Getting Electric Shocks When Touching RV

by Anonymous

RE: Shocks when working on tires/rims - air brakes?

When removing the tires to grease the bearings my husband was receiving shocks. He just now was adding air to the tires & when touching the rims received additional shocks. Is this a serious problem with the air brakes?

Thanks so much

ANSWER: Thanks for submitting your question on our Ask An RV Question Page.

Let me assure you that the electrical shocks that your husband is getting when touching the wheels on your Motorhome has nothing to do with the Air Brakes.

The electrical shocks are being caused by a reversed polarity problem in the electric receptacle that your RV is plugged into, a polarity problem in the extension cord you are using to plug in your RV or to a shorted wire somewhere in your RV's electrical system. This problem can also be caused by an improper ground in the receptacle, extension cord or in the RV.

First let's address the most likely cause of this shocking experience reversed polarity in the receptacle that you have your RV plugged into. To check the polarity you will need an Electric Receptacle Tester/Circuit Analyzer. These testers run anywhere from $5 to $10 depending on the model you get.

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Unplug your RV from Shore Power and then plug the tester into that receptacle. You may find that the tester will indicate that the polarity of the receptacle is reversed. To solve this problem the electrical outlet needs be rewired properly or you will have to plug into a known good receptacle.

If the outlet shows no problems then we know that is not causing the shocks. If you are using an extension cord to plug in your RV we need to check that next. Plug the extension cord into a known good outlet and plug the tester into the extension cord. If it indicates that there is a problem with the extension cord then the extension cord needs to be disposed of.


If both the receptacle and extension cord show OK then we know that the problem is in the electrical system of the RV itself. The problem could be something as simple as a staple through an electrical wire that is shorting it onto the body or frame of the RV or it could be an issue with the ground on your RV's electrical system. When you get to this point it is advisable to take your RV in and have a Certified RV Technician tackle the diagnosis and repair of this problem.

I hope this helped.

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RVing Al

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