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Benny20037 · 04-21-2021, 06:13 PM

Hi Everyone
I have a new to me 2004 HR Navigator 40PBT. Prior to bringing her home, I had an electrician install a 50 amp receptacle outside my garage for the coach. This is a dedicated line with the 50A receptacle the only device on that circuit. The problem I'm having is when I plug the coach's power cable into the receptacle, it trips the 50A GFI breaker in my house. If I plug the coach into a separate 15 amp circuit (using a dogbone adapter) I can get power to the coach. We (me and electrician) immediately suspected the 50 A breaker and changed it. We have also confirmed that the 50A receptacle is wired correctly. Even after changing the breaker it is still tripping with the 50A power cord plugged in. I have tested the 50A circuit by plugging in an appliance (again using dogbone adapter) not connected to the coach and it works without problem and no tripping of the breaker. The only difference I see between the 15A and 50A circuits that I'm using is the 50A has a GFI built into the breaker. The electrician cannot find anything wrong and suspects the problem may be with the coach.
Why does the 15A circuit work and not the 50A? Is there something on the coach that I'm not aware of that would trip a GFI. I doubt this is the case as most if not all campgrounds would have a GFI on the pedestal.
Any thoughts as to what I'm missing or doing wrong?

wolfe10 · 04-21-2021, 06:22 PM

Why in the world did he wire the 50 amp RV outlet through a GFI??

Am I correct in assuming that it is the GFI that trips, not a breaker from excessive amp draw?

Remove the GFI breakers and use two standard "pinned" 50 amp breakers in your house breaker box.

And, I am sure you have confirmed:

Outer straights are hots-- L1 and L2
Center straight is neutral
Center round is ground.

Benny20037 · 04-21-2021, 06:28 PM

The 50A breaker has its own GFI built into it and I believe the GFI is tripping and not due to overload (15A circuit does not get overloaded).
Yes, have confirmed L1 and L2, ground and neutral.

appsol · 04-21-2021, 06:33 PM

Some of the really knowledgeable electrical people will be along shortly to answer your questions in depth. However, having stayed in literally hundreds of RV park and pubic park campgrounds I have NEVER seen a 50 amp GFI BREAKER used in the pedestal. Many parks have a 110 volt 20 amp GFI outlet but not GFI breakers.

Dunrollin · 04-21-2021, 06:47 PM

I can also assure you my motorhome would trip your breaker. Someday I might try plugging it into a GFI breaker and just activate 1 inside breaker at a time and see if I can figure out which circuit (or circuits) is causing this. Someday, but it is way down on my list.

jacwjames · 04-21-2021, 06:50 PM

My RV did not play well with GFCI's when I had the refrigerator on (Norcold). It would operate on a standard outlet.

I would swap the 50 amp GFCI breaker to a standard breaker.

I installed my own 50 amp outlets (4 of them to be exact) and none of them are GFCI. 2 of the these I installed while building the new house and the electrical inspector approved of these one of which is in the garage and one on the exterior of the garage.

vyndance · 04-21-2021, 06:51 PM

The 50 amp supply to the RV is a feeder not a branch and as such is not required to have a GFCI. i think NEC 210.?.? Have him install a 2 pole 50.

Outbound · 04-21-2021, 07:42 PM

Ditto, ditch the GFI breaker.

twinboat · 04-21-2021, 07:51 PM

50 amp GFCIs are for swimming pools and hot tubs, not RVs.

Benny20037 · 04-22-2021, 06:17 AM

Thank you all. Looks like I'll have my electrician change the breaker.

doublechevy · 04-22-2021, 06:45 PM

I might consider changing electrician along with the breaker

Kurt Averill · 04-23-2021, 04:22 PM

The inverter may be what is causing the GFCI to trip. With my Trace, when not energized in charge mode the relays in the inverter bond the ground to the neutral ( as is required by code for a separately derived systems ) creating the ground fault that trips the gfci. This is illustrated in the circuit diagram on the inverter. As far as the sparky goes - codes are changing rapidly, if your code authority is under the 2020 NEC - read here: https://iaeimagazine.org/features/sy...-the-2020-nec/

doublechevy · 04-23-2021, 06:08 PM

to my knowledge no GFCI requirement in NEC for 50A or 30A Rv receptacles
installed indoors or outdoors

doublechevy · 04-23-2021, 06:27 PM

After reading the link to the IAI document posted by Kurt I would now say that GFCI receptacles up to 50A with voltages up to 150V to ground would require GFCI protection, if your locality has adopted the 2020 code revisions.

Last code seminar I attended was 2019 and the 2017 NEC code was in effect.

Thank you Kurt for bringing me up to date on recent code change for 2020

will look for publications addressing the 2020 code changes to bring me up to date

Do not do much electrical work any more but still should stay up on code changes Retired 16 years ago