Plugging in our trailer it trips the GFI plug

Micahnkel · 08-03-2015, 04:17 AM

We plug in our 2014 servory cadet by forest river and it trips the GFI plug every time also drains battery so we took it in to the shop found out when wiring the trailer the stapled into one of the wires therefore grounding out. Replaced wire replaced converter and new batteries, take it home plug it in trips GFI and still won't hold charge drains batteries in few hours we charge the batteries with generator. Only way we have any power is with generator. Please help with any info trailer has been in shop for 3 weeks

harderd · 08-03-2015, 11:06 AM

The camper does not have an earth ground. Try a non GFI receptical.

youroo · 08-03-2015, 11:23 AM

Are you saying that you are (Plugging into a GFI outlet) at your house/C/G? Are you using any type of (Protection In the Power cable also)?

Youroo!!

Brcamper · 08-03-2015, 12:15 PM

The GFCI outlet measures the current draw between the hot and neutral wire. If there is a difference it trips disconnecting power. This saves many lives every year. You could still have more wires shorted. Continue using the gfi receptacle but turn off all 120volt breakers and then plug your trailer in and see if the gfi holds. If it does turn on one breaker at a time until it trips. This will identify the faulty circuit. If it trips with all the 120volt circuits off it is the panel or power cord feeding the trailer. This is a potentially dangerous situation if the frame becomes energized and someone touches it. If you are not comfortable with this consult a qualified electrician, but do not plug it in without a GFCI.

harderd · 08-03-2015, 02:16 PM

I am fairly certain you can not plug a camper into GFI. The camper does not have an earth ground. Think about it. Where does the neutral come from, it comes from the ground bar witch goes to earth ground. Plugging the camper int a GFI without the earth ground causes an imbalance tripping the breaker. Plugging into a standard receptacle gives the camper an earth ground allowing the GFIs to work in the camper.

Todouble · 08-03-2015, 02:22 PM

Mine will trip at home on a gfi as well. Just use a standard outlet instead. These rigs don't play nice with Gfi's.

Brcamper · 08-03-2015, 02:54 PM

The power from the panel is 120volt circuit consisting of 1 phase conductor, one neutral(grounded)conductor and one ground(equipment grounding)conductor. This is required by the National Electrical Code. The neutral and ground can't be connected together in the trailer, they are bonded at the first point of disconnect which is the first panel from the utility meter. The frame of the trailer is bonded to the equipment grounding conductor. The GFCI connection he is referring to is a dog bone type or an adapter for a 20 amp receptacle. (26 years experience as a journeyman electrician)

**Mr. Dan** · 08-03-2015, 03:11 PM

Here are some facts regarding my use of GFCI circuits and RV trailers:
1. Prior to every camping trip with my current and two previous trailers, I have connected to a 15a outlet downstream from a GFCI outlet (to operate refrigerator and converter for slides, lights, battery charger).
2. I have never tripped the GFCI.
3. Just now for a test, I plugged my leaf blower into the outlet I use for my trailer, turned on the blower and hit the TEST button on the GFCI. This action killed the blower. Hitting RESET turned the blower back on.

Conclusion: MY trailer(s) did (do) play well with GFCI circuits.

Sent (I think)

harderd · 08-03-2015, 08:26 PM

I stand corrected. It just occurred to me that I plug mine into an outside receptacle that is a GFI and it works fine. Still trying to wrap my head around it though.

**Flybob** · 08-03-2015, 08:57 PM

If you have accidentally turned on your electric element in the water heater without the water heater being full of water and burned out the element, it can cause this issue. When the heating rod burns out it will create a short that looks like a ground fault. If you are not sure , you will have to disconnect the heating element you can not just shut the breaker off.

youroo · 08-04-2015, 05:58 AM

Another one shot (Ask for Help Post)! No reply,no outcome?

Youroo!!

elind · 08-04-2015, 07:18 AM

I have used a 20 amp GFCI from my garage with no problems in the past. It was said earlier to turn off all the breakers and turn them on one by one. If the GFCI trips when one circuit is turned on the that circuit has a problem. Then unplug every appliance on that circuit. Then if it stays on, check every appliance one at a time to see anything trips it. Sometimes an appliance has a problem in it that will trip it off. But if the circuit it trips before anything is plugged then it could be in the TT wiring. The GFCI doesn't trip from an overload but trips when the ground senses any power crossing to it.

ChrisAndGarren · 08-04-2015, 12:42 PM

we had a similar issue with our storage area last year - the GFCI would trip about 1x per week, with no rhyme or reason.

We tried everything suggested on this site (turn everything off, unplug the circuits 1x1) and it was still tripping - then the GFCI wouldn't work at all, so the the storage area owner replaced it.

Guess what? Hasn't tripped once since. Try replacing the GFCI receptacle, sometimes they get a little fussy (or so I was told)

Garren

**Flybob** · 08-04-2015, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elind

I have used a 20 amp GFCI from my garage with no problems in the past. It was said earlier to turn off all the breakers and turn them on one by one. If the GFCI trips when one circuit is turned on the that circuit has a problem. Then unplug every appliance on that circuit. Then if it stays on, check every appliance one at a time to see anything trips it. Sometimes an appliance has a problem in it that will trip it off. But if the circuit it trips before anything is plugged then it could be in the TT wiring. The GFCI doesn't trip from an overload but trips when the ground senses any power crossing to it.

A burned out water heater element will trip the house GFCI even if the breaker is off.

RubberNail · 08-04-2015, 03:34 PM

I too had that problem with a 2005 Escapade (Jayco "C"), tripping the GFI breaker whenever I visited my son's home. Also chalked it up to just being an RV as I had several years of no problem with circuits at the camp grounds - until I visited a park in New Mexico that actually had a 30A GFI service, and it tripped. Long story short, took it to an independent RV shop and they found a ground to neutral short at the AC wiring. No problems after that. So my conclusion, if you are tripping the GFI, you have a problem that needs to be fixed.

Wolverine 1945 · 08-05-2015, 06:29 AM

What Flybob said !!!
We ran our 2003 Flagstaff in the north woods of a GFI for years,,, that was code,,, County made us put one in when we got the power pole !!!
I did have to replace it twice,,, not sure why,,, but we would go up in the spring and it would blow ??? I also believe like any breaker after it has tripped several times they get weak !!! My plan was to install a regular outlet,,, but GFI worked for several years after I replace it the last time !!!

magpi26 · 08-05-2015, 07:18 AM

I had the same problem and found that I had a bad power cord after they did about ten other "fixes". Draining the battery is the best indication of a wiring problem. Using a non-GFI receptacle is not the solution...guaranteed.

magpi26 · 08-05-2015, 07:20 AM

X2 squared

oldtool2 · 08-05-2015, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harderd

I am fairly certain you can not plug a camper into GFI. The camper does not have an earth ground. Think about it. Where does the neutral come from, it comes from the ground bar witch goes to earth ground. Plugging the camper int a GFI without the earth ground causes an imbalance tripping the breaker. Plugging into a standard receptacle gives the camper an earth ground allowing the GFIs to work in the camper.

I have my 5er plugged into a 20 amp GFI at my house all the time and do not have any problems. It is a 30 amp circuit so I use a plug adapter to hook up to the 20 amp GFI. And yes, the GFI works. Because it is an outside circuit I test it about once a month. Couple of months back we had a bad electrical storm and it was tripped.

Jim

howie70 · 08-05-2015, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

A burned out water heater element will trip the house GFCI even if the breaker is off.

It should not trip the GFCI if the breaker to the water heater is off. The breaker opens the circuit so there should be nothing going to the water heater at all. If it is tripping the GFCI with the water heater breaker off, you might have a bad breaker.

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