Final answer on 2 GFI's in series

[cavie]

I have purchased a Keystone Sprinter 323 BHS and Have it next to my Wildwood 5er. I thought to myself "What better time to settle the GFI in series problem than right now." I knew the results of this test a long time ago but decided to test it in real life for myself and all you naysayers.

No interferance from the WH. They were both on GAS.

I started with the 5er. I used a 15/30 dog bone. Plugged in to the camp 20 amp GFI outlet. Turned on the GFI 20 amp breaker and "POP" goes the GFI PED outlet. Walked into the 5er and turned off the GFI circuit breaker. Walked back to the PED and reset the GFI outlet. All is good. No bleeding WH element causing problems because it it on GAS.

Now, on to the Sprinter. Same set up. 15/30 dog bone, plugged in the 30 amp trailer, turned on the 20 amp ped breaker and "POP" out goes the ped GFI. Go inside trailer and turn off the GFI breaker, return to the PED, reset the GFI outlet and all is well.

I just don'T know how else to say it. 2 GFI'S IN SERIES DON'T PLAY NICE!

50 year Electrician, Master Electrician, Electric Building Inspector. This is my final discussion on this subject.

See you over on the Thor Forums.

[pgandw]

And my experiences are just the opposite. Plug into the garage into a GFCI outlet - in 2 different garages (we moved 3 years ago). Everything in 2 different campers (both FR A-frames) has worked fine, including all outlets. Tested by setting up inside or just outside the garage and using and checking all outlets (there aren't many on an A-frame). Possibly true at campgrounds (don't think I've ever plugged into a GFCI outlet at a campground), but not at my houses!

Don't doubt your experience at all - it just goes to show not all GFCIs are created equal.

Fred W
then 2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
now 2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[Flybob]

Not all GFCI use the same circuitry. Some of the lower cost GFCIs appear to the the upstream GFCI as leakage to ground and trip it.

[Blank]

Haven't had the issue or tried it on the MH yet, but was never an issue on 3 TT or a toy hauler. In my garage, I have one that powers my sprinkler time controls and continues on to power my fish pond pump and submersible water heater for the pond. Have been using it that way for 15 years - no problems.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Flybob

Not all GFCI use the same circuitry. Some of the lower cost GFCIs appear to the upstream GFCI as leakage to ground and trip it.

Yes I intended to add the the Better Hi quality outlets will work in series but forgot. Knowing which ones are hi quality is difficult. I only purchased Levition devices thru out my carer but I don't think the RV industry does so.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Flybob

Not all GFCI use the same circuitry. Some of the lower cost GFCIs appear to the the upstream GFCI as leakage to ground and trip it.

Yes I intended to add the the Better Hi quality outlets will work in series but forgot. Knowing which ones are hi quality is difficult. I only purchased Levition devices thru out my carer but I don't think the RV industry does so.

[B and B]

Congrats on moving to Thor. I have found my Thor produced Heartland products better quality and finishes than both FR products.

What did you get?

Cheers

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by B and B

Congrats on moving to Thor. I have found my Thor produced Heartland products better quality and finishes than both FR products.

What did you get?

Cheers

Your question is answered in the first line of the thread.

[Telstar]

You mentioned that you shut off one of the breakers with a GFI. What was the load on that circuit? Do yo have GFI’s on other breakers? I’ve had less than six times in 14 years where I was at a friends house and had to plug into a 20 amp GFI, never had any problem. I installed a 50 amp box to plug into at home.

[Slow Moon]

ALL MY GFCIs IN A SERIES DO PLAY NICE.

A notable example is my underwater dock lights are designed to operate with two GFCIs in a series. They have a GFCI built into the plug, and the instructions are very clear that they must be plugged into a GFCI-protected circuit. So the electrical engineers over at Underwater Fish Lights concluded that GFCIs IN A SERIES ARE A GOOD THING.

I have also used a portable GFCI designed to protect an extension cord on a GFCI-protected circuit that I installed on my RV pedestal at home. I have operated outdoor string lights this way for a few months and experienced no problems with that set up.

That's my experience, and that's all I know. Hope it is useful to readers.

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by cavie

I have purchased a Keystone Sprinter 323 BHS and Have it next to my Wildwood 5er. I thought to myself "What better time to settle the GFI in series problem than right now." I knew the results of this test a long time ago but decided to test it in real life for myself and all you naysayers.

No interferance from the WH. They were both on GAS.

I started with the 5er. I used a 15/30 dog bone. Plugged in to the camp 20 amp GFI outlet. Turned on the GFI 20 amp breaker and "POP" goes the GFI PED outlet. Walked into the 5er and turned off the GFI circuit breaker. Walked back to the PED and reset the GFI outlet. All is good. No bleeding WH element causing problems because it it on GAS.

Now, on to the Sprinter. Same set up. 15/30 dog bone, plugged in the 30 amp trailer, turned on the 20 amp ped breaker and "POP" out goes the ped GFI. Go inside trailer and turn off the GFI breaker, return to the PED, reset the GFI outlet and all is well.

I just don'T know how else to say it. 2 GFI'S IN SERIES DON'T PLAY NICE!

50 year Electrician, Master Electrician, Electric Building Inspector. This is my final discussion on this subject.

See you over on the Thor Forums.

I realize your posts were concerning travel trailers, 5th wheels, etc. But if this always applies why does NEC allow more than two receptacles on one GFCI or GFCI breaker? Professionally curious.

[JoeNanMinn]

Hello.
I think some of you hit the nail on the head when you mention the "quality" of the recepticles themselves. We have a 2014 Sabre 5th wheel. We had nothing but trouble with all 4 of the GFCI's that came installed by the factory in the camper. Even with lighter loads they were constantly tripping. Only on a few occassions did we experience tripping a GFCI outlet in a campground pedestal. But when that happened we had one on the camper trip too. I replaced all of ours with Leviton receptacles. We haven't had an issue since doing that. NONE!
So, I do believe product quality is an issue with these things.
Happy camping and travels to you all.
JP in Minnesota

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by cavie

Yes I intended to add the the Better Hi quality outlets will work in series but forgot. Knowing which ones are hi quality is difficult. I only purchased Levition devices thru out my carer but I don't think the RV industry does so.

LOL, so FINAL ANSWER with exceptions.

[onetonford]

Right now my fiver is plugged into a GFCI circuit and I have never had a problem with it. That is a Square D circuit breaker with the GFCI in it. That being said I have another GFCI right next to it running the plugs in my shop and sometimes just plugging into it will trip it. What I have read is that the higher quality GFCI's do a self test internally which the lower quality GFCI's will sense as a ground fault and will trip. which makes sense to me because the fiver has the lower quality unit and I have the Square D QO 30 amp circuit one before it so it is OK with it. If it was the other way around it would possibly be a issue.

[ProfChuck]

I was wondering about the in-line GFI's as well and then realized that when I installed the trailer connection (30A) for our Windjammer, that I had put one - a Siemens GFCI - in the panel to control the trailer hookup. We have used it for over 5 years and it has yet to trip because of the trailer GFI's being on the line. At one point we had to live in the Windjammer while remodeling and were in it for 6 months from summer heat to winter cold and never had a problem with the circuit. Those breakers got along fine with each other. So, with the previous poster having Square D and us having Siemens, you have two brands that should work with the GFI's in your TT.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Good to see you back Cavie. Got quiet there for a month or two. BTW my unit works fine plugged into my GFCI outlet at home.

[Bluepill]

If 2 GFCI's in series caused a conflict, no hair dryer with a GFCI would work in any GFCI equipped bathroom. I would estimate that 90% of dryers and better than 80% of bathrooms are GFCI equipped.

Oh, also my GFCI-equipped pressure washer works fine when plugged into my GFCI-Protected outdoor outlets.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

Good to see you back Cavie. Got quiet there for a month or two. BTW my unit works fine plugged into my GFCI outlet at home.

I'm going back to "Quiet Mode".