Another "can't find my GFI"

[The Sheriff]

I recently purchased a 2003 Country Coach Intrigue 36' Evening Star. Plugged in a heater and blew the outlets and now cannot find where it is tripped. There is a GFI outlet in the bedroom near the floor, below the where the breaker panel is on the bedroom wall. Tested that one and it works fine. Anyone know where there might be another one or have help for a rookie CC'er? Thanks!

[sdennislee]

THe bathroom outlet should be a GFCI. Have you checked all your breakers.

[RV Wizard]

Be sure to check the circuit breaker on the inverter.

[Steve N Sal]

Don't know for sure but is it possible you may have another GFCI receptacle in a lower storage compartment? Might want to give that a check. You mentioned the breaker panel but not if you checked all the breakers. Breakers may give the appearance of being in the "on" position when their really not. Take and push on the breaker switch toward the "on" position and if it moves in that direction and returns back a bit it is probably tripped. Turn it to the "off" position, then back "on" and now it should be reset and good to go.
As already mentioned check the breaker on the inverter as well.
Also if you have reset the GFCI receptacle and it works but nothing downstream is working it may be bad or have a loose connection on the "load" side of the receptacle. Hope this helps a bit. Good Luck.

[wa8yxm]

IT may not be a GFCI (or it might) First: GFCI's come in three flavors that I have seen:

MOST of them, if you enter the RV at night and the GFCI is tripped and start looking around (A small flashlight may be helpful) you will see a small red light if it's tripped.

SOME: The light works the other way.. (light on = not tripped) I only saw those in one palce.

The third kind, which I see every time I turn on my air compressor hiere (It is plugged into an oullet of this type) is a circuit breaker/GFCI combo. Only park I've seen them in on 20 amp lines. I see 'em on 30's one other place. Why they are not more common I do not know.

However.. RV wiring is not really up to Electric Heaters in my opinion, Though many plug into standard RV wiring with no problem.. I was not so lucky, I kept smelling hot wire.. So I installed my own dedicated outlets for the heaters No problems, 12 ga wire, 15/20 amp outlets and each one has a breaker dedicated to it and it alone.

You are going to have to pull each non working outlet and inspect the wires hooked to it. ALSO pull the GFCI's and the wires hooked to them.. But first. before you do that

With shore power NOT connected, check the screws in the main breaker box, and the wires they hold.

[dons2346]

Sounds like you tripped the breaker on the inverter.

You didn't say which plug you were plugged into so I'll take a stab and say it was one in the galley or up front. Breaker on the inverter.

Our coaches have only one GFI.

[LandKinaMoho]

Suggest additions to ones tools. Gfci tester $8, it also tests for wires reversed or not properly attached.

[f1100turbo]

A simple multi meter is a must in any kind of camper !
I suggest one for every new owner !

[deandec]

On my rig, 110V passes from the breaker box in the bedroom, then to the inverter in the basement, and then back to the GFI outlet 3 feet below the breaker box.

I delayed a trip 4 hrs while buying and replacing a breaker and the GFI outlet before listening to my DW who asked "is there another breaker somewhere?"

Yep, on the inverter.........

[The Sheriff]

Thank you to everyone! This forum is great.

[dons2346]

Originally Posted by The Sheriff

Thank you to everyone! This forum is great.

Well, have you got it fixed yet?

[pumper9x9]

Note also that there's a breaker on the generator if you're running on the gen

[Wayne M]

Some RV's have an outside electrical wall plate with a "weatheproof" (yeah, right) cover on it. It is typically a GFCI plug if it is on the exterior of the RV.

As stated, the bathroom should have one. Also check close to the Carbon Monoxide detector, or entertainment system.