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Old 08-04-2016, 09:34 AM   #1
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Looking for a little help from my rv friends. Took my unit to the local campground yesterday, plugged in to power site. Using an extension cord with my regular cord. Was tripping the gfciat at the campsite, did some investigating. When I turn off the breakers in my unit for the a and water heater everything is fine. Thought it might be too.light of an extension cord, wondering about battery also. I replaced the battery last year and it seems to test fine. Haven't really used my trailer enough to know if I might have another problem. Any advice on where else I might look? I should mention my unit is a 2012 Shamrock. TIA.
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Old 08-04-2016, 09:54 AM   #2
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You're plugging into a GCFI outlet at the pedestal? That is probably what the problem is.

Here's another thread with the same problem.
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:05 AM   #3
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Does the campground have another power source besides the GFCI outlet?

GFCI outlets for feeding shore power just don't play well with trailers.
It usually has to do with the converter and how it is internally designed/built.
You might try flipping the breaker off for the converter and see if you can sustain power to the other circuits.
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:16 AM   #4
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If you're plugged into a GFI outlet, it means you're plugged into a 15 or 20amp circuit. Not enough juice to carry your trailer, even without an extension cord, which I'm assuming is a normal 14 guage extension cord and not heavy enough.
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:18 AM   #5
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I did try flipping all breakers. With all breakers on, as soon as I plug cord into campground source it trips...
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:22 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankenstein View Post
I did try flipping all breakers. With all breakers on, as soon as I plug cord into campground source it trips...
Are you plugging into the 30amp socket?
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:23 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by hankenstein View Post
I did try flipping all breakers. With all breakers on, as soon as I plug cord into campground source it trips...
Turn them all off and then back on one at a time until you find the culprit.
Likely the converter breaker.
That won't necessarily mean anything is wrong with the converter.
As I said earlier, most newer converters are designed with circuitry that will trip a GFCI duplex outlet.
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:23 AM   #8
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So I need a heavier extension cord then? Not enough leash to plug in my rv cord directly..wondered if that was an issue. Doesn't seem to cause a problem at home with same setup
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:24 AM   #9
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Just to make sure we are using the correct terminology, are you sure you are tripping the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) which is usually only on a 15/20 amp outlet...or do you possibly mean the circuit breaker itself, which could be applicable to a 50, 30, or 15/20 amp outlet?

In this pic below, what exactly is tripping?

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Old 08-04-2016, 10:24 AM   #10
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seems to be the water heater breaker for sure..faulty breaker?
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:25 AM   #11
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Used by itself (not using a 30+20 combiner), the GFCI shouldn't trip... unless there is an electrical issue (bad wiring in RV -or- campsite/campground). Could be a problem anywhere. Are you sure your cords are OK?

When you say "tripping the GFCI", are you tripping the 15 or 20 amp breaker at the pedestal OR are you tripping the actual GCFI circuitry on the GFCI receptacle itself?

A 20 amp power source is really limiting though. Why are you plugging into that and not a 30 or 50 receptacle?


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Old 08-04-2016, 10:26 AM   #12
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Rereading your original post you mentioned with the A/C breaker and the water heater breakers off, the power stayed on.

You WILL NOT be able to run both of those off a 15 amp GFCI outlet, with or without an extension cord.
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:28 AM   #13
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When I plug extension cord into camp box,have to push reset button
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:32 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankenstein View Post
When I plug extension cord into camp box,have to push reset button


Try running a separate appliance off of the extension cord while NOT plugged in to the camper.

If everything is in working order, the GFCI should not be an issue, other than you are limited to 15 or 20 amps.


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Old 08-04-2016, 10:34 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankenstein View Post
When I plug extension cord into camp box,have to push reset button
So, I take it, you are connecting via the 15/20 amp outlet at the campground, due to the fact you ONLY have an extension cord that will plug into that outlet....and maybe your true 30 amp cord to your RV will not reach same pedestal?

What size and how long is this extension cord? Your problem is probably all in it.

Wal-Mart usually has true 30 amp extension cords for your trailer in their RV section in stores, if you are close to one.
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Old 08-04-2016, 10:35 AM   #16
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Does the cord you are plugging into the box look like this:



or this:

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