Electrical Problem

[Mike & Nancy]

At Campground hooked up to 50amp. Breaker for bath, bedroom GFI thrown.....nothing plugged in, except hard wired sleep number bed. Turn breaker off then on and push yellow reset and it immediately shuts off (20 amp breaker). Anyone have any thoughts......

[HC-1 phil]

It sounds like the CG power supply is not wired correctly. Makes me think that the ground could be loose. Do you have any way to check it? If not I would get the CG to make sure it is correct.

[Paul R. Haller]

The GFCI in the bathroom or bedroom has other outlets downstream from there. Check all outdoor outlets, they are notorious for getting water in them. You can try blowing them out with compressed air or just letting them dry once opened up. On another 5er I had, the bathroom GFCI also controlled the kitchen outlets. It turned out that I had a whisper short in a coffee maker. I solved it by plugging into a non GFCI contolled outlet. GFCI can also just wear out if they are constantly exposed to moisture or constant flipping. They cost about 15$ and any Lowes should carry them.but I would bet it's your outdoor outlets with water in them.
-Paul R. Haller-

[Robi.1014]

Suggest firing-up the generator and see if that 20A breaker and/or the GFCI acts normally. If so, let the finger-pointing begin....'cause it looks like the CG has a problem.

[WindsorDave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike & Nancy At Campground hooked up to 50amp. Breaker for bath, bedroom GFI thrown.....nothing plugged in, except hard wired sleep number bed. Turn breaker off then on and push yellow reset and it immediately shuts off (20 amp breaker). Anyone have any thoughts......

Mike,

You may have one other thing plugged in that is not obvious and that is the refrigerator. If it's a Norcold 1200, four-door, the heaters can develop electrical leaks that will cause the GFI breaker to trip. Other absorption refers may do the same.

Try unplugging the refer and see if the GFI breaker will stay on.

FWIW

[Mike & Nancy]

Thanks for all the suggestions.......will start this morning problem solving using your suggestions. It is the MAIN 20 amp breaker that keeps shutting off......only other GFCI on this leg is the one in the Engine compartment, it was tripped.....reset it and then reset main an main tripped again. Will post what I find.

[wa8yxm]

Many GFCI units will not reset if the breaker is off (I am assuming the breaker is NOT also the GFCI here.. If it's a GFCI breaker disregard this)

The GFCI circuit also feeds the outside (patio) outlet, and often it will become "Wet" inside the box.. This is a common cause of your symptoms.

Also, I've heard of wires coming loose in outlet boxes and doing it but if yours is a combo GFCI/Breaker,,, i tend to doubt this. Still on the suspect list.

Finally.. One coach had a GFCI protected outlet in a slide (I have that too) and the boxes under the slide where the flexible cable connects to the romex..... Full of water.

[Mike & Nancy]

It is a GFCI breaker. Still unable to locate problem......going to check electrical outlets in bedroom slide. I have checked all outside outlets and toilet room outlet....all wires appear secure.

[jas415]

Do you have a voltmeter? Pull the CGFI, and check across the power leads to the ground then check the neutral to ground. My experience says it is a GFI bad plug. Simplest solution most often is just replace the plug if you have another one handy.

[Robert T]

I have had a simular problem and found the one of my neutral wires was loose in an outlet caused a ground fault leak, another time I found that the neutral wire was loose in the breaker box.

I also have had to take loads off line till I determine where the gound fault and or voltage leak was at then checked that area to locate the cause.

Not hard to find just use logic and lots of time.

[wa8yxm]

If you have a "Three Light Tester" Plug it in and see if the red one comes on.

Home Electrical Testing and Testers

Scrolll down to "interperting" and you will see a photo of the device I'm talking about.. Also this site saves me a ton of typing as to how to interpert the readings... they already did it. Lots of good info on them. Found it with Google.

[mr300ce]

Again....get a tester and start at the CG box. Wasted time if you don't start at the source. Then...if "their" box is good, move along the line to your inlet.

Been there....done this. Found poor connections at vehicle plug, and othe places. Yesterday I went to Camp world and bought a 110v gage you leave plugged in all the time. Just one more toy to have that keeps me informed.

[Mike & Nancy]

Found the problem.........poor electrical connection under bed. There were three romex wires going into RV electrical box, one was not in all the way. Replaced RV box with standard house electrical box.