Transfer Switch Ground Wire Not Connected - Winnebago View Fix

The Rundown

You absolutely did the right thing connecting that ground wire to the bus bar in your 2021 View 24D's transfer switch. That ground wire should never be left disconnected - it's a critical safety component that provides a path to ground for the main coach electrical system. Based on your description and the fact that the wire end was cleanly clipped with minimal copper exposed, this appears to be a factory assembly error rather than a wire that broke free over time. There's no legitimate electrical reason why this main coach ground would be intentionally left unconnected, regardless of how the inverter is wired. You've corrected a potentially dangerous wiring defect that somehow made it through Winnebago's quality control.

The fact that you found this during your shore power cord replacement is fortunate - an ungrounded electrical system creates serious shock and fire hazards. Your coach has been operating without proper grounding protection since new, which explains why you never experienced obvious problems (the neutral and ground are bonded at the pedestal), but the missing equipment ground still created safety hazards as it couldn't provide proper fault protection for metal components or equipment cases.

Why It Happens

This type of assembly error typically occurs during the rush of production line work. The technician likely stripped the wire, got distracted or called away, and never completed the connection. The wire may have been loosely positioned against the ground bus during assembly, giving the appearance of being connected during a casual inspection. Over time and with road vibration, it would have moved away from any contact with the bus bar.

Winnebago's 2021 View models were produced during a period of extremely high RV demand and rapid production schedules, which unfortunately led to more quality control issues slipping through than normal. The transfer switch wiring is typically done by a specific technician who installs the main electrical panel, and this person likely missed this final connection step. Since the coach would still receive power through the neutral return path and operate normally for most functions, this error wouldn't be immediately obvious during pre-delivery testing.

Your dealer walkthrough after purchase should have caught this, but transfer switch inspections aren't typically part of standard PDI procedures unless there's a specific electrical problem reported. Most dealers focus on cosmetic items and obvious functional issues during these sessions.

Gather These Items

Since you've already made the repair, you'll want these items to document and follow up on the issue:

• Digital camera or phone to photograph the repair you made
• Your original purchase documentation and warranty paperwork
• Service records from your dealer walkthrough visit
• Multimeter to verify proper grounding continuity after your repair
• Wire nuts and electrical tape if you need to make any additional connections
• Contact information for Winnebago customer service and your selling dealer

You should also consider getting a basic electrical tester or outlet analyzer to verify your coach's electrical system is now properly grounded when plugged into shore power. These simple devices can quickly identify grounding issues and are invaluable for RV electrical troubleshooting.

The Fix

You've already completed the primary repair by connecting the ground wire to the ground bus bar, which was absolutely the correct action. To verify your work, use a multimeter to check continuity between the ground bus bar and the coach's metal frame - you should read low resistance, though this only confirms the connection exists and doesn't verify the overall grounding system effectiveness. Also check that you have continuity from the shore power ground pin through to the ground bus when your new power cord is connected.

You should have documented this safety defect before making the repair for warranty purposes, but take clear photos of your completed repair now. Contact Winnebago customer service at 844-464-2867 to report this as a safety-related warranty issue. Even though you've fixed it, they need to know about this production defect for potential recalls or service bulletins affecting other units from the same production period.

Also contact your selling dealer to report the issue. They should document this in your service file and may want to inspect your repair to ensure it meets code requirements. Some dealers will also file a warranty claim on your behalf for the time and materials involved in correcting this factory defect. Keep all documentation - if this issue affects multiple units, there could be future recall notifications or reimbursements.

Consider having a qualified RV technician or electrician verify your entire electrical system, especially the inverter and converter grounding, since this suggests possible quality control issues with other electrical connections in your coach.

Know Your Limits

You handled this repair perfectly and it's well within typical DIY capabilities. Transfer switch ground connections are straightforward and you've made the coach much safer. However, if you discover any other questionable wiring or if your electrical system doesn't test properly after the repair, don't hesitate to involve a qualified RV electrician.

While this specific ground wire connection is basic electrical work, transfer switches involve 120V circuits (240V is rare and only found in some very large motorhomes), along with automatic switching mechanisms that require more advanced troubleshooting if problems develop. If you notice any unusual operation of your transfer switch, inverter cycling issues, or GFCI tripping problems after making this repair, those would warrant professional diagnosis.

The main thing to watch for is that your repair holds securely and that all your electrical systems continue to operate normally. If you're not comfortable using a multimeter to verify grounding continuity, most RV service centers can quickly test this for you. Given that this was a factory defect on a coach under warranty, don't feel obligated to troubleshoot any other electrical gremlins yourself - make Winnebago and your dealer accountable for delivering a properly wired and safe RV.