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Old 08-16-2004, 05:11 AM   #1
Montana_621
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: St. Paul
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M.O.C. #621
Shocking.....

Twice now we have been shocked by the Montana and I'm wondering if there is something wrong with our unit or where we are plugging into.

A couple weeks ago we went out to "visit" the Montana and make sure everything was ok, no one broke in or anything. We washed the front cap to get rid of the bugs and then were going to be on our way. Well when Mike went to shut the front and side compartments he could feel a little "shocking" like from a 9V batter to your tongue thru his fingers when touching the metal from the compartments. I just laughed at him and told him to get a life, he was imagining it and maybe it was because his feet were wet and the storage place has old, crappy electrical outlets. *shurgging shoulders* I had no idea what he was talking about anyway.

Then this past weekend we were camping at a friends lake house and I was getting the same thing from the door handle and the compartments and I wasn't even wet. It was quite intense too. Not like a shock but a buzzing in your hand when you touched the handle to open anything. It was freaking me out, but if you used your shirt or something to touch the handle with you weren't getting the "buzzing". What is that from?

Was is because we weren't plugged into a GFCI outlet, or is something wrong with our unit? Could it be because the electrical wiring and stuff here was really old too? I would sure hate to have someone electricute because this is just the beginning of something serious and we didn't know it.

Can anyone help?
 
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Old 08-16-2004, 06:09 AM   #2
Montana_657
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Better have someone check the Montana out... shocks, furnace won't light... all sounds like a bad ground somewhere. It could also be a loose neutral connection, but I'd bet on grounds. Not somthing you should let go.
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Old 08-16-2004, 06:14 AM   #3
GordonR
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Melissa -
Get a polarity checker from a hardware store, WalMart, Camping World, or somewhere. These are small and very easy to use. (Mine shows two adjacent green lights when every thing is ok.) Plug it into the outlet you have the Monty plugged into to check the polarity of the outlet. (Use a 30 to 20 Amp adapter if necessary.) It sounds like there may be some wires mixed up. You can also check the polarity of the wiring for each of the internal outlets as well. However, because the entire unit is biting you, I'd suspect the outlet you're plugged into, or possibly your shore line connection. I make it a point to chect the main outlet every time we plug into a new site. If this doesn't identify the problem, get an electrician. (I'm not an electrician, but I've learned this lesson.)

I'd strongly encourage you to do this soon - before somebody has a really shopcking experience. We'd like to keep all of our members.
Gordon
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Old 08-16-2004, 06:19 AM   #4
GordonR
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I just saw your furnace question. If it was by itself, since you just filledthe tanks, I'd suspect air in the lines. HOWEVER, with both issues - furnace and power - I agree with Gruffy. (Just saw his note.) Get it checked out. Something could be seriously wrong.
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Old 08-16-2004, 08:13 AM   #5
Montana_621
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That is what I was afraid of. Thank you all, I will have my husband bring it in!

A couple months ago my husband was almost electrocuted by a non-grounded oven at a food show, so I know how serious this can be. Thanks again and I will let you all know what is the out come.
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Old 08-16-2004, 08:17 AM   #6
kdeiss
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I had the same problem a few years back with another unit. I would check the shore
plug first to see if it grounded than work my way back to the unit.In my case it was a bad cord.
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Old 08-16-2004, 08:44 AM   #7
Montana_462
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I had this same thing happen to me in a park last month. Grapped the door to go in for the evening and got quite a zap. Did a check and no matter where I touched the trailer, I would get zapped. The next door neighbor was experiencing the same thing. The owner of the KOA camp came out and checked and it was a faulty ground. It was fixed in no time.
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Old 08-16-2004, 09:06 AM   #8
DHenry
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Everyone that is responding to your problem is giving you good advise. I definately would have the electrical system checked out.
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Old 08-16-2004, 09:51 AM   #9
lightningjack11
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This problem is typical of a bad ground. The problem has occurred with other forum members. In one case I believe it was a broken wire on the input wiring connector on the Montana. The break occurred at the connector on the inside. Probably too much push pull stess.

Try searching for info.
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Old 08-16-2004, 10:32 AM   #10
Montana_621
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Thank you I will try that too. I called the dealer to check and see when I could get it in and he asked what was going on. I told him and he told me to check the place we were plugging into since it hasn't happened but these 2 times and it isn't happening while being at home. I'm going to go home, check the rear of the unit where the cord goes and see if something is wrong there. THEN, I'm going to check with water, maybe wash the unit because for sure that would cause it to happen if it were something wrong in the unit. If that doesn't cause anything, we are going to a football game 90 miles from home on Friday and bringing it for over night and we will check at the CG, if it doesn't happen then I will have to bring it in. They can't get it in until next week anyway.

I'm happy and sad that I'm not the only one this has happened to. Makes you quite scared when it happens to you because you don't want to be shocked to death.
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Old 08-16-2004, 11:59 AM   #11
Montana_1683
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Check your power cord from the Monty to the outlet. If your 50 amp connection is like mine, the black outside protective cord wasn't all the way into the plug, you might have a broken ground wire. I had to redo my plug because the wires were showing behind the plug and the black outer wrap of the wire that goes to the power outlet.

Gary
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Old 08-16-2004, 06:06 PM   #12
HamRad
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We had this happen a couple of times.... turns out I was using a supply cord from the house that did not have a ground pin. Just kept getting the little tickle. The other time was at a very old park and it was raining and hardly anything electrical was working correctly. As stated earlier... start at the beginning of your supply.

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