ground fault tripping

[dberg]

Lately the ground fault receptacle will trip and when reset the beaker will then trip . The converter and the gfi are under the same breaker. Problem seems to occur when the converter loads up anyone had similar electrical problems.

 

[Securityman]

There is no surprise you have electrical problems and anyone else with these trailers . It's a mess of wires and and loose connections and wires that are shorting out against the framing of the trailer. I had electrical issues with cut wires in the ceiling and GFCI tripping and breakers tripping , rewired some of it to make it right and still when I lay under the trailer to get the toy lock to wrap around the atvs I still get shocked , still have to trouble shoot this issue before I get fried any more. There is no QC at this place , oh yea I watched the video , the QC is sticking a sticker on the vinyl floor and checking that the doors open and close!!!

 

[Dakota 1120]

I've had one fuse blow 'cause shorted out the circuit when installing the powered Jack TV antenna.

Also had the GFI breaker trip once for an unknown reason but no other electrical issues.

 

[webslave]

Quite often the GFCI plug is at fault. The manufacturers don't use the highest quality plugs to begin with and GFCI units, even the good ones can get quite "testy". I put a bunch of them in the old farmhouse that we remodeled (built in 1926) and out of ~dozen or so, I've had to replace 4 for just indiscriminately tripping themselves off. Replaced the units and all has been fine. If in your investigations, you can't find an obvious culprit, go to a hardware store, buy a new GFCI and give it a go...

 

[roy-FUN]

Yes add me to the long list if electrical problems. My gfi trips enroute almost 90% of the time. I've made a habit of checking it before hooking up the trailer once at our destination. Trips the breaker usually as well. Lately the stereo won't pick up stations at the racetracks but other places it half ass works. It used to pick up those track stations loud and clear. AC blower comes on and off when it's been running for hours on end trying to cool an uninsulated box with literally no floor insulation to speak of. Basically the unit is over worked and with the lack of insulation will never work right in the deep souths heat and humidity. I have had the breaker panel out a few times and the wiring job is a mess. I wouldn't attempt to straighten it out as I wouldn't live that long to enjoy it.

I've said it before if this thing wasn't paid for and I didn't like the floor plan so much it would be gone. Plus my truck pulls it pretty good and that's about the only thing I will say good about this trailer is it tows straight and true.

 

[dberg]

Ok I have some major wiring issues should I start a ballot question on how many others have wiring problems or should we just skip directly to a class

 

[roy-FUN]

Ok I have some major wiring issues should I start a ballot question on how many others have wiring problems or should we just skip directly to a class

I am horrible ellectrician. I could not fix the problem you are having if it were mine. That being said I would have to take it to a shop which probably would uncover 10 more electrical problems along the way. This brand has issues, I wish I could be more help. About all I have been able to repair electrical on my own so far is the electro water heater thermostat and google supplied me with the how to after I shorted out my dad's expensive meter guage.

 

[jerkar]

One more with the same problem. Wife got a small jolt from the sink one day. Days here in Texas hitting around 95 deg. One day the AC cranking full bore, wife turned on the microwave and plugged in the fry pan. Tripped GFI then the 30 amp and the 20 amp breakers.
This cannot be right Got out the voltage tester.
In a normal wiring you have the hot and the neutral and the ground.
All the neutral wires are on one buss bar and the grounds are on a separate buss bar, and these are also tied to the trailer frame.
What I found was that the neutral and the ground was tied together. So I got 110 v through the neutral and 110 volts also at the ground leg, which is a no no. After I disconnect the power cord going to the trailer, all circuits tested the correct way.
So my problem is the RV park has the neutral and the grounds connected together somewere in the pedistall
If you have the same problem check the pedistell

 

[dberg]

Jerkar
thank you that is exactly what happened to us here in Minnesota at the park we are in . I will be checking the plug from the trailer to make sure there is no continuity between neutral and ground. Is it correct that the park should be bonded ( neutral to ground )?

 

[michellep]

For those of us who are in our "electrical infancy", would you check for continuity (a bad thing in this case, right) by putting a meter probe in the ground hole and one in one side of the socket?

 

[michellep]

...Days here in Texas hitting around 95 deg. One day the AC cranking full bore, wife turned on the microwave and plugged in the fry pan. Tripped GFI then the 30 amp and the 20 amp breakers.

I may be learning something new here - it's okay to run the A/C, the microwave, and an electric frying pan at the same time?

Heck, I turn off the air if I have to use the hair dryer...

 

[Dakota 1120]

I have used the microwave while the A/C was running without a problem.

I don't use an electric fry pan.

I also have one of these:

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-power-cords/surge-guard-30-lcd.jpg

 

[webslave]

One of the first things any RVer should do, prior to plugging in, is to check the wiring on the pedestal. Many older parks and even some new ones that have had "repairs" done to the pedestals by uncertified electricians will have various wiring issues...hot and neutral reversed, ground and neutral tied, no ground at all, etc. Any of these can give your trailer fits.

A simple check with an "analyzer" (available at any hardware store: Circuit Analyzer) will usually alert you to major problems in the pedestal even if it is only checking the 20amp plug, since, within the pedestal the grounds and neutrals are all tied together. Another way to test is with a volt-ohm meter, but, that requires that you know a little about what you are doing. For the really easy and, IMO, the best way to check is to get one of the various surge protectors (Surge Protector) that are available. In addition to protecting your rig from low voltage (will ruin air conditioners and harm other sensitive electronics) and voltage spikes (will fry your electronics in a heart beat), most of them are also designed not to connect your rig to the pedestal if there is a problem with the wiring. They have a "testing" stage that they go through after you plug them in and before they actually connect the power. If there is problem, they won't allow power through to your trailer. I've always used one; a 30 amp with my 30 amp FunFinder and, now, a 50 amp with my 5th wheel. I won't plug in without it. I've had several instances with pedestals that open grounds and one that had ground/neutral wires reversed. Both alerted to me by the Surge Guard and I was able to move sites, and, in one instance, had the wiring fixed while I waited at another (it was a really nice site and they had a "repairman" on hand).

Usually, you can run all of the "installed" devices in your trailer at one time while hooked up. Most trailers are designed to handle the devices in the trailer (current wise) with usual usage in mind. Where some have run into problems is when they have the A/C running, something in the microwave cooking for breakfast and then they want to fire up a frying pan or DW has just gotten out of the shower while DH is scrambling eggs on the propane stove and she fires up the hair dryer. For instance, you should be able to have the A/C on, a snack heating in the microwave with the television and a lamp or two on with no problem. You get into trouble in the above scenario if you then add a toaster, hair dryer, frying pan, etc. into the equation. Any device that "heats" is a large load since they do it by resistive means; large amounts of electricity that produce heat from resistance in metal coils and a they can overload your trailer very quickly.

Edit... Yep, I would have some SERIOUS problems if I had two DWs...even though we've been married for 44+ years, I don't think wife #1 would take kindly to a wife #2; I know for a fact I couldn't handle a second wife, the first is more than a handful Old age...second DW changed to me (DH).

 

[michellep]

...Where some have run into problems is when they have the A/C running, something in the microwave cooking for breakfast and then they want to fire up a frying pan or DW has just gotten out of the shower while DW is scrambling eggs on the propane stove and she fires up the hair dryer.

I'm thinkin' that you might have more problems than electrical ones if you have a DW getting out of the shower and the other DW is scrambling eggs.

 

[Dakota 1120]

I'd believe you are correct.

 

[jerkar]

Update-I Have the Surge Guard , All that they protect is high voltage, low voltage, and reverse polarity. So I checked there web page for information, because I could not understand why I am getting 120volts to ground. On there web page, it states that the ground and neutral are bonded together at all RV parks. So I called there tech support and asked why it is this way. He could not answer, checking with this and will get back with me or post on the forum. Because of the way they are bonded together, the GFI is sensing the ground and tripping, on things that do not have a ground plug, like fans or fry pans, or hair dryers. I could be wrong, but there is a problem. and I know there is no protection buy have the ground and the neutral connected together.

 

[Dakota 1120]

I am certainly no electrician but found this that may be the answer.

http://standards.ieee.org/about/nesc/ir532.pdf


The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires Neutral be grounded at the Service entrance panel. That is also the location were safety ground if bonded to Neutral. As posted the main disconnect is the only location the two can be connected together.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Should_the_ground_and_neutral_wires_be_wired_together

More details about service entrance requirements.

https://www.comed.com/Documents/customer-service/service-request/RedBook101007_InOrder1.pdf

Here is another:

http://www.proboat.com/demystifying-the-neutral-to-ground-connection.html

 

[dberg]

New park same problems so I discontinued all daisy chained outlets from the gfi and no more tripping so I have 1 good outlet to use that is protected. Looks like skinned wire or staple somewhere. I will let you know what I find. Do you think the factory has a standard wiring system our do the go in any which way?

 

[Dakota 1120]

IN my opinion (opinion only) the factory has a standard wiring system to meet rv building code/requirements.

They probably have a standard wiring harness (like motor vehicles) that is adaptable for various models which is why some have excess wires, unused connectors or some with no slack at all.

Of course, that is just my opinion as it would seem expedient in an 'assembly line' production process.

 

[dogs_rule]

so all this leads me to..... what sort of voltage regulator/surge protecting/checking thingy is good to have to test the pedistal and plug between your trailer and the pedestal at a park as a surge protector? For 30 amps...