GFCI HAS tripped

Avalie · 12-13-2018, 03:57 PM

We have a 2013 22/29KS. The GFCI has tripped and Some how it has 120VAC on the white nuetral wire. So it won’t reset. I cannot find the cause. I have nothing connected to any outlets. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Also I don’t think the converter is charging the battery and providing the 12 VDC. Is there Anyway to test it? Thanks for your advice!

BrucePerens · 12-13-2018, 08:24 PM

Go plug into another RV park and see if it works correctly. If this is home, your adapter or outlet is wrong.

Avalie · 12-14-2018, 07:58 AM

I understand what you’re saying. The parks pedestal was my first suspect a couple of days ago. At that time the problem was intermittent, the symptom was ...power would drop out and come back for no apparent reason. The park maintenance crew replaced the circuit breaker and the outlet in the pedestal. Then in the middle of the night with basically nothing running the power dropped and returned several times in rapid succession. Next morning before we even got out of bed the power went out completely and did not come back. That is when we discovered the GFCI tripped. And as I said earlier upon investigating I found that the return wire is hot.

**Bill** · 12-14-2018, 08:14 AM

Are you referring to the GFI in the camper, or an outside GFI such as one in a garage or campground power post?

How do you know the neutral wire is hot?

Bill

bheisser · 12-14-2018, 06:47 PM

i had water in the junction box under the trailer by the frame,, under the kitchen area

**dr carver** · 12-15-2018, 05:55 AM

It sounds as if you have a loose neutral connection in the supply. That would be the white wire.

Unplug the main cord from the pedestal and check the connections on both end of the big power cord. Plug at the pedestal end is probably a molded connector so not much you can do with that end except to check for signs of damage.

Then check the connection where you plug in the cord to the camper. On the later years, this is in a little box on the end of the rear bumper on the left side. Lift the cover and it's right there inside where you plug in the cord.

Next stop ( if you haven't found the culprit yet) is the charger/distribution panel inside.

Most probable would be the cord or the connector at the camper end. They get the most flexing and use. My 2013 had a meltdown there in 2014.

Success in locating the problem!

tentcamper · 12-15-2018, 10:26 AM

are you talking about a gfi breaker in the camper or gfi outlet in the camper. TM some years installed a breaker and some years an outlet at the head of the 120 circuit that was protected all downward outlets.

You could try turning off all your breakers. One at a time turn them on to see which one trip. but first turn on the 30 amp breaker.

Also, do you have the fridge on 120v? I had a camper that the heating element in the fridge caused the gfi to trip. I pulled the plug on the fridge to isolate the fridge, but TM has the fridge hardwared in. You could try turning off the fridge.

Also do you have your water heater on? you could try turning it off. If that is your problem; fridge or water heater, switch to propane until you can fix the problem.

BrucePerens · 12-15-2018, 10:45 AM

Given that the campground has just been messing around with their power post, you can't really trust that their wiring is correct and blame the Trailmanor. When there are problems with the poles outside, it's very definitely set off the GFI/ACFI breakers in my home. All of them at once.

Avalie · 12-15-2018, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill

Are you referring to the GFI in the camper, or an outside GFI such as one in a garage or campground power post?

How do you know the neutral wire is hot?

Bill

It’s the GFCI inside the camper. The white neutral wire is hot to ground, I tested with a multi meter. It reads 120 V . And just to make things more interesting the return wire from the converter is hot. the return wire from the bottom breaker which controls the GFCI is hot and the breaker that controls the water heater, converter, and fridge circuit is also hot.
Thanks to all for your suggestions.

tentcamper · 12-15-2018, 12:50 PM

With you meter, where are you placing the ground meter lead (black lead)? I get the feeling you are placing it on a black wire? If so you would see what looks like hot naturals and ground wires. The black meter lead should be placed on a ground or white natural contact and use the red lead to read the voltage. Since it is AC it really does not mater the direction of the leads. but it can be confusing.

As a side note Black is normally a hot wire. Housing code.