Community Forums

canondreams · 11-02-2019, 02:49 PM

Anyone have an idea where I should start? I was frustrated because my MH can plug into regular 30A plugs at campgrounds, operates fine with the generator, but trips the GFCI at my house when I plug it in with the adapter.

Tried two adapters... still pops. After rewiring a non-functional GFCI outlet inside the rig, I thought for sure it would have fixed the issue... still pops. I even flipped off all the AC breakers inside the MH, including the main breaker to the panel. Still pops the GFCI on my house... and the side, front and garage outlets all do the same when I try them.

I don't know what to do next! Help!!

JBDISCOVERY · 11-02-2019, 03:06 PM

Have you replaced the house GFI? They can be very touchy and trip.
Have had to replace some in our experience. Based upon your statement, seems the problem is not in your coach.
JimB

twinboat · 11-02-2019, 04:57 PM

You have a ground fault. 30 amp campground outlets don't detect it.

Switch off all of the RV breakers and see if you can plug in. Then switch them back on one at a time.

Report findings.

garry1p · 11-02-2019, 05:31 PM

1. Do you have an inverter installed some units tie neutral to ground.
2. Faulty 30 amp cable (short neutral to ground).
3. PIA but pull (disconnect) the neutral wires one at a time in the breaker box until problem clears most likely is hot water heater next frig.

Good luck let us know what you find.

NXR · 11-02-2019, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

You have a ground fault. 30 amp campground outlets don't detect it.

Or 50-amp. The RVIA just defeated an attempt to amend the 2020 NEC to require GFCI's on 30-amp and 50-amp outlets in campgrounds because of issues like this.

Ray

cavie · 11-02-2019, 10:23 PM

As twinboat stated. turn off all gfi's in the coach then plug it back in. 2 gfi's in series sometimes don't play nice. OR plug into a non gfi outlet

twinboat · 11-03-2019, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavie

As twinboat stated. turn off all gfi's in the coach then plug it back in. 2 gfi's in series sometimes don't play nice. OR plug into a non gfi outlet

I mentioned switching off breakers.

I never stated anything about GFCIs in series, or that they " don't play nice ". There is no science or theory that backs that statement and I don't agree.

Busskipper · 11-03-2019, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canondreams

Anyone have an idea where I should start? I was frustrated because my MH can plug into regular 30A plugs at campgrounds, operates fine with the generator, but trips the GFCI at my house when I plug it in with the adapter.

Tried two adapters... still pops. After rewiring a non-functional GFCI outlet inside the rig, I thought for sure it would have fixed the issue... still pops. I even flipped off all the AC breakers inside the MH, including the main breaker to the panel. Still pops the GFCI on my house... and the side, front and garage outlets all do the same when I try them.

I don't know what to do next! Help!!

As I had the same issue, my electrician said the new GFI's are just too sensitive - and said you may just have to switch out the one at the House to a Non GFI - (he said he could not do that as it is not code - but that it will work fine) I did it and the Coach has been plugged in for two years - My logic here is the 30 amp and the 50 amp are not gfi protected and they have been safe for years sooooo........just saying, not telling you to do it - but - it worked for me.

More than one way to skin the Cat - or fix the GFI.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-03-2019, 07:50 AM

The most common cause for this would be a faulty shore power cord, with a strand of the neutral wire touching the ground at the male plug end (or possibly at the Rv end, e.g. at the transfer switch).

The next most common source of RV ground faults is probably an RB absorption fridge with its electric heat element shorting to ground. The heater element is vulnerable to high resistance shorts because of the rusty metal pocket that mounts it to the fridge boiler.

Inverters and generators are grounded to the RV chassis and have their own internal neutral bond, but these are far less likely to cause ground fault problems than internet wisdom suggests. Nor are faulty GFCI's a likely source of a problem, despite the popular myth that GFCIs go bad all the time. It's been 30+ years since GFCI internal failures were commonplace, yet the rumor remains rampant.

It's also possible that some modification to the RV created a neutral-ground bond and this is guaranteed to trip any GFCI outlet you plug to. Amateur techs and DIYers either intentionally or inadvertently create neutral-ground bonds where they should not be in an RV electrical system.

twinboat · 11-03-2019, 07:58 AM

Just a point of info, but some public owned campgrounds are installing 30 and 50 amp GFCI receptacles.

You may want to find and repair the issue in case you run into one.

Common items are gas/electric fridges, electric water heaters, converter/chargers and wiring mistakes.

Carlos Marti · 11-03-2019, 09:05 AM

I stayed in one of those parks 2 years ago, GFCIs on everything. I had no problems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

Just a point of info, but some public owned campgrounds are installing 30 and 50 amp GFCI receptacles.

You may want to find and repair the issue in case you run into one.

Common items are gas/electric fridges, electric water heaters, converter/chargers and wiring mistakes.

Solo_RV_Guy · 11-03-2019, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busskipper

As I had the same issue, my electrician said the new GFI's are just too sensitive - and said you may just have to switch out the one at the House to a Non GFI - (he said he could not do that as it is not code - but that it will work fine) I did it and the Coach has been plugged in for two years - My logic here is the 30 amp and the 50 amp are not gfi protected and they have been safe for years sooooo........just saying, not telling you to do it - but - it worked for me.

More than one way to skin the Cat - or fix the GFI.

Your electrician needs to go the Mike Holt dot com site and do some study hall time.

The USA standard for GFCI trip threshold is 5 milliamps and hasn't changed in at least 25 years.

GFCIs trip because there is an imbalance (difference) in current between the hot and neutral. It's based on physics - if current isn't the same it's LEAKING to ground somewhere that is not intended. Leaking between your hands (via your chest cavity) is a Very Bad Thing as around 6ma is where even healthy people can go into cardiac fibrillation. That's why the USA picked 5ma...

GaryRVRoamer is spot on as to the causes of these leaks. Also note that leaks are 'cumulative' to the GFCI - that means if you have two devices or appliances that each leak 3ma, having either connected to the service will not trip the GFCI, but connecting both of them probably will trip the GFCI. GFCIs are not load-dependent - they are not overcurrent protection devices like circuit breakers or fuses - they only trip with the current coming and going is not equal in both sides of the circuit.

There are a number of persistent (and incorrect) myths about GFCIs, especially in the RVing community.

cavie · 11-03-2019, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

I mentioned switching off breakers.

I never stated anything about GFCIs in series, or that they " don't play nice ". There is no science or theory that backs that statement and I don't agree.

I know you mentioned turning off breakers. I repeated it. Never said you stated "they don't play nice."

I have the scientific theory. Except it is not theory. And I don't care if you don't agree

In my case it was proven fact. I had the opportunity to have both of my trailers parked side by side this summer. )One a 2002 and one a 2011. Neither trailer would work with with 2 GFI's in series. I had to either turn off the GFI circuit in the trailers OR plug into a non GFI outlet. I know of no other way of testing. If you do please let me know.

I have also seen on this and other forums statements of 'GFI not playing nice."

I will add that SOME GFI outlets do play nice because others have told me they do and I believe them.

Busskipper · 11-03-2019, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solo_RV_Guy

Your electrician needs to go the Mike Holt dot com site and do some study hall time.

The USA standard for GFCI trip threshold is 5 milliamps and hasn't changed in at least 25 years.

GFCIs trip because there is an imbalance (difference) in current between the hot and neutral. It's based on physics - if current isn't the same it's LEAKING to ground somewhere that is not intended. Leaking between your hands (via your chest cavity) is a Very Bad Thing as around 6ma is where even healthy people can go into cardiac fibrillation. That's why the USA picked 5ma...

GaryRVRoamer is spot on as to the causes of these leaks. Also note that leaks are 'cumulative' to the GFCI - that means if you have two devices or appliances that each leak 3ma, having either connected to the service will not trip the GFCI, but connecting both of them probably will trip the GFCI. GFCIs are not load-dependent - they are not overcurrent protection devices like circuit breakers or fuses - they only trip with the current coming and going is not equal in both sides of the circuit.

There are a number of persistent (and incorrect) myths about GFCIs, especially in the RVing community.

.

Not to be argumentative - BUT - if it works on a different gfi but not on the newly installed one then there just might be a a difference in quality in these new “made in China” gfi’s - so just saying - some people use logic not just what is written in the book.

And FYI the one it works on will pop with a proper ground fault - interesting that this is something that has just become an RV issue recently, sorry but it is MHO that something has changed in the last 50 years not just in the newer RV’s.

JMHO,