GFCI Issue looking for a solution

[TBammer]

My camper has a 15 amp GFCI circuit that starts in the bathroom and has 4 other outlets downstream on the load side. While out camping recently I had issues with the GFCI refusing to reset when the camper was plugged into the post and we were on shore power. I would hit the reset button and it would just trip again. I bought a new GFCI outlet and same problem. I thought it was a problem with one of the downstream outlets.

I figure when I'm home I'll start isolating the outlets one by one to find the culprit. At home, and with the help of an adapter on the cord, I plug into an isolated 15 amp circuit (don't have a 30 amp circuit) off my house panel. And this point I think, just for the heck of it, try to reset the outlet, and lo and behold it resets. I am not doing anymore investigation into other outlets for now.

The only thing I can think is that the voltage at the campground was low. Would that cause a GFCI not to reset? Is one of those Progressive EMS surge protectors the answer? How hard a wiring job is the onboard style?

[Dutch_12078]

TBammer wrote:
UPDATE: Well the new GFCI did trip too, just a little slower. I took the patio outlet apart and sure 'nough there was a little moisture in there. I also noticed that the factory ran the caulk on the top and sides but not the bottom!!! I did some driving in the rain and I am guessing road splash got under the plate. I have ordered a new outlet (cuz there was a crack in the plastic where they screwed it in) and a new/better cover plate that I will caulk on ALL 4 edges.

In our previous motorhome, my wife would accidentally hit the test button on the bathroom GFCI when unplugging her hair dryer. That circuit also had the satellite receiver and TV outlet on it, along with the outside outlet. Since it was a annoying waiting for the sat receiver to reset when she tripped the GFCI, I bypassed the rest of the circuit at the bathroom GFCI and installed a separate GFCI at the outside outlet. Problem solved...

[mtofell1]

riggsp wrote:
Check your electric water heater for a burned out element...this causes a short to ground and causes GFI's to trip...just a maybe., if you happened to turn on the water heater with no water in it.

RV water heaters (or residential for that matter) aren't on GFI circuits.

[ktmrfs]

TBammer wrote:

Sjm9911 wrote:
They usally do that so if water does get in there it can get out. I wouldn't seal all 4 sides. Or just leave a hole on the bottem just in case. So , seal 90 percent of it.

Good idea.

yup, there is almost nothing worse than "almost water tight!" And something can be airtight, but NOT water tight. Water molecules are smaller than Oxygen or Nitrogen (N2 O2, Vs H20) so water vapor can penetrate many materials and then when it condenses! Always leave a "drip hole" if possible.

[TBammer]

Sjm9911 wrote:
They usally do that so if water does get in there it can get out. I wouldn't seal all 4 sides. Or just leave a hole on the bottem just in case. So , seal 90 percent of it.

Good idea.

[Sjm9911]

They usally do that so if water does get in there it can get out. I wouldn't seal all 4 sides. Or just leave a hole on the bottem just in case. So , seal 90 percent of it.

[TBammer]

UPDATE: Well the new GFCI did trip too, just a little slower. I took the patio outlet apart and sure 'nough there was a little moisture in there. I also noticed that the factory ran the caulk on the top and sides but not the bottom!!! I did some driving in the rain and I am guessing road splash got under the plate. I have ordered a new outlet (cuz there was a crack in the plastic where they screwed it in) and a new/better cover plate that I will caulk on ALL 4 edges.

[enblethen]

The refer 120 volt element is also a source of GFCI tripping.

[riggsp]

Check your electric water heater for a burned out element...this causes a short to ground and causes GFI's to trip...just a maybe., if you happened to turn on the water heater with no water in it.

[houstonstroker]

If they reset and trip right away then that's a problem somewhere. If they will not reset, then either faulty GFCI outlet or no power. Take off the plate and test for voltage.

[mtofell1]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
Very doubtful a bad GFCI.

Agreed... most common failure is they just don't reset when testing or after tripping.

[DownTheAvenue]

agesilaus wrote:
Could be a bad GFCI, I just had to replace ours. It would not reset.

He said he replaced it but had the same result and it doesn't trip when plugged in at home. Very doubtful a bad GFCI.

[wa8yxm]

Most common cause if "Insta-trip" is the patio outlet
howver unplug everything first (sometimes it's not the patio)
if that does not work then remove the cover from the patio outlet and stand back a bit as you might get wet. If you do. dry it out. you may need to replace the outlet and re-seal the cover.

Another cause can be insects but this is not as common. especially with the inst=box type outlets used in RV.s

Now if there was a power issue. it would not insta-trip it simply would not reset (The sound and feel is a touch different)

[ktmrfs]

GFCI will trip if:

1) there is a current imbalance between the hot and neutral load wires
2) There is a ground/neutral short.

A pretty common reason for a GFCI to trip in a trailer is moisture in the outside outlet on the GFCI circuit. Remove the moisture problem gone. Another possibility is the fridge electric element IF it is on the GFCI. Some are, and a failure mode can start as some low level leakage current to ground. To test, turn the fridge off or to gas, GFI ok, turn to electric and watch and see if it trips.

[Flute_Man]

GFCIs trip because there is a grounding fault downstream of the GFCI. I suspect that something was plugged in to one of those downstream outlets while you were camping but removed while you were traveling back home.
It is not a problem with the input powed.
You may call me and we can talk about it over the phone. I have helped a number of people that way. I am a retired electrical engineer and A Professional troubleshooter.