tkcas01
Roaming Fulltimer
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I know there have been several GFI questions over time, but here goes mine. My GFI receptacle tripped yesterday and would not reset. I unplugged things from the easily accessible receptacles to no avail. I tried replacing the GFI receptacle, but the new one tripped to.
I saw it had two load circuits being fed from it. I disconnected them one at a time and isolated the problem to one of them. The problem circuit is feeding the TV and other entertainment equipment up over the cockpit. I pulled all the equipment out and unplugged everything. With nothing plugged into any of the receptacles on that circuit it still trips.
Is it reasonable to think that most likely one of these receptacles has a loose connection inside? Since they are all in the backs of the cabinets, it is going to be a royal pain to get them out and inspect them. Would the best approach be to start at the last receptacle in the circuit and work my way back toward the GFI? Or is there some other way to approach this?
* This post was
edited 08/27/12 07:34pm by tkcas01 *
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LadyRVer
Florida
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I had a receptacle on the outside of the motorhome, which the caulking was cracked. The rain water would seep inside the recept and trip the GFI. Problem solved there. But, my understanding from the dealer, the GFI recept where you test/reset go bad and do have to be replaced. Maybe another lead to follow?
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tkcas01
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LadyRVer wrote:I had a receptacle on the outside of the motorhome, which the caulking was cracked. The rain water would seep inside the recept and trip the GFI. Problem solved there. But, my understanding from the dealer, the GFI recept where you test/reset go bad and do have to be replaced. Maybe another lead to follow?
Sorry, should have mentioned I already replaced the GFI receptacle and the new one trips as well. The problem circuit does not feed any of the outside receptacles, just the ones for the entertainment equipment over the cockpit.
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CoachmenKen
Wake Forest, NC
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They do go bad, Ive changed a few over the years, around our house as well.
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tkcas01
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CoachmenKen wrote:They do go bad, Ive changed a few over the years, around our house as well.
Nope, replaced it earlier today. It still tripped with both the load circuits connected. So I have isolated it to the circuit feeding the entertainment center and disconnected that circuit so I can at least have the other half of my receptacles working until I can figure out what is going on.
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Healeyman
Carrollton, TX
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A GFI is not a fuse or a circuit breaker.
It is a safety device (switch) that opens when either the hot leg (black) or cold leg (white) are shorted (low resistance) to ground (bare copper or vehicle chassis).
It sounds as if either the hot or cold lead is shorted to the copper lead or to the vehicle chassis.
Buy or borrow a low resistance tester (multimeter?) with the RV unplugged, test for a hot or cold short to ground or chassis.
IF the short is where the cable is shorting to chassis, you may not be able to clear it and may need to replace the wire.
I also had an outside power socket full of water. Check that too.
Tim
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tkcas01
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Healeyman wrote:
Buy or borrow a low resistance tester (multimeter?) with the RV unplugged, test for a hot or cold short to ground or chassis.
I also had an outside power socket full of water. Check that too.
Tim
I have a multimeter, but can you be a bit more explicit on the testing procedure? Are you saying to place one probe in the receptacle and the other to chassis ground?
As I said in my original post, this circuit only powers the receptacles for the entertainment center over the cockpit so an outside receptacle is not the issue.
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K Charles
Connecticut
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I don't have a MH but what shuts off the TV when you are moving? Does the power go through a switch of some kind? You said the curcuit running the TV was the one making it trip.
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Bipeflier
Centralia, MO
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Water in an electrical connector box under the unit somewhere. Find, dry, and seal.
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enblethen
Moses Lake, WA
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Start by disconnecting the load side (feed-thru) conductors. That will tell whether the problem is between circuit breaker and internal to the GFCI. Connect one set of conductors to see which it is on.
Is your refer 120 volt fed from this circuit? If so the 120 volt element could be going to ground.
Bud
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