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vettenuts · 06-20-2014, 06:40 AM

I installed a new 120v, 20 amp circuit to the outside front of my house in order to keep some minimal power on the coach and keep the batteries charged. I have one plug in the basement and one outside, with the basement plug being a GFCI. The coach also has the power protection module that verifies the incoming electrical is OK prior to switching over to the coach. This new circuit goes to the front of the house. I have a similar separate circuit that goes to the rear of the house (patio). This is where the coach was plugged in until I ran this new front of the house circuit and I had no issues when the coach was plugged into the patio power circuit.

The GFCI keeps tripping on the new front circuit. I think I may have gotten a bad GFCI from Home Depot since the GFCI never tripped on the patio circuit for the couple of weeks that it was plugged in with a long extension cord.

Cobra1 · 06-20-2014, 07:03 AM

Could be bad but also check your wiring. It is rather easy to wire a GF plug incorrectly and it will always trip.

Melmoses · 06-20-2014, 07:50 AM

When I did the same thing I found out that I couldn't have a GFCI in the circuit at all to the rig. It continued to break the circuit even after I bought a new GFCI until I took the GFCI out of the loop completely as a friend advised me to do. After that I have had no issues. Power protection at the coach end keeps it safe.

SarahW · 06-20-2014, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melmoses

When I did the same thing I found out that I couldn't have a GFCI in the circuit at all to the rig. It continued to break the circuit even after I bought a new GFCI until I took the GFCI out of the loop completely as a friend advised me to do. After that I have had no issues. Power protection at the coach end keeps it safe.

^^ This. We have the same result with a GFCI outlet.

gemini5362 · 06-20-2014, 10:29 AM

The OP felt like they did not have a problem with their coach since they had it plugged into a GFCI circuit at the back of the house and it worked. If they are correct then they need to look at how the wiring is ran. Did they tap into another circuit to run power to the GFI. The basic explanation of a GFI outlet is it monitors the current coming in on the black wire versus the current going out of the white wire. If they do not match the GFI stops all current going out of the outlet. This includes current down stream of the GFI by down stream I mean where you daisy chain wiring from the GFI outlet to another outlet. This might be where the OP might have trouble. If he has a black wire going from the GFI outlet and just hooking up to a white wire not going through the GFI it is going to cause the GFI to trip. The first thing the OP needs to do is take a lamp or drill or anything that uses 115 volt ac and plug into the GFI at the front of the house and make sure that is working. If the OP uses an extension cord to run power to the camper then the OP needs to plug the lamp into the GFI outlet then needs to take the lamp (if it works correctly in the GFI outlet) and plug it into the extension cord. If a lamp or something works correctly at the end of the extension cord and does not trip the GFI outlet then the problem is at the coach. The OP at that point should try hooking back up at the back of the house to see if that still works.

phnguyk · 06-20-2014, 05:35 PM

Gfci's don't like reverse polarity.

vettenuts · 06-20-2014, 06:16 PM

Verified the wiring is correct. I picked up another GFCI outlet today and (knock on wood) it has not tripped since installation. I am going to give it a few days and if it doesn't trip I plan to return the first outlet back to Home Depot and tell them it is defective.

rdrv831 · 06-20-2014, 06:28 PM

May I ask why you didn't install the 30 amp or 50 amp circuit that your coach would normally use?

vettenuts · 06-20-2014, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdrv831

May I ask why you didn't install the 30 amp or 50 amp circuit that your coach would normally use?

I would have had to set up a new service. My house service is only 100 amp and the box is full. I only need to keep up the batteries and maybe use some minor 120v things. If I need full electrical power, I will start the generator which needs to be occasionally exercised anyhow.

srh · 06-20-2014, 06:48 PM

Not to depart from OP's original questions, but somewhat related, residential refrigerators do not like GFI plugs either. I found that out the hard way!

TQ60 · 06-20-2014, 09:33 PM

Check your ac load center for shared and not isolated grounds.

White returns attach to one buss and bare grounds on another one.

Often some folks cheat and wire funny returns and grounds.

Check with ohm meter as ground should not be connected to white

gemini5362 · 06-20-2014, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srh

Not to depart from OP's original questions, but somewhat related, residential refrigerators do not like GFI plugs either. I found that out the hard way!

I am not sure what experience you had but could it have been to a specific brand of refrigerator. My MH had a residential refrigerator in it when I bought it. It is plugged into a GFI receptacle and has been for the two years I have owned it. We are not full timers but out of the last two years we have lived in our Mh 7 months camped out a lot of weeks and weekends. In between we plug the coach into power at home. I have never had a problem with my refrigerator being plugged into the GFI receptacle.

gemini5362 · 06-20-2014, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vettenuts

Verified the wiring is correct. I picked up another GFCI outlet today and (knock on wood) it has not tripped since installation. I am going to give it a few days and if it doesn't trip I plan to return the first outlet back to Home Depot and tell them it is defective.

congratulations that you found your problem and it an easy inexpensive fix.

srh · 06-21-2014, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemini5362

I am not sure what experience you had but could it have been to a specific brand of refrigerator. My MH had a residential refrigerator in it when I bought it. It is plugged into a GFI receptacle and has been for the two years I have owned it. We are not full timers but out of the last two years we have lived in our Mh 7 months camped out a lot of weeks and weekends. In between we plug the coach into power at home. I have never had a problem with my refrigerator being plugged into the GFI receptacle.

You are obviously correct that it may not apply to all makes. I had a Maytag, late 1990's vintage in my house. Took it out and replaced it. I moved it in my garage temporarily. It tripped off every outlet with GFI protection.

Thanks for the clarification!