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RangerPaulS · 10-18-2010, 01:13 PM

We noticed that sometimes in the rain with the awning rolled up, the GFI in the bathroom would trip. Also if we tried to use the outside outlet, the power from the chassis battery would cut out and back in causing the alarm to go off. I popped open the outlet and found the culprit(s). First, one of the hot leads on the outlet was loose and had been arcing. The lead and the post were both black and carbon coated. Also the ground post was totally corroded. I got another outlet which came with a nice fresh gasket to keep water out and began to replace it. I pulled some of the slack BX out of the wall to make it easier to work and also to bare some fresh copper. When I looked at where the BX's outer cover had been stripped back I saw that the insulation on the hot lead was cut at the same place. I guess the installer cut too deep. Anyway the way the wire was run, that little exposed section of copper was almost touching the bottom of the electrical box. When it rained, the old gasket let enough water in to trip the GFI (thank goodness). There wasn't enough wire to cut that section out without running new BX, but I found some stuff called Electrical Tape in a Bottle or something like that. I dapped some on the cut and after it cured I finished installing the new outlet on fresh copper and viola, no more problem.

HTHS

DriVer · 10-18-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RangerPaulS

HTHS

Thanks for sharing your repair experience with the GFI electrical wiring. In regard to the wire would you perhaps be referencing Romex (NM-B) and not BX. BX is a metal clad cable and is not typically used in RV electrical systems.

RangerPaulS · 10-19-2010, 05:28 PM

Good catch, I do mean Romex.

michelb · 11-24-2010, 08:32 AM

I recently tracked down my problem with the GFCI in the bathroom tripping at various occasions.

Turns out that the caulking around the outside plug was worn and no longer water proof and then the drip tube front the refrigerator was occasionaly dripping into it which would reset the breaker. I recaulked the plug but just moving the tube a bit to the see so it wasn't dripping into the plug seemed to have solved my issue.