Hi,
Had very strange incident today. Is it possible for a trailer (in this case an Ifor Williams HB505) to become 'live' and inflict electric shocks? (hooked up to new shogun, was running an air compressor thru incar electrics at same time)
One of our completely healthy horses had a semi collapsing episode when put in the trailer today. It's only when looking back at the incident tonight that I'm wondering if he could have had an electric shock.
Would be interested to hear if trailers can become electrified. It was vvvv perculiar thing to see (and I'm supposed to be a vet and know all these things lol) and he recovered as soon as he came out of the box.
Will prob run bloods and ECG to see if there is anything else going on.
Cheers MM

My first thoughts are if there is a short /break in the wiring something wouldn't work ie lights etc. If everything does work then think along the lines of static electricity, this can give you a real belting. Don't know if you remember but some years ago you used to see "straps " hanging down from vehicles to stop static electricity. If it worked I don't know but many believed it did. Walking across some carpets and touching a door handle can give you quite a shock.

Does your trailer have rubber matting on the floor for the horse to stand on?

If there is electrical contact somewhere, because of the size of a horse it will get a differential voltage between the front and back legs will occur as they won't be equal distance from the fault, this in turn will result in a horse getting a bigger electrical charge than a human. This could possibly happen with static electricity as well.


Realspeed Ex 2010 Freelander2 GS-e Diesel manual Silver owner

Last edited by realspeed on 26th Apr 2011 11:21 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Thanks for reply RS.
Yeah rubber matting on floor but lots of metal contact points all over. Perhaps the best thing to do is to replicate the scenario and get volt meter out to measure the potential difference across points in the trailer?
MM

MM
I don't know the answer obviously but can only possibly direct you to some pointers that may be the problem. I would see if it possible to eliminate as many metal contact points as possible by trying to board over them. Replicating static and checking with a meter would be difficult I think. But anything to try and find out whats happening is better than doing nothing.

Thinking on a bit I would also check to make sure the live and earth havn't been reversed somehow in the trailer connection, this would possibly make the trailer "live". Is the Shogun a positive or negative battery earth?
may be something to look at and compare with what you have used in the past to tow with. If different maybe just maybe this will make the trailer "Live". Fiendishly clever these Japanese

Just wildly guessing but as I said just thoughts running through my whats left of a highly intelligent pea size brain!!!

Realspeed Ex 2010 Freelander2 GS-e Diesel manual Silver owner

12v electrics are generally not up to the task of causing a shock, the resistance of your body, or the horses, is to great to overcome and you will generally feel nothing.
The trailer being "live" is pretty unlikely too, again at 12v this is relative to the car and trailer, not earth, so will be irrelevant.

You say it was running a compressor? if this is powered through an inverter, which increases the supply voltage, then this could indeed provide enough power to give a shock, given that the vehicle is not "earthed" the whole structure will operate quite normally but be "floating" above ground in respect to its potential, by bridging the gap between the vehicle and earth you could be creating a situation were a shock is possible.

I hope you get to the bottom of this pretty quickly, it would be embarrasing to say the least having a clients horse drop dead stepping into the trailer.

Paul

i can't comment on the shock side of things as i'm no expert

but i thought 12v was enough to give a decent shock after all i've seen people (rambo if i remember) be shocked via a car battery in the movies and the powerful spark you get if crossing the connectors  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Just to add my bit....

It's not the Voltage that gives the shock it is the Current (Amps)

Remember that a car battery needs to push out a lot of current to get the starter motor turning.

I've experienced the effects of "electric shock" from a circuit tester running at 3V but pushing out high current. This was a deliberate test at college  2002 Honda VFR800
2002 Toyota Celica 140 Silver (mid life crisis - again!)
2007 FL2 GS Manual Army Reconnaissance Green + freel2.com sticker
2004 Toyota Celica 140 Black - Gone
2000 Toyota Celica 140 Silver - Gone
1998 Toyota Celica ST Pearl Green - Gone
1996 Nissan Primera 1.6 - Gone
1994 Rover Montego 1.6 Auto - Gone

Maybe I am saying a stupid thing, but could be somehow a horse panic attack?
Could be something similar with claustrophobia? Do horses have something like this?

ever had pigs in the trailer? horses will not go into a pig smelling trailer At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Voltage needs to be high enough to break down the surface resistance of the skin before current will flow.
Nominally, 48 volts DC before you start to feel any kind of tingling sensation, or 24 volts AC to feel the same effect, but the actual voltage will vary from person to person depending if your skin is dry, wet, or sweaty.

As mentioned before, if you're using an inverter to up the 12 volts to 110/240 volts then that needs to be looked at, check the earth connection and if possible use an earth rod pushed into the ground. Static electricity being generated off the compressor will certainly give you a nice shock so check the metalwork on that is also grounded. ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

dont forget horses have metal shoes so are more susceptible to shocks. as shown in that tragic incident at the horse races At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

i also aways have a shock off my door when shutting it,makes me jump,so i try to close it without touching the metal,,,,,,only happens when i wear crocs on my feet,  Current: Freelander 2 GS, Orkney Grey, Factory fit privacy glass, design pack and Clearview pack. Almond Leather ,rear spoiler,rear mudflaps.my13.

Gone:Freelander 2, GS, "61"

Gone: Freelander 2, GS.e, "59"

Gone: Freelander 2, S, "08"

Its more likely that you are receiving a static shock. Positively charged electrons build up on moving parts of your body, It can very from day to day and the persons resistance.
you will then hold this charge untill you come into contact with an earthed object. Touching the car or trailer etc will make a circuit to earth, the resulting zero volts to what ever the voltage is stored in you will cause a current to flow causing electric shock. Although the voltage can be very very high the current is extreamly small.
If you are prone to becoming staticaly charged just use your finger and touch the misses on the ear when she you off but just remember to run when she realises that you just zapped her lol
On another note the best one ive seen was when i was called to a gym as most of the people there were getting shocks.
I measured about 80 odd volts on some people but when you saw what they were wearing and the type of carpet, well lets just say they were having a shocking time when ever they grabbed hold of the meatal hand rails