XLT owners need your HELP

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by dave-g

It measures loss of current to neutral- any current on ground makes it trip.

You are correct. My point remains.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

<<Takes a bow>>

BUT....and it's a BIG BUT...... I have to respectfully disagree with the "Master Tech"......

First off, a GFI does NOT protect against overload. It protects against Ground Faults, at which point it Interrupts. It measures for LOSS OF CURRENT TO GROUND in a circuit......and then it pops. It is mostly for protection in wet environments, which is why they are used in kitchens, bathrooms and outside. Water in contact with the circuit can cause a path through the human body to ground which can be hazardous or even lethal at much lower amperages than those that would pop the breaker.

Second, only outlets DOWNSTREAM of the GFI, if wired correctly, would be protected.

In residential construction the number of outlets on a general circuit is generally no more than 8-10. What you have is fine.

What he did is pretty much pointless and what he told you is BS.

More of a troubleshooting aid. Plus a overload assister.

If we plug into one of the upstream outlets, and overload the circuit, the GFI 1-2 outlets downstream will pop. No crawling under the bed or looking for open grounds. Just reset the GFI and don't overload the circuit again

And, actually the REAL fix is twofold: #1 don't forget to turn your floors up to 98° before you go to bed, and #2 winter in Florida (we leave 26 DEC

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

<<Takes a bow>>

BUT....and it's a BIG BUT...... I have to respectfully disagree with the "Master Tech"......

First off, a GFI does NOT protect against overload. It protects against Ground Faults, at which point it Interrupts. It measures for LOSS OF CURRENT TO GROUND in a circuit......and then it pops. It is mostly for protection in wet environments, which is why they are used in kitchens, bathrooms and outside. Water in contact with the circuit can cause a path through the human body to ground which can be hazardous or even lethal at much lower amperages than those that would pop the breaker.

Second, only outlets DOWNSTREAM of the GFI, if wired correctly, would be protected.

In residential construction the number of outlets on a general circuit is generally no more than 8-10. What you have is fine.

What he did is pretty much pointless and what he told you is BS.

X2

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

If we plug into one of the upstream outlets, and overload the circuit, the GFI 1-2 outlets downstream will pop.

Nope.

The breaker in the panel will pop if everything is working correctly.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Oscarvan

Nope.

The breaker in the panel will pop if everything is working correctly.

Well not according to the upstream test we did at the dealership

[dave-g]

just curious, what did they do to test the circuit? If they plugged in a little square thing with a push button- that was a gfi tester- if they plugged in 2 1500 watt electric heaters that would give you a load test.

GFI- (Ground Fault Interrupter) interrupt the circuit on a ground fault- not a current overload-

[BamaBob]

They plugged in a 2000W hair dryer and a 2500W heater and turned them on at the same time

KAPOW! [emoji6]

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

You get the Brass Ring Oscar.

It was a open ground, caused by - I hate to say it - poor factory wiring. Of the 7 receptacles, the techs found that 5 were wired poorly - overstrpped wires with the copper exposed, and the open ground receptacle the wire had popped out of the connecter.

The Master Technician at the Dealership told me that having that many receptacles in series without a GFI was asking for trouble, so they put a residential (20 AMP) GFI receptacle under the wardrobe, halfway down the series. This way if the circuit overloads, the GFI pops instead of the wiring. His advice to every Berk owner is to put a GFI receptacle somewhere in the series - the easiest place is like they did for us and replace the receptacle under the closet.

Originally Posted by BamaBob

They plugged in a 2000W hair dryer and a 2500W heater and turned them on at the same time

KAPOW! [emoji6]

Bob, I just started reading this thread. Can you post a pic of this GFCI outlet that the factory installed, and I "think" you are saying is tripping when the circuit is overloaded when they tested using a hair dryer and heater? This isn't normally what a GFCI outlet is designed for and functions as, which other members are correctly stating. I am very curious about this and would very much like to see a pic of this tripping GFCI if you can snap a pic of it.

Or are you perhaps saying the GFCI circuit breaker in the distribution panel is what tripped when they tested. I did see in a previous pic where there were some GFCI circuit breakers which is different from an GFCI outlet.

Page 3 below explains this

http://www.inspectcheck.net/client_l...%20They%20Work

A GFCI outlet trips when there is an imbalance between the current on the hot line and neutral.

A GFCI circuit breaker trips on the same imbalance AND on an overload

Thanks

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by dave-g

just curious, what did they do to test the circuit? If they plugged in a little square thing with a push button- that was a gfi tester- if they plugged in 2 1500 watt electric heaters that would give you a load test.

GFI- (Ground Fault Interrupter) interrupt the circuit on a ground fault- not a current overload-

Keep in mind GFCI protection started as a panel device, outlet protecters came later. Over current or current leakage will trip all circuits from the source when the panel protection is used.

[wmtire]

Bob, are you also sure they didn't perhaps install an arc fault circuit interrupter outlet (AFCI)?

[BamaBob]

Well they told me it was a residential GFI receptacle- it will take a pict when i get back to the coach, but to me at least, it looks like a GFI receptacle- could it possibly be a combination unit?

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

Well they told me it was a residential GFI receptacle- it will take a pict when i get back to the coach, but to me at least, it looks like a GFI receptacle- could it possibly be a combination unit?

Yes, they do make a combo, so it possibly could be.

[BamaBob]

Just called them and asked...and Yep it is a combo [emoji3]