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04-13-2019, 05:23 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 28
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Is this the reason for Shore GFCI Trip?
Hi All,
I’ve been trying to determine the reason why my Southwind trips the shore GCFI, even with the RV main breaker off. (This wasn’t always the case, it worked wonderfully before we took a 5,000 mile trip last summer).
Today I did a continuity on the RV receptacle. Referencing the attached picture, what I believe is neutral (7 o’clock) and the top (12 o’clock) prong have no continuity. However there is continuity between neutral and the right prong (4 o’clock). There shouldn’t be any continuity between 12 and 4 o’clock, right?
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04-13-2019, 05:52 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 509
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Check in your main ac distribution panel, you have a ground/neutral short. I had the same issue with my trailer, ended up being a faulty plug.
If nothing is touching in the main panel, next I’d try completely removing the gcfi outlet and see if that solves the issue
__________________
2012 RAM 3500 dually
06 ragen 3506 BH
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04-16-2019, 09:40 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Bastrop Texas
Posts: 1,343
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From my experience GFCI circuits just will not work when you plug a non grounded load, RV cord) into the GFCI protected circuit. If you check all the RV park plug ins the only GFCI you have will be the 15/20 amp plug, not the 30 AMP. I'm not electrician but have a lot of experience plugging in.
__________________
2000 Allegro Bus 35R 3126 Cat 300 Allison 3060MD 6 speed
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04-16-2019, 12:12 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 297
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The 7 o'clock position is ground.
The 12 o'clock position is power
The 4 o'clock position is neutral
Here is a diagram. There should only continuity between the ground and neutral with the main breaker OFF. The ground and neutral should be tired together at the ground buss in the breaker panel.
If the breaker is ON there may be continuity between Power and Neutral/Ground by feedback through something in the circuit like a heater.
Use the 125V L5-30P Diagram
__________________
Country Coach 2000 MAGNA C10
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04-16-2019, 12:31 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 4,875
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Quote:
Originally Posted by findwaldo
Attachment 241865
Hi All,
I’ve been trying to determine the reason why my Southwind trips the shore GCFI, even with the RV main breaker off. (This wasn’t always the case, it worked wonderfully before we took a 5,000 mile trip last summer).
Today I did a continuity on the RV receptacle. Referencing the attached picture, what I believe is neutral (7 o’clock) and the top (12 o’clock) prong have no continuity. However there is continuity between neutral and the right prong (4 o’clock). There shouldn’t be any continuity between 12 and 4 o’clock, right?
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You should not have continuity between any of the pins on that L5-30.
"Flagged" pin is ground, silver pin is neutral, brass pin is hot... or should be, anyway.
If you show continuity between neutral and ground *at the camper* then you will trip the pedestal/home shore power GFCI.
__________________
2005 Four Winds Majestic 23A
“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” - Dr Suess
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04-16-2019, 12:53 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3,165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ilvmygt
The 7 o'clock position is ground.
The 12 o'clock position is power
The 4 o'clock position is neutral
Here is a diagram. There should only continuity between the ground and neutral with the main breaker OFF. The ground and neutral should be tired together at the ground buss in the breaker panel.
If the breaker is ON there may be continuity between Power and Neutral/Ground by feedback through something in the circuit like a heater.
Attachment 242279
Use the 125V L5-30P Diagram
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RV guy is correct. There is no continuity between pins with the breakers turned off. Neutrals and grounds are not bonded together in the RV or the pedestal. This is only done in the main service panel of the campgrounds. Neutrals and grounds have their own buss bars. Grounds are bonded to the RV frame. Neutrals are floating.
__________________
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BHS. Port Charlotte Fl/Hinsdale MA. Retired Master Electrician. All Motor homes are RV's. All RV's are not Motor homes.
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04-16-2019, 12:56 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3,165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by findwaldo
Attachment 241865
Hi All,
I’ve been trying to determine the reason why my Southwind trips the shore GCFI, even with the RV main breaker off. (This wasn’t always the case, it worked wonderfully before we took a 5,000 mile trip last summer).
Today I did a continuity on the RV receptacle. Referencing the attached picture, what I believe is neutral (7 o’clock) and the top (12 o’clock) prong have no continuity. However there is continuity between neutral and the right prong (4 o’clock). There shouldn’t be any continuity between 12 and 4 o’clock, right?
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turn you main breaker off and try it again. No continuity between any pins.
__________________
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BHS. Port Charlotte Fl/Hinsdale MA. Retired Master Electrician. All Motor homes are RV's. All RV's are not Motor homes.
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04-16-2019, 01:01 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3,165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by findwaldo
Attachment 241865
Hi All,
I’ve been trying to determine the reason why my Southwind trips the shore GCFI, even with the RV main breaker off. (This wasn’t always the case, it worked wonderfully before we took a 5,000 mile trip last summer).
Today I did a continuity on the RV receptacle. Referencing the attached picture, what I believe is neutral (7 o’clock) and the top (12 o’clock) prong have no continuity. However there is continuity between neutral and the right prong (4 o’clock). There shouldn’t be any continuity between 12 and 4 o’clock, right?
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Are you using a dogbone and plugging into a 20 amp GFI? If so move to a non gfi circuit. 2 gfi's in series don't play nice. You also may have a 5 ma or greater ground fault in your RV. A good test of this id to trip your GFI's in your rig then plug into a GFI circuit shore power. If it trips you have a problem in your RV.
__________________
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BHS. Port Charlotte Fl/Hinsdale MA. Retired Master Electrician. All Motor homes are RV's. All RV's are not Motor homes.
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04-16-2019, 01:12 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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Lets test not guess.
First unplug anything you added or changed since before it started happening.
Next try with the fridge unplugged, not off, but unplugged. If it holds that's a a problem there.
Next is the powers converter. Some plug in.
Pull that plug and test.
Next. Remove white wire from water heater element tape up and test.
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04-16-2019, 06:33 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cavie
turn you main breaker off and try it again. No continuity between any pins.
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The original test was done with the main RV breaker off
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04-16-2019, 06:37 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cavie
Are you using a dogbone and plugging into a 20 amp GFI? If so move to a non gfi circuit. 2 gfi's in series don't play nice. You also may have a 5 ma or greater ground fault in your RV. A good test of this id to trip your GFI's in your rig then plug into a GFI circuit shore power. If it trips you have a problem in your RV.
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Yes, I was using a dogbone and plugging into a 20 amp GFI. When I moved to a non GFI circuit I was able to power the RV via the shore cord.
I’ll have to try your test
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04-16-2019, 06:40 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 28
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Is this the reason for Shore GCFI Trip?
Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
Lets test not guess.
First unplug anything you added or changed since before it started happening.
Next try with the fridge unplugged, not off, but unplugged. If it holds that's a a problem there.
Next is the powers converter. Some plug in.
Pull that plug and test.
Next. Remove white wire from water heater element tape up and test.
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As far as I can recall, nothing has been changed or added since it last worked with A shore GFI.
I’ll try unplugging the fridge...I’ve been doing this with the RV main breaker off, wouldn’t that exclude the fridge?
I believe the converter is hard wired in.
Thanks for the suggestions, I really want to figure this glitch out.
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04-16-2019, 06:46 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,944
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At the risk of being repetitious, in the pic in the first post, 12 o’clock is hot, 4 o’clock is the neutral, and 7 o’clock (flagged) is the ground. And there should be no continuity between any of them with the coach’s main breaker off, measured at the male end of the cord or at the RV inlet. The only place the neutral and ground should be bonded is all the way back at the service equipment, which belongs to the RV park. So if there is continuity between the neutral and ground, the problem is in the coach or the cord.
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04-16-2019, 06:48 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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The first thing that shore power goes to is the Auto Transfer switch, if equipped. Then it goes to the main breaker.
When on generator power, the ground and neutral will be tied together.
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