Electrical draw??

speedjester · 09-21-2014, 07:07 PM

Well since I'm waiting for my electrician to move my 50amp plug.. I have been using a 15 amp outlet.. First I started plugging it in at my garage.. And the other day I walked in and heard my Gfi outlet rattling then Pop in front of me( lucky as that same circuit powers our meat freezer.. So brought a better thicker 15 amp cord and brought it around back to a outlet I have on its own breaker ( powers my electric fence) and plugged it in.. So this evening when the fenced didn't power up I found that once again the GFI was tripped...so question could it be my sprinklers wetting the cord...or to many amps being pulled by coach??How many amps does the converter draw with everything off??

Thoughts opinions??

davel1971 · 09-21-2014, 07:09 PM

my amp meter on my PI display never shows more than 2 amps, usually less, when nothing is on

speedjester · 09-21-2014, 07:19 PM

And is that on a single 110 circuit.. Or when plug into 50 amps.... Only thing that should be drawing is the battery charger...Only other explanation would be the cord getting wet... Both times it happened the ground was wet from rain and this evening from the sprinklers...but I'm using a heavy duty outdoor extension....

davel1971 · 09-21-2014, 07:23 PM

could be because of getting wet, especially since both times you stated it was on a GFI receptacle.

Kaadk · 09-21-2014, 07:50 PM

Are you plugging the trailer into GFI plugs (or at least a GFI protected plug)? That alone might be an issue. The trailer has a GFI in it itself and often they don't like two GFi's on the same circuit. (Read about that happening a lot on this forum.)

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elind · 09-21-2014, 08:05 PM

Was it the GFI or the 15 amp circuit breaker that tripped? If the GFI tripped there is a short to the ground. If the circuit breaker trips it means you are drawing too much power (amps).

speedjester · 09-21-2014, 08:13 PM

On both occasions the GFI tripped...all my outdoor plugs are Gfi including my garage... I thought it maybe the water.. So brought a new Heavy duty outdoor cord and Both ends are protected from the weather...why would it be grounding out?

elind · 09-21-2014, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedjester

On both occasions the GFI tripped...all my outdoor plugs are Gfi including my garage... I thought it maybe the water.. So brought a new Heavy duty outdoor cord and Both ends are protected from the weather...why would it be grounding out?

This is where it get tricky. If the GFI detects any small amount of power to the ground wire it trips. If the GFI line is plugged in to a GFI circuit (a garage plug) it could trip. Or if an appliance with a defected wiring is plugged in on a GFI plug it could feed power into the ground and trip. The first thing to do is plug in the power cord into a non GFI circuit in the garage.

speedjester · 09-21-2014, 08:41 PM

All my outdoor plugs are GFI as well as all my garage plugs.. Something else yesterday it was plugged in all day on the same circuit as the electric fence without issue..( fence was on this morning) the of course the sprinklers are programmed to turn on in that zone at 5pm...I'm leaning toward the moisture tripping the gfi... Unless there is something in the coach that could be tripping it...Could something in the coach itself be tripping it???

Big Paul · 09-21-2014, 08:53 PM

If GFI tripped just about has to be something shorted it out. The water is probably it but it could be anything that can cause a short circuit it, sounds like one of the little gremlins that run around electric circuits that you have to catch actually happening to find the problem.

elind · 09-21-2014, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedjester

All my outdoor plugs are GFI as well as all my garage plugs.. Something else yesterday it was plugged in all day on the same circuit as the electric fence without issue..( fence was on this morning) the of course the sprinklers are programmed to turn on in that zone at 5pm...I'm leaning toward the moisture tripping the gfi... Unless there is something in the coach that could be tripping it...Could something in the coach itself be tripping it???

All it takes to trip a GFI is moisture around the plug connections. It could be that simple.

speedjester · 09-21-2014, 09:00 PM

Well no rain in the near future.. Will shut the sprinklers in that zone off.. If it trips again then I have to look at something tripping it in the coach..

Thanks guys..I appreciate the help..

speedjester · 09-22-2014, 11:43 AM

May have found my problem.. Outlet added by previous owner was questionable I twisted it and power to coach shut off.. Took cover plate off and found ground was rubbing on bare spot on neutral... Hope this was the issue..

elind · 09-22-2014, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedjester

May have found my problem.. Outlet added by previous owner was questionable I twisted it and power to coach shut off.. Took cover plate off and found ground was rubbing on bare spot on neutral... Hope this was the issue..

Good find!!! That could do it.

speedjester · 09-23-2014, 09:48 AM

Well it happened again.. What I don't understand suit takes hrs before it trips... Kept it plugged in all day yesterday no issue... Woke up this morning tripped;(... If there was a short to ground wouldn't it trip instantly??? Nothing is on in the MH except the converter..

**wmtire** · 09-23-2014, 10:01 AM

Do you have a Suburban water heater, and if so, is the oft hidden electric element switch on by any chance?

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ore-36197.html

speedjester · 09-23-2014, 10:06 AM

Wmtire.. I have a suburban water heater but I believe it's just propane..

**wmtire** · 09-23-2014, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedjester

I believe it's just propane..

That's highly possible, but the link I provided above will show you where to check to make sure it's not electric, as well as propane.

The reason I pointed out this possibility is you may have a problem with the electric element side of the water heater.

TURBS · 09-23-2014, 10:26 AM

Just an fyi for the op.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...aws-17300.html

jergeod · 09-23-2014, 07:04 PM

You mentioned you have a freezer on that same line as the motorhome, how many amps is that breaker? The freezer may be drawing almost max of the breaker then with the converter of the motorhome each time the freezer kicks on it trips the gfi or if the freezer is running and the converter jumps on gfi trips. Just a thought.

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