Pete Verdon d
wibbled on Wednesday 16 December 2009 20:05

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
I'm thinking of building in one of those Lidl battery chargers in the old
car. So it can be left on float when not in use. The mains lead on those
is only two core and the case plastic. I was considering a Buccaneer
weather proof mains connector mounted in the body below the rear bumper.
Should the car body be connected to mains earth?

I would say yes. Treat the whole car as an appliance - it has a metal
case and can't be certified as double insulated, so the case must be
earthed.

Things get more complex for a boat, where galvanic corrosion in salt
water needs to be considered, but for a car I'd certainly connect the
body to the earth in the connector.

Pete

I would agree with that. Earthing the car will be a better bet IMHO than
trying to insure that there is no way that a mains cable entering the car
cannot become damaged on a sharp with of metal and become live.

Another way would be to take the double insulated approach, but to use SY
flex to take the mains in and earth the braid.

That flex doesn't meet the mechanical protection criteria of the IEE regs in
way that armoured does, but looking at it objectively, if the outer sheath
does become cut, it will provide some mechanical and electrical protection.

But the obvious belt and braces approach, as others have mentioned is to
talk SELV into car.

Might be worth having a look at some engine preheaters - those are mains -
see what they do regarding earthing.

--
Tim Watts

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