Community Forums

FLYING BUTCH · 05-29-2011, 03:05 PM

when I am running my splitter (50-30) if I run an extension cord that does not have a ground the system will charge and I have 110 into coach. If I run the same set up but run a grounded extension cord it will trip the gfi in the garage?? Odd thing is when I am using the extension cord with NO ground if I touch the body frame I will get a little shock. Something is going on with the ground but I have no clue. Any ideas guys?? Appreciate any help you all can give me.

GaryKD · 05-29-2011, 04:29 PM

Hi FLYING BUTCH,
It's been 5 years since I had this problem so bear with me. The solution I had was to get the CG to fix their wiring (new park) it was a crossed neutral/ground. The symptoms were the same as yours.

The problem may not be in the coach, but what the coach is connected to.

bldrbob · 05-30-2011, 07:07 AM

Getting a shock from the frame is not a good thing. Check the receptical for proper wiring.Does it do it in all recepticals?

paz · 05-30-2011, 07:27 AM

The neutral and the ground in the house circuit are supposed to be bonded. The ground is a long, metal spike driven into the ground.

Because you can't drive a metal spike into the ground for the RV, the neutral and the ground in the RV must be separate.

It sounds like your neutral and ground in your RV are connected, which they shouldn't be.

It also sounds like the hot and neutral are reversed, either in the house circuit or somewhere in the RV. That's why you're getting shocked when you touch the frame - the neutral (which is now hot) is bonded to the ground (which is the frame). When you use an extension cord with a ground, it bleeds the current to the ground back in the house, which is the long, metal stake in the ground.

The reason the neutral and ground must be separate in the RV is exactly because of what seems to be happening in this case. If they are connected together and the hot and neutral are reversed, the frame will be hot.

Go to Walmart, Lowe's or Home Depot and get a plug-in circuit tester like this.

It will tell you where the problem is.

Wayne M · 05-30-2011, 08:03 AM

Has this always happened? Did someone recently replace the GFI plug? It could be as simple as checking the line going into the plug and making sure the load is hooked up to the load side of the GFI plug. (Load = Hot wire)

Good luck.

Gary RVRoamer · 05-30-2011, 03:18 PM

I think Paz has hit the nail on the head. You have a reversed neutral and ground somewhere in the RV. This is a serious safety concern and needs to be found and corrected soonest.

wa8yxm · 05-30-2011, 04:17 PM

You have something wired wrong and the GFCI is doing what you hired it to do, Protecting your anatomy.

now, you said you are running a splitter 50/30 and then talked about a GFCI which is usually 20 amps.. Just what are you doing here

Describe in detail.. I suspect I know and I suspect you have a word wrong.

And if you are then the GFCI is working as designed and you need to re-think.

now

I have a box, it has two 30 mp plugs and one 50 amp outlet.. There are a couple of places where I can use it.. Just 2 that I have found so far,, NEITHER of these has GFCI outelts.

These will not work with GFCI protected outelts.. It is that simple.

FLYING BUTCH · 05-31-2011, 05:19 AM

what I have is a splitter which has two individual cords on it. The dealer marked the cord which will charge my batteries and let 110 go on one side of the coach. I also have a reducer plug (different from the splitter) which will allow me to plug into an electrical 110 outlet(using an extension cord) and get power on both sides of my coach's electrical system. Nothing has been rewired on the coach and as far as I know it has been like this for the 2 1/2 years I have owned it (04 Beaver). I don't use this electrical hookup (using an electrical cord into a house outlet) very often. Again what happens is when I use either the reducer piece or the splitter, plug either of them into a grounded extension cord and plug the extension cord into ANY outlet in a house outlet the house outlet will trip its GFI. If I use either of the same setups but don't use an extension cord with a ground everything works fine but I can get a shock touching bare metal on the frame?? I don't understand where the bad electrical problem is coming from??? Thanks for everyone's opinion in trying to solve this mystery.

bldrbob · 05-31-2011, 05:56 AM

Sounds like the splitter is wired wrong.The positive and neutral are reversed.If one side only feeds 1/2of the coach but the other side feeds both sides the prongs on plug one are hot when two is plugged in and dangerous.If both are plugged in you have a potential for a big problem if on separate circuits.

bldrbob · 05-31-2011, 06:06 AM

When you say any circuit in the house will trip the GFI I think you mean circuit breaker cause all circuits are not GFI.THat means the hot and neutral are reversed and when you plug into a three wire plug you have a direct short thru the ground.

wa8yxm · 05-31-2011, 07:50 AM

First,, You keep saying "Splitter" when I think what you have is a "Combiner" Like this:

Which by the way can be found at: Worldwide Merchandise Company - 50-Amp RV Box Adapter - Electrical Adapters - Camping World WHich is where I linked to for the image.

This device WILL NOT WORK WITH GFCI OUTLETS.. I know, I have one. Same model.

Gary RVRoamer · 05-31-2011, 09:49 AM

The splitter (or combiner, whatever you choose), will trip a GFCI because of the shared neutral, but won't cause shocks on the frame. The shock suggests a reversed neutral & hot. Or perhaps a bonded neutral & ground in the RV.

wa8yxm · 05-31-2011, 12:29 PM

I agree there too Gary.. Just trying to fix one thing at a time.
I'll let you take the flipped wires.

I might add,, the last trailer I had the man made his own 20 amp power adapter.. He basically cut the male end off an extension cord and then added the 20 amp twist lock outlet to match the inlet on the trailer to the short end, and put a 15/20 amp outlet on the long end.

he hooked the black wire to the silvery screw and the white wire to the coppery screw on both plug and outlet (so in the end it worked out ok, so long as you used ONLY the cord he made)

I fixed it.

FLYING BUTCH · 06-01-2011, 04:54 AM

what I have is exactly like the one you have in the picture. When I run a grounded extension cord from it to an outlet in my garage it will trip the gfi on the outlet right away. If I run an ungrounded cord it will not trip the gfi and I am getting power into the coach but again can get a shock if I touch bare frame part???? I am not tripping any circuit breakers in the house. I don't see how any wires could be wrong inside the coach as it works fine when we go to a campground that has 30 or 50 amp service and I hook the coach up not using this combiner? Oh almost forgot I have two different types of combiners and it will do the same on either one?? Wat do ya think is going on guys?