Just took the RV out from winter storage, getting ready for a road trip. Same routine I've used the past seven years. Well first item I checked for was the fridge, and it tripped the GFCI which is on a 20 amp breaker (breaker never tripped). Tried several times and used a different GFCI and breaker same results. So I run the fridge on LP only and plug into shore power again and everything worked fine. Batteries were fully charged so I don't think the charger and fridge pulled more than the 20amp. The next morning I checked on the fridge, 20F/ 35F so all was good. I turned the fridge back to auto so it would again go back to electric, and waited for the GFI to pop again and nothing, everything worked like it should. Should I be concerned or was this a fluke thing? I don't remember anything about having to start the fridge on LP before switching to electric. About the only thing I can think of is the fridge needs to start off on LP and maybe it wasn't primed yet as I hadn't yet primed the burners, which did take awhile. Thanks for any advice.

I believe your 120 volt element is going to ground. Look closely where the wires go into the stack. Temperature change and bouncing may have cleared the problem. That is for now! It will fail again at the most inopportune time.

Winter storage.... :EYou may had some residual moisture that may have created some electrical leakage and by running it on gas you may have dried it out. I would turn the frig off and let the internal temp return to ambient and try turning it back on using electrical source and see what happens.Good luck...

Are you using a 115V extension cord/adapter? If so,try a different cord or adapter. You can buy a 115VAC test plug at your local hardware store to test your circuits. I carry on with me when I travel.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. My question is what gauge wire extension cord should I be using for a similar 20 amp connection from my house to my RV? I just bought a 14 gauge 50 ft extension cord. Is that sufficient for the draw of the RV with just minimum electrical draw of the refrigerator in prep of a departure?

14 gauge is is adequate for minimum electrical draw of the refrigerator.

Refrigerator tripping garage outlet | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

45Ricochet
Explorer
Jul 21, 2013
Second restart today went fine, thanks for the help. Now onto my 12' x 4' no extend slide issue. Have a feeling this one won't be so easy :(
45Ricochet
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
enblethen wrote:

14 gauge 50 foot is a little light. Remember that there is other 120 volt loads. The converter is one.

No 14 gauge extension cord used, it was the typical 50 amp cord, dogbone 30 amp cord, dogbone 20 amp and converter should have seen a "full battery condition". I was giving the converter some thought though as it's 7 years old now. I do plug it in 2 days per month during winter to charge the batteries. Never blown a GFI though.
45Ricochet
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
a64armt wrote:
The fridge in our 1994 Minnie Winnie would do the exact same thing. When first operating after a long period of inactivity, it would trip the GFI or even a 15A breaker (in the house). However, if you ran it on propane first for an hour or so, or plugged the RV into a true 30A outlet, no problems. It never tripped the breaker in the RV itself.

I suspected the heating element in my unit was either just getting old and pulling slightly more current than it did when new. Since we only had the problem after long periods of inactivity and it worked fine after first power up, I just dismissed it and figured eventually I would have to change the heating element.

Good Luck.

OJ

Thanks for the encouragement, I'll find out tomorrow.
enblethen
Nomad
Jul 20, 2013
When refer set to auto, it will seek 120 volts AC first.
The GFCI receptacle will trip if it sees an unbalance between the phase conductor and thhe neutral.
You would need a meter set to resistance to measure the element. Disconnect the element wire from the circuit board. then measure between wire and a good ground. Meter should be set on a high resistance scale. Any reading to ground can trip the GFCI receptacle.
14 gauge 50 foot is a little light. Remember that there is other 120 volt loads. The converter is one.
a64armt
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
The fridge in our 1994 Minnie Winnie would do the exact same thing. When first operating after a long period of inactivity, it would trip the GFI or even a 15A breaker (in the house). However, if you ran it on propane first for an hour or so, or plugged the RV into a true 30A outlet, no problems. It never tripped the breaker in the RV itself.

I suspected the heating element in my unit was either just getting old and pulling slightly more current than it did when new. Since we only had the problem after long periods of inactivity and it worked fine after first power up, I just dismissed it and figured eventually I would have to change the heating element.

Good Luck.

OJ
45Ricochet
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
That is what I am doing today Troy, letting it get to ambient temperature which was sunny and 75F :B but it was 80F yesterday which is hot for us.

Alley Fox
I just plugged in the typical dog bone style sold at Camping World into the outlet, no extension cord. Fired up both A/C's (at different times of course) without a hiccup.

Bud
I looked at the stack and checked all the fuses ( boy lots of em) and they all looked okay to a laymen. To be truthful none of them say Fridge on them. Not sure if the fridge uses the A/C side or the D/C side. I would think it would be a AC breaker but none were tripped. They are labeled but no fridge listed.

Thanks for the responses
tko9900
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
14 gauge is is adequate for minimum electrical draw of the refrigerator.
rxatkin
Explorer
Jul 20, 2013
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. My question is what gauge wire extension cord should I be using for a similar 20 amp connection from my house to my RV? I just bought a 14 gauge 50 ft extension cord. Is that sufficient for the draw of the RV with just minimum electrical draw of the refrigerator in prep of a departure?
Alley_Fox
Explorer
Jul 19, 2013
Are you using a 115V extension cord/adapter? If so,try a different cord or adapter. You can buy a 115VAC test plug at your local hardware store to test your circuits. I carry on with me when I travel.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Jul 19, 2013
Winter storage.... :E

You may had some residual moisture that may have created some electrical leakage and by running it on gas you may have dried it out. I would turn the frig off and let the internal temp return to ambient and try turning it back on using electrical source and see what happens.

Good luck...