounding circuit complete, with the equipment ground pin prop-
erly connected at the park receptacle, any accidental shorting of a hot circuit
conductor in the RV will blow the fuse in the park circuit giving a warning that
something is wrong. If the neutral circuit in the RV should short to the metal
trim or frame accidentally nothing would happen and it would not be dangerous
- unless the polarity was reversed and the equipment ground open in some man-
ner as described earlier.
In either case, having the grounding circuit complete through the "equip-
ment ground pin" to earth ground in the park wiring system would keep the RV
safe from shock. When plugging into a receptacle with no provision for the
equipment ground pin, use an adapter with a pigtail that can be connected to
the receptacle box.
So, if you find you must use a "cheater" adapter or an extension cord, or if
you must make any changes in the power supply wiring, give special care to
see that the equipment ground pin has a chance to make your recreational ve-
hicle safe from shock.
Foretravel products are equipped with a voltage and polarity meter. If light
shows red, disconnect until the problem is corrected at the source or move to
another site.
R
OOF
A
IR
C
ONDITIONER
P
OWER
Your air conditioners operate from a 120v AC source and a 12v DC power
source for the controls. The unit is wired to the distribution panel through an
appropriate circuit breaker or fuse device. Keep in mind that most RV electrical
