What is RV Hot Skin and how to avoid it Part 1

[@NationalRVTrainingAcademy]

Hey Everyone! This is a touchy subject for some people and we are open to conversation and debate. Negative posts without codes to back them up will be deleted. Also, please see part 2 for a more in-depth overview. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2eqaYOLnqiBl68

[@waynevaughan5263]

I use our Surge Guard all the time. Plug in as soon as we stop at the site just to make sure all is good with the electrical. Good practice to get into.

[@ironpig701]

Great video. Hot skin is a serious issue. Another way to get hot skin is on older homes like mine use to be and there was no ground wire on any receptacle. If bu chance you dragged your cord on rough ground or it was ran over or a myramid of other things and cord is broken and hot wire is showning and touches anything metal. In short check your cords.

[@1hasbeen531]

When we first got our Sundowner toy hauler it would trip the GFI at the storage yard instantly. After chasing my tail for a while, I discovered there was continuity between the neutral and ground in the RV panel box. Finally found an outlet that when pushed into the wall box the bare ground had bent and was touching the neutral terminal. A non-contact voltage detector is an RV must have. Reading Mike Sokol's information is also beneficial.

[@mariemg34]

We have one of these surge protectors and it shows everything is fine yet were getting shocked.

[@joeyelda5775]

Excellent thoughts on a little understood problem. Reverse polarity, bad neutral, and no ground can actually kill you. I was a refer/appliance tech for 40 years and this also applies to appliances. I always use a multimeter to check power If in doubt use a meter which does not need to be expensive Joe

[@keithallen3119]

I recently bought a toyhauler towable. I use the portable generator (Honda 2200) when boondocking and when I plug in the testor to an outlet I get two lights which means ungrounded. I see many people who use portable generators and they don't seem to have a problem. Thoughts?

[@skipwatson1951]

I had hot skin on my rig a couple of years ago. I used a circuit tester, the kind about the size of a cigar that you just hold up to an outlet, switch, wire, etc. It lights up and beeps when it is near a power source. I just walked around the outside of my trailer and that tester was singing like a songbird the whole way. I had never heard of hot skin before so did some research with the symptoms, and found out about it. I went to a local rv repair shop to ask what I can do to correct that, and he had no idea what hot skin is.

[@st6795]

I installed my own 30 amp out in the garage, used my surge guard to verify its ok.

[@andrewgallup3890]

Yep, happened. Brother in law said none of the houses in his section of town were properly wired. Moved to a nice RV park.

[@healingfromwithin101]

I have a hot skin camper in my back yard. how do I ground it to use the ac only in it. I have bought a new 14gauge drop chord and a adapter from camper to drop chord. should I Get a adapter and plug into my dryer outlet instead of regular outside outlet?

[@moonsprit]

Be careful your not plugging inti 240!!

[@JorgeL721]

What if I use the GFCI tester and it shows normal? I touch the door barefoot and still get shocked.

[@rvfuntimes6144]

Thats why I have mine hard wired EMS and a spare in case it goes bad.

[@lorih379]

These videos are so helpful. And funny 😄

[@NationalRVTrainingAcademy]

Glad you like them!

[@dennisbrassard7062]

Hi Tod, I enjoy your videos, one question from this video, you said that fiberglass is a resistor isn't it a insulator?

[@NationalRVTrainingAcademy]

yes. i said the wrong thing there.

[@bcrawford9072]

Can you due a class on rv walls. What I mean is welded vs screwed together. Explain pro and cons and what might be better in witch way you would use your rv.

[@toddvolpe6396]

Todd it would have been cool for you to show the little plug-in device that you mentioned and sometimes they come packed with those wireless testers I saw another KZbin channel demonstrate hot steps with that little contact tester and then the little three prong three light 110 volt tester they're very inexpensive and as you say that should be the minimum equipment that is in our little electrical box. Maybe

[@scottb4693]

Great videos, and love the bloopers - outtakes.

[@Beadle78]

My water heater causes hotskin when I switch it to electric. Could that be the heating element?

[@michellebieke2589]

Is a multi-meter the same thing as a volt meter or are they different from each ither?

[@NationalRVTrainingAcademy]

They are basically the same. For RV a AC/DC Multimeter is best.

[@WildLilac01]

So. If I have hot skin how do I fix it?

[@davidgates1122]

I installed a Xantrex 2.0 inverter charger in a trailer I owned at one time. Second time I went into a particular campground, the Xantrex display identified a reverse polarity situation. So then I plugged in my little three light circuit tester using an adapter and it showed the same. I reported it to the office and they said there was a problem with my Xantrex unit. Then I told them about the little tester and they said it didn't work right. I pulled it out of my pocket and plugged it into a wall outlet in the office. It gave two yellow lights like it is supposed to. So I told them "fine, the outlet at my trailer is OK, but your office is not wired right". I ended up running my trailer off of the 15 amp outlet because it was wired correctly. Next time I was at that campground, the voltage at my site was 105 volts. I reported that to them too. They said a handy man would be there on Wednesday and they would have him check it. I told them don't bother, by then the campground would be half empty and the voltage would be fine. Because of my autistic son, I just spent 4 days in that campground. I could tell they have worked on their electrical system. A lot of new transformers around and every site now has 50 amp service. Hopefully the electricians that did the work checked everything else out the moment they found the first instance of fubarred wiring.

[@TomSpurlock]

Nice primer on hot skin, thanks.

[@efestian5993]

This video assumes the problem is with the house or "plug". This, in my experience is rarely the case. The problem usually is in the only one of the 2 units that is vibrating hmdown a road all day and built by non-electricians with almost nothing properly secured. It usually is the water heater of the RV that has a melted element. I own RV park and we are always blamed, but it rarely our system. Usually we troubleshoot and then call an electrician that we have on call and it pricey for the RV owner when theu find the problem, 95% of time, in the RV. We have seen screws thru wires, elements, you name it.

[@johnneedy3164]

This problem has been there for a long time ,either some one has messed with the incoming power ,or thd unit its self,to many want to be or think there an electrician, but that being said seen more than I can count on both hands electricians have made mistakes as well especially in voltage hook up ,by the way I'm now retired mechanic ( RV) OF 44 YEARS ,OOOOOOOH CANT FORGET ABOUT THE INFORMATION PEOPLE get from home depot, or Lowe's

[@GCRickerNH]

Can I use my 30 amp surge protector with the 15 amp dog bone that connects to the house or would I need to purchase a 15 amp surge protector?

[@Bwanar1]

You can buy an inexpensive socket tester at any hardware store (Home Depot). They just plug in an light illuminate to tell you all is well or faults. Less than $15, simple as plugging it in. It can come in handy to test sockets in general for proper ground, etc. Everyone should have one.

[@mikedietz8246]

Thanks this is very helpful posts. I have an unrelated question. I store my RV inside a garage which has access to 30 amp I have seen in some videos that keeping the fridge on helps extend the life of the fridge. It’s the normal RV electric/gas fridge. Thanks

[@standingmannequin7911]

Never complete a circuit through your heart. He's lucky to be alive.

[@nightfall22]

Great info

[@stinkysrvadventures8620]

So what is best way to plug into house?

[@NationalRVTrainingAcademy]

if it is your own house i recommend having an electrician put in a rv pedestal. if it’s someone else’s then use an EMS or monitoring surge protector that will check for reverse polarity and for lose neutrals dnd grounds

[@dontgiveupondreams9586]

If a rv has a built in surge protector, should you purchase one to put at the pedestal?

[@thedaddechannel]

Only if you want to check a particular site beforehand of you meticulously backing your rig into. Then finding a problem and getting moved.

[@dontgiveupondreams9586]

@@thedaddechannel thank you. So basically I would just need a multi meter or something like that to check the pedestal before plugging into it?

[@thedaddechannel]

@@dontgiveupondreams9586 I'd say too complicated to verify most issues that way. Some sites w/some rigs might be worth the spotter jumping out with a $40 tester unit in hand to spot check it. The built-in does all that but is very theft proof. I installed one because I didnt want a good expensive one stolen, left, beat up or lost. Two and this one's paid for. Installation is really doable, and once. The portables are an always hassle.

[@dontgiveupondreams9586]

@@thedaddechannel sounds good, thank you for the advice. It is very much appreciated

[@ronniedepriest6401]

I'll describe something I had an issue with. Hot skin on my downspout at my house. But not consistently. I ended up tracing it to the 4th outlet in a line of 6 outlets in one branch in the house. And it only happened when something was plugged into that outlet, or after that outlet, drawing power. I say that just to remind everyone that just because you tested a house outlet good, doesn't mean a bad outlet can't come along and cause issues later. I would say I'm an advocate for an EMS type device that will pick up changes to the circuit.

[@NationalRVTrainingAcademy]

Very well said

[@Vamanaswastika]

I used the surge protector on my ex-wife. She often had hot skin. That’s why she’s an “ ex”.