Tuesday, Nov 04, 2003 at 19:12
No real risk as the bottle will be at the same potential as the rest of the van. The only risk would be if there were a gas leak and something of a different potential were able to complete the circuit ( ie. a human standing on the ground with bare feet who goes to touch the bottle).
The risk is only a great as the ability of the fault to create a spark.
Having said that if the bare footed bloke were to jump up onto the drawbar of the van with both feet at the same time then he would be the same potential as the gas bottle and there for no sparks. Just like the bird on the powerlines.
As for the cause of the problem.
If you want to
test the earth hook the van up in the normal way.
Run another extension lead out to the van and use your multimeter to measure any difference in potential between the earth of the van via a powerpoint and the earth on the second extension lead. You shoule not be able to read anything as, in reality you are measuring the same wire. If you get a reading you have a van earth prob.
That is not the end of it. You will still have an active or neutral fault somewhere as you can only get a tingle if one of these wires is exposed and contacting something it shouldn't. The earth is only there to carry faults.
Cheack for moisture around the terminal box and powerpoints. Make sure the van is totally disconnected from power before doing this...
Better still get an electrician to do it...........
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