Brand new Grand Design Reflection 5er (50A). Just home from the lot. Plugged into my shore power (20A) and tripped the GFCI. Changed cord and different GFCI. Still tripped it. Moved to a non GFCI circuit and ran the Refrig to get ready for a weekend trip. Everything worked. Home from the weekend with no problems and started chasing problem. Checked resistance between ground and hots at the RV and 'open'. Used original set up; 50' 12ga cord, 20a-30a and a 30a to 50a adapter, no load. OK. Plugged into rv and tripped the GFCI. Threw the converter breaker and no trip. Dual fuel refrig ran. On demand water heater so nothing there. Ran 30 minutes or more. Turned on the converter breaker and in less than 3 minutes tripped the GFCI. Sounds like a bad converter. Does anyone have a different idea? I have no information on the converter (don't even kn0w where it is).Thanks,Jeff.

Well not all RV's play nice with GFCI outlets.. Some the converter seems to be the issue if the batteries are "Hungry"Some if the batteries are "Full"Some it seems not to matterSome it's not the converter. There is a whole list of "Suspects"Start by turning off all breakers in RVPlug the RV into a GFCI outlet and plug a drop cord (Trouble lamp) into the other half of that GFCI protected outletNow put the lamp where you can see it inside the RVTurn on the main, Lamp still on goodTurn a branch circuit, and another and another till the light goes out. NOTE THAt one . turn off, reset GFCI and continue till all breakers are either ON or NOTED.. now you have a suspect list (What that breaker powers)

Using a continuity meter, I would first confirm (with camper unplugged from shore) that there exist NO continuity between neutrals and grounds at campers main panel, meaning, no undesirable ‘eddy currents’ causing the shore GFI tripping…Note however, that IF you have an onboard genny or inverter, bonding of neutral to ground may be happening passively at either device via a ‘floating ground’…Outside of that, it could be a defective leakage within the hot water heater or refer (an electrode element, neutral to ground affair…), or (since it is a new rig) more likely, it could simply be that this fussy home GFI is ‘daisy chained’ (to save builder moola) into far too many receptacles - try dedicating this home GFI circuit to strictly just the camper by temporarily UNPLUGGING all relevant home appliances on that particular GFI circuit, then try again..3 tons

Find the converter. If it's a charger/inverter with AC output for pass though then the AC output(s) wiring/appliances wcould be causing the problem.Try another location with a GFCI and if it fails then have it fixed under warranty. Any change you make could void the warranty. FYI Dealers are usually busy during the summer months and if they give you a long date insist that this is a safety issue and you want it fixed very quick.

With the converter model search for your problem for both the RV and converter. Although less likely the problem could be the wiring from the CB to the converter.

It could be a case of the manufacturer driving a staple through a power wire. Wouldn't be the first time.

Coverter/ GFCI problems | Good Sam Community

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 19, 2021
Well not all RV's play nice with GFCI outlets..
Some the converter seems to be the issue if the batteries are "Hungry"
Some if the batteries are "Full"
Some it seems not to matter
Some it's not the converter.
There is a whole list of "Suspects"
Start by turning off all breakers in RV
Plug the RV into a GFCI outlet and plug a drop cord (Trouble lamp) into the other half of that GFCI protected outlet

Now put the lamp where you can see it inside the RV
Turn on the main, Lamp still on good
Turn a branch circuit, and another and another till the light goes out.
NOTE THAt one . turn off, reset GFCI and continue till all breakers are either ON or NOTED.. now you have a suspect list (What that breaker powers)
3_tons
Explorer III
Jul 19, 2021
Using a continuity meter, I would first confirm (with camper unplugged from shore) that there exist NO continuity between neutrals and grounds at campers main panel, meaning, no undesirable ‘eddy currents’ causing the shore GFI tripping…

Note however, that IF you have an onboard genny or inverter, bonding of neutral to ground may be happening passively at either device via a ‘floating ground’…

Outside of that, it could be a defective leakage within the hot water heater or refer (an electrode element, neutral to ground affair…), or (since it is a new rig) more likely, it could simply be that this fussy home GFI is ‘daisy chained’ (to save builder moola) into far too many receptacles - try dedicating this home GFI circuit to strictly just the camper by temporarily UNPLUGGING all relevant home appliances on that particular GFI circuit, then try again..

3 tons
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 19, 2021
Find the converter. If it's a charger/inverter with AC output for pass though then the AC output(s) wiring/appliances wcould be causing the problem.

Try another location with a GFCI and if it fails then have it fixed under warranty. Any change you make could void the warranty.

FYI Dealers are usually busy during the summer months and if they give you a long date insist that this is a safety issue and you want it fixed very quick.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 19, 2021
With the converter model search for your problem for both the RV and converter.

Although less likely the problem could be the wiring from the CB to the converter.
road-runner
Explorer III
Jul 19, 2021
It could be a case of the manufacturer driving a staple through a power wire. Wouldn't be the first time.
Usnthedog
Explorer
Jul 19, 2021
wa8yxm and 3 tons. Thanks. Please reread my OP. No hot water heater. (on demand propane only) Only with the converter breaker on doe it trip. Checked continuity between ground and hot on the outside entrance plug. No onboard generator. Refer on caused no problem. Only when the converter breaker is on. And please don't get upset with "please reread the post" it wasn't intended like you thought it was.

Thanks

Jeff
BFL13
Explorer II
Jul 20, 2021
So at the campground no problems. Not a GFCI at pedestal. So it happens at home with a GFCI plug-in at stick house. Assuming the GFCIs that trip in the OP are stick-house?

Usually it is an adapter in the shore power cable string of cables from the RV.

Or the converter could be sharing its 120v CB with some 120 receptacles where one might have something plugged in that is tripping the house GFCI. Not the converter. You don't know if it is the converter (under warranty)
The outside 120v plug in can get wet while washing the RV too.

IMO live with it by using only non-GFCI plug-ins until it is convenient to get them to do the warranty work. Not to lose any camping time waiting for them
3_tons
Explorer III
Jul 20, 2021
Usnthedog wrote:
wa8yxm and 3 tons. Thanks. Please reread my OP. No hot water heater. (on demand propane only) Only with the converter breaker on doe it trip. Checked continuity between ground and hot on the outside entrance plug. No onboard generator. Refer on caused no problem. Only when the converter breaker is on. And please don't get upset with "please reread the post" it wasn't intended like you thought it was.

Thanks

Jeff

Ok, got it…so assuming no inverter or generator (i.e. no floating ground), unplug shore power and with converter breaker switched to ON, check for unwanted continuity between the neutral and ground bars at the main…There should be no continuity (unless you have a floating ground at a genny or inverter) - neutral and ground bars should NOT have continuity….

3 tons
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Jul 20, 2021
Before you blame the converter, check what else is on the converter circuit. Is it only the converter? or are some outlets on the same circuit (very common on 30A setups) If there are other items on the same circuit one of them, including an outlet could be the culprit,
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 20, 2021
A GFCI is a safety device and tripping means there is the potential for dangerous voltage on all grounded RV metal. What is now preventing this is an earlier required safety device namely the ground wire.

We all want to think our RV has a good ground. Maybe it does. But what about the pedestal and everything upstream? And especially the pedestal plug. I've seen many worn or damaged pedestal plugs.

This is one reason why I've posted plugging into a 20A GFCI and checking your RV. It's very rare for a 30A or 50A pedestal plug to have a GFCI to protect for a ground fault.

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