Help!!! Lost power in 110 volt receptacles

[orabun]

Originally Posted by MillMitch

Any chance you blew the breaker at the pole? or a surge protector? Is anything working that is 110?

No, every thing else is working fine.

[Thurman]

I'm with Flybob on this one--very possible that there is a bad connection in one of the duplex outlets upstream of the two (2) under the kitchen cabinets. With the 120vAC power OFF I would open up the GFCI outlet in the bathroom first to inspect it. I have seen those tiny little brass plated probes actually burnt apart in GFCI outlets after a high wattage appliance (a space heater for instance) has been used on the circuit. IF you take the GFCI outlet in the bathroom apart and it looks good and IF you are capable of doing this turn the power back on and check the wiring to see if there is voltage at the outlet. IF there is power at that outlet then go to the next outlet and check it this way as well.

[Bama Rambler]

On the one beside the bed slide, did you trip and reset it just to be sure?

Are the receptacles that aren't working in a slide? If so then look under the slide for the wire loom and see if the wires are broken.

If they're not in a slide then start removing the receptacles one at a time and see if there are any loose wires. I'd start at the one that's not working that appears to be first in the circuit. Then move on to the ones that are working. Just be aware that there's no rhyme or reason for how they route the wires in these things.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Flybob

If you are certain the GFCI is reset and OK, you may have to pull all the outlets in the dead leg and check the connections. Many RVs use self striping punch down type of outlets rather than the screw lug connections used in homes. If the connection is marginal and a high current device ( heater) is run, the connection will heat up and and the connection can be lost. Make sure shore power is disconnected before you attempt this. Once opened it is fairly easy to see a bad connection. I would start at the failed outlet closest to the distribution panel.

Originally Posted by Thurman

I'm with Flybob on this one--very possible that there is a bad connection in one of the duplex outlets upstream of the two (2) under the kitchen cabinets. With the 120vAC power OFF I would open up the GFCI outlet in the bathroom first to inspect it. I have seen those tiny little brass plated probes actually burnt apart in GFCI outlets after a high wattage appliance (a space heater for instance) has been used on the circuit. IF you take the GFCI outlet in the bathroom apart and it looks good and IF you are capable of doing this turn the power back on and check the wiring to see if there is voltage at the outlet. IF there is power at that outlet then go to the next outlet and check it this way as well.

I'm with these two guys on this.

There have been MULTIPLE reports of a dead outlet after using a high current draw device like a heater and the majority have been bad connections either at the place the heater was plugged in or upstream of whatever feeds it.

As mentioned, the connections in these outlets are poor at best but it is what the R/V industry uses.

I would also remove and check the original outlet that was giving you trouble. May be an accident waiting to happen there too.

[Archicamper]

Also, when testing/resetting the GFCI outlets you may need to use a screwdriver. I had a similar issue where I thought I had reset the GFCI but my finger was too big to fully depress the buttons!

[benfox49]

Originally Posted by orabun

Yea, I hope that's what it is. Full disclosure, I had a small electric heater running on it when it quite working. It was plugged into a outlet the TV and satellite was on but after a while, it tripped the breaker. Reset it and it would work again. After a couple of times, I moved it the the receptical over the sink. It worked great for about 30 minutes and then I started having this trouble.

Here's my experience with GCFI's, I see them in houses where the use the GCFI in first outlet and use the pass through feature to power other outlets .

Most GFCI's are only rated at 15 amps, so when you plug in a heater , Tv and who knows what else it's easy to overload the GFCI . Remember most outlet circuits , in a house anyway,are fused at 20 amps.


the GFCI will burn out well before the breaker trips.I've seen this happen a few times.

Ben

[Jeanguypataterubberboot]

Try the outlet outside the coach near the entry door. I have a gfi outlet there too.

[orabun]

Originally Posted by benfox49

Here's my experience with GCFI's, I see them in houses where the use the GCFI in first outlet and use the pass through feature to power other outlets .



Most GFCI's are only rated at 15 amps, so when you plug in a heater , Tv and who knows what else it's easy to overload the GFCI . Remember most outlet circuits , in a house anyway,are fused at 20 amps.





the GFCI will burn out well before the breaker trips.I've seen this happen a few times.



Ben

Thanks Ben, but I've checked all that to no avail.

[orabun]

Originally Posted by Jeanguypataterubberboot

Try the outlet outside the coach near the entry door. I have a gfi outlet there too.

Tried that but it wasn't Tripped. Thanks though.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by orabun

Thanks Ben, but I've checked all that to no avail.

What did you do to "check all that"?

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by kfergiez

Well in that case, it’s time to start unscrewing wall plates and check your wiring. It’s very possible that a wire wasn’t all the way screwed down to the outlet and it finally popped loose.

This is a good troubleshooting step for residential/commercial wiring, but it makes no sense for RVs.

There are no screws or junction boxes in RVs. Romex (NM) runs up the wall, and the plastic receptacle clamps onto it. "Insulation displacement" contacts pierce the insulation and contact hot, neutral, and ground wires. These connections don't seem to have a high failure rate. I've never seen it reported in these forums.

Easy to be fooled. At a quick glance they look like a Leviton Decora outlet.

IMHO, the most likely cause of failure is at the bathroom GFCI which is the same as a residential unit. The downstream connection could have failed while the upstream ones are okay, or the unit could have failed internally so that there's no voltage across the downstream leads. A couple of minutes in the bathroom with a voltmeter will tell the tale.

Larry

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by benfox49

Remember most outlet circuits , in a house anyway,are fused at 20 amps.

Actually most in a house are only 15 amp. Only ones that are 20 amp are kitchen counter outlets and in bathroom (for hair dryers and curling irons of course). Builders only build to meet code which means lights and wall outlet circuits are mostly #14 wire size and 15 amp breakers.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

A couple of minutes in the bathroom with a voltmeter will tell the tale.

Larry

The first thing one should reach for when having electrical problems but all to often the last they do. EVERY tool box should have one. They are a lot cheaper than throwing a lot of parts at a problem and can really save time (which has a value too).

[Retired JSO]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

The first thing one should reach for when having electrical problems but all to often the last they do. EVERY tool box should have one. They are a lot cheaper than throwing a lot of parts at a problem and can really save time (which has a value too).

The $5 Harbor Freight one works just as good as a $200 one to check voltage.

[orabun]

Originally Posted by Retired JSO

The $5 Harbor Freight one works just as good as a $200 one to check voltage.

I've already checked the bathroom GFCI, fine.

[bedubya]

I apologize that I have not read all the posts. My outside receptacle is a GFCI and it is directly below my galley counter and I think (currently it's in storage) my galley out lets are downstream.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Retired JSO

The $5 Harbor Freight one works just as good as a $200 one to check voltage.

I tend to overboard on things like this. I think I spent $14 on mine because it had a continuity tester that "beeps" when there is good connection on an un-powered circuit.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by orabun

I've already checked the bathroom GFCI, fine.

Orabun, As you know, the bathroom GFCI controls the downstream kitchen counter outlets. And you have already tested and reset the bathroom GFCI.

I wrote about a particular type of failure. Suppose the bathroom GFCI is performing most of its functions correctly BUT it's not feeding power downstream. It will provide power at its receptacle, and it will test and reset, but it doesn't provide downstream power. That would explain the symptoms that you report.

As you know, the GFCI outlet has five connections:

1. Hot (black) in
2. Neutral (white) in
3. Ground (bare or green)
4. Hot out (black downstream)
5. Neutral out (white downstream)

The symptoms you describe can be caused by a number of things, but there are two likely ones:

1. Bad connection of Hot out (black downstream) or Neutral out (white downstream)
2. Internal failure of the GFCI receptacle such that Hot out or Neutral out are "open" (not connected to anything)

So when you say "I've already checked the bathroom GFCI, fine." I have to ask whether you checked the two items immediately above.

Larry

[orabun]

Again, thank you all so much for trying to help me figure out my electrical problem!!! There's been several comments made about checking the GFCI receptacle input and output on the back of the receptacle to make sure there was power up hill and down hill. I pulled the GFCI and checked with a voltmeter and there's powder both ways. Also, the outside receptacle underneath the kitchen nob- GFCI receptacle and it is hot, with power. Still scratching my head!!!

[orabun]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Orabun, As you know, the bathroom GFCI controls the downstream kitchen counter outlets. And you have already tested and reset the bathroom GFCI.



I wrote about a particular type of failure. Suppose the bathroom GFCI is performing most of its functions correctly BUT it's not feeding power downstream. It will provide power at its receptacle, and it will test and reset, but it doesn't provide downstream power. That would explain the symptoms that you report.



As you know, the GFCI outlet has five connections:

1. Hot (black) in
   
2. Neutral (white) in
   
3. Ground (bare or green)
   
4. Hot out (black downstream)
   
5. Neutral out (white downstream)
   

The symptoms you describe can be caused by a number of things, but there are two likely ones:

1. Bad connection of Hot out (black downstream) or Neutral out (white downstream)
   
2. Internal failure of the GFCI receptacle such that Hot out or Neutral out are "open" (not connected to anything)
   

So when you say "I've already checked the bathroom GFCI, fine." I have to ask whether you checked the two items immediately above.



Larry

Thanks Larry. I've checked bathroom GFCI with multimeter and it's hot up hill and down hill.