[Skaggydog]

I want to send shore power through a 30 amp breaker into an inverter/charger then out through a 20 amp breaker using the same breaker panel. Is it OK to wire it this way? The box and inverter will ground to the van body.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Just remember the shore power should NOT have the “neutral” white wire grounded in the box but the green “bond” wire should be. Check your inverter/charger to be sure it doesn't make that neutral grounded. My choice would be to install two boxes, one to accept the shore power and feed the inverter/charger and another to feed my AC in the van.
All this can be made easy by purchasing an integrated breaker/fuze 110V12V RV converter/charger like this:
[ame]https://www.amazon.com/WFCO-WF-8735-P-Black-Power-Center/dp/B004LF14Q4/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1520343674&sr=8-13&keywords=wfco+55+amp+power+converter[/ame]

 

[Skaggydog]

... the shore power should NOT have the “neutral” white wire grounded in the box but the green “bond” wire should be. ...

My diagram shows the shore power neutral and ground going to the same bar and not having the ground going to the grounding bar and that is wrong, correct? The shore power ground wire should go to the panel ground bar and then to the inverter?

 

[Winston]

Just remember the shore power should NOT have the “neutral” white wire grounded in the box but the green “bond” wire should be.

Sounds backwards to us, RD. When on shore power, there should be no connection in your electrical box or van to the neutral (green) wire. The green neutral from the shore power should pass thru to the 110vac outlet directly. When on inverter power, the inverter green wire should be grounded to the electrical box (ditto for outlet). Our Magnum charger/inverter automatically lifts the neutral green wire from chassis/box ground when plugged into shore power.

The other question we'd raise - - but in complete ignorance - - is there a 'code' consideration here?

 

[phil]

This oughta to be good.

 

[Hein]

The colors you have used in your diagram are misleading and that is causing confusion in the replies.

For AC circuits; black is hot (load), white is neutral, and green is ground. If neutral is bonded to ground while on shore power then current will flow along the ground wire back to the host. This can cause a hot skin condition which is a lethal electrocution hazard!

Read More Here: http://noshockzone.org/rv-electrical-safety-part-iv-%E2%80%93-hot-skin/

Additionally, UL458 for mobile inverters actually allows for 60V on the neutral. This is not like a structure where neutral is bonded to ground at the main panel. The output from these should never be extended to additional outlets due to risk of exposure to the energized neutral.

Inverter chargers with internal transfer relays should make (connect) the bond while inverting and break it while on shore power.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Oops, I thought that was what I said. Thanks Hein and Winston for making this clear. The load center I showed does the bonding and ground correctly. We don’t want anyone shocked!

 

[Skaggydog]

I ran allthe grounds to the panel

Is this right and OK to do this way?

 

[Sayn3ver]

For normal ac electrical installations (non vehicle) nec code keeps the grounded conductor and equipment ground separated after the first point of disconnect for the service entering a building and or after a transformer.

I never got much into the sections pertaining to mobile homes and RVs.

I don't see a situation in a van where you'd want to have your ac grounded conductor and equipment ground bonded inside the van.

That would result in a parallel path back to the source which could allow 120v/240v 60hz ac to use the equipment ground as a way back. That equipment ground is to protect people.

I'm sure there is nec code for shore power connections, at least on the supply side (the facility offering the power).

I am not familiar with inverter use in mobile situations. However I still find it hard to believe that anywhere besides maybe internally on the inverter you would be bonding the grounded conductor and equipment ground in the field wiring.

 

[proeddie]

...then add into the mix a situation where you carry a portable generator and use the shore power input to feed the panel.... to ground or not to ground?... how? drive an 8' ground rod into the ground at the campsite?

Lots of posts on various RV forums about this... no consistent answers.

 

[SteveSS]

http://gpelectric.com/files/gpelectric/documents/PDF/Manual_GP-IC2000.pdf
I am surprized your IC manual doesn't include a recommended general wiring diagram like mine does on p14-15 above. Like RD's, my IC manages its green connection automatically; yours might be different. In this wiring diagram, my "main panel" is a BlueSea 30A breaker/switch (#8077) and my "sub-panel" is a Progressive Dynamics PD5000. The latter includes a spot for a (secondary) main AC breaker, as well.

As Hein said, anyone with shore-power capability needs to understand the "hot skin" issue and how to avoid it.