gunns
Unfortunately - Peoples Republic of California
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Joined: 10/31/2011
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I'm having problems with the 120v side elect. sys. When I plug in the trailer 120v power line to the house it blows the GFI circuit breaker in the service panel. If I plug the trailer power cord into a non-GFI circuit outlet things work fine and the breaker doesn't trip. Hooked up this way everything in the trailer works fine. I thought that maybe the GFI breaker might be bad so I plugged the trailer power cord into a different GFI breaker circuit and that one tripped just like the other GFI.
The trailer has been parked for a while with everything working properly. Occasionally I'd hook it up to the house to keep the battery charged. Then last week without warning it started tripping the GFI circuit.
So I apparently have an issue in the trailer ...somewhere.... Any ideas on where to start?
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Bit Bucket
Brookings, Oregon
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Joined: 04/29/2011
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I would start by turning all of the breakers in your trailer off.
Turn them all back on one at a time until the GFCI trips.
Find what that breaker feeds.
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powderman426
ohio
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I've heard of GFI's back to back causing problems. If it has worked before but doesn't now, then disregard this.
Ron & Charlotte
WD8CBT since 1976
28' Prowler & 05 Ram QC LB
I started with nothing and I still have most of it left
I never fail, I just succeed in finding out what doesn't work
.JPG)
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Jim Cindy
Northcentral, PA
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Mine will trip a house GFI too. We were told it has to do with the way RV's are wired. Every thing is fine on non GFI circuit
PBH Portable Beach House
2008 GMC 2500HD Duramax Allison 
2009 Cameo 34CK3
MorRyde IS, Disc Brakes, G614's
PullRite Super Glide Hitch
Propane fueled Yamaha EF 2400is
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mena661
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2009
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Mine works fine on GFI outlets.
2009 Newmar Canyon Star 3205, Ford F53 V10
Trojan L16 6V's 740 Amp-hours
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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Jim Cindy writes "Mine will trip a house GFI too. We were told it has to do with the way RV's are wired. Every thing is fine on non GFI circuit "
Has nothing to do with a PROPERLY wired RV. A properly wired RV actually should not trip the GFCI.
In real life however it is possible that you will get an occasional trip. The tripping is caused by LEAKAGE of the neutral to ground. The GFCI is supposed to see the exact same current which is on the Hot (black wire) as there is on the Neutral (White wire). If one of the devices in your RV has some neutral to ground leakage then the GFCI will see less current on the neutral and trip.
The most likely culprits are converter, fridge (heating element), A/C unit and Water heater electric element (this one happens when you have empty tank and power is turned on to the element and the element burns out), sometimes an outside outlet gets damp enough to trip the GFCI.
For trouble shooting turning of the breakers will do nothing to help since the issue is more likely neutral to ground leakage and the breakers only interrupt the Hot.
To trouble shoot you most likely will have to isolate every circuit by disconnecting not only the Hot (Black wire) but the neutral (white wire) until you no longer trip.
But I would check the water heater electric element FIRST since it can blow and you will never know that it is bad (assuming your RV is equipped).
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sgip2000
Oregon
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If neutral and ground are bonded, this will also trip the GFCI.
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Dave-Sparky
Woodinville, Washington
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Gdetrailer wrote:Jim Cindy writes "Mine will trip a house GFI too. We were told it has to do with the way RV's are wired. Every thing is fine on non GFI circuit "
Has nothing to do with a PROPERLY wired RV. A properly wired RV actually should not trip the GFCI.
In real life however it is possible that you will get an occasional trip. The tripping is caused by LEAKAGE of the neutral to ground. The GFCI is supposed to see the exact same current which is on the Hot (black wire) as there is on the Neutral (White wire). If one of the devices in your RV has some neutral to ground leakage then the GFCI will see less current on the neutral and trip.
The most likely culprits are converter, fridge (heating element), A/C unit and Water heater electric element (this one happens when you have empty tank and power is turned on to the element and the element burns out), sometimes an outside outlet gets damp enough to trip the GFCI.
For trouble shooting turning of the breakers will do nothing to help since the issue is more likely neutral to ground leakage and the breakers only interrupt the Hot.
To trouble shoot you most likely will have to isolate every circuit by disconnecting not only the Hot (Black wire) but the neutral (white wire) until you no longer trip.
But I would check the water heater electric element FIRST since it can blow and you will never know that it is bad (assuming your RV is equipped).
I will have to disagree with the above statement regarding using the breakers. If you have turned off all the breakers, then there is no source for the current to be leaked from the neutral to ground. Thus, this is a good first step in isolating the problem. If this will narrow it down to one or two circuits, then you might need to isolate the neutrals for those circuits to find that actual source of the problem.
Troubleshooting and isolating an electrical or electronic problem is seldom a one step process.
Dave
Dave and Colleen
Colleen's Beach House
1991 Dutchman TT 24FK
2002 GMC Safari AWD
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MEXICOWANDERER
las peñas, michoacan, mexico
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Hmm, would it not be easier to branch protect the circuit being used inside the RV? I seem to recall five decades of RV'ing without benefit of GFCI protection.
First it would be helpful to understand why GFCI protection is important and what it does for a living. Secondly, where GFCI protection would be moot or inappropriate.
Perhaps a series of hyperlinks to FAQS and Fundamentals?
Just A Thought :-)
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3 tons
CA.
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This problem is not uncommon as by design GFI's are supposed to be sensitive...Likely the result of circular ground currents (e.g. having more than one common ground - think competing grounds), thus I doubt flipping RV breakers will be of much help..
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