frame ghost voltage

[radioman]

Maybe you should run another ground wire 40 feet to bond the two grounds together.

[yurtle]

What two grounds? I have a single ground rod at the meter. My breaker panel is 40' away.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by yurtle

What two grounds? I have a single ground rod at the meter. My breaker panel is 40' away.

You may have some resistance in the wire connecting the main panel ground bus to the sub-panel ground bus.

Quick and dirty check: Get a 50' roll of wire that you can find other uses for later.
Connect one end to the ground bus in the main panel and measure the VAC between the other end of the wire and the ground bus in the sub-panel.

If you get more than a volt or so, shut off the main breaker and measure the ohms. (Don't forget to subtract the resistance of the 50' "test" lead.)

I can't remember if it is NEC or state code, but the resistance between main panel ground and sub-panel ground should be 5 Ohms or less.

BTW: Station ground is singular. Two or more physically separated earth grounds is a no-no - but multiple rods can be used in close proximity to create a single earth ground with an impedance of 25 Ohms or less to Earth.

[radioman]

I wonder if a GFI receptacle would trip if installed where the charger is plugged into. Something there needs checking into. Try running an extension cord to another receptacle for the charger to see if you still get the tingle. Also when the charger completes charge cycle do you still feel the tingle?

[yurtle]

I have a dozen GFCIs on the breaker panel. None have been problematic. Like I said, I need to do some more playing.

I do know that the 120 volt DC station batteries would shock the hell out of me at work.

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by yurtle

...............I do know that the 120 volt DC station batteries would shock the hell out of me at work.

Point contact with a 120V battery will knock the sox off most people, and most people can feel a 24 volt battery, but you may be hyper-sensitive and/or have low skin resistance. And there are a ton of other factors (Area of contact, place of contact. etc.)

FWIW: Skin resistance of humans vary from 100,000 Ohms and more, down to 1,000 Ohms and less for wet and broken skin. Subcutaneous (below the outer layer of skin) resistance is around 500 Ohms.

[cgtech]

On bare skin 48v DC battery voltage is just a mild tingle (to me, but i have been known to stick my finger in a light socket for fun), but on a cut on your finger, it hurts and will make you jerk your hand away, if you can. The danger of high DC voltage is that it can make your muscles tighten, and grab even tighter. (it does not alternate "on and off", back to the old Tesla vs. Edison "currents war"). I have been "touched" by 220v AC, it sucks. I have never been around 440v AC, and would not be excited to be around it (higher voltage with the amps to kill easily). High voltage stuff like car spark plug coils hurt, but the worst part is banging your head against the hood when you jump, their low amps make them generally "non-lethal". Top fuel dragster magnetos can kill you no problem. ALL OF THIS STUFF ASSUMES YOU ARE NOT STANDING IN A PUDDLE (MUCH, MUCH WORSE)!

[kgsc]

You mean like standing in salt water on a boat ramp and grab a plug wire of a running boat ??

[JohnnieB]

There have been a couple times when I've been standing in a puddle after touching a wire!!!!!!

[yurtle]

Urine also has a lot of salts, and is conductive. I have a friend that peed on an electric fence and got zapped. Good thing he had consumed a lot of anesthesia.