Hi all, I have been having a problem with plugging into the shore power at our storage facility. They have all circuits run through GFCI outlets on the pole. When we plug in and we are not running anything the GFCI trips on the pole. We talked to our storage facility manager and they had an electrician come out and he said the issue was our RV having an open ground. We have a Progressive Industries surge protector that was installed by the first owner. When we plug into the 30 amp plug at our house and in campgrounds there is no problem. Any ideas what may be causing this? Thanks in advance.

Have you tried plugging anything else into the gfi just to make sure it’s not bad, like a radio or a light? If you never had trouble anywhere else it’s either the gfi or something has changed since last time it was plugged in elsewhere. Be easier if you new exactly what the electrician tested.

Of course you have an open ground. Your ground isn't supposed to be bonded and none of that matters anyway. A GFCI doesn't trip because of an "open ground".Somewhere, you have a leakage to ground. Could be a wet outside receptacle, bad fridge heater *even if it works fine) or water heater or even a bad microwave (rare). I would unplug the appliances and see if the fault remains.

I have plugged it into several different outlets on separate circuits at the storage facility and it pops the GFCI’s on all of them. When I plug in at my house it is into a 30 amp outlet not a standard plug. I have tried several adapters taking it from 30 amp to 120 volt outlet and it is the same result.

If it works every where but there, I would suspect there.there is a cheap little tester for GFI circuits get one and test the storage facility.It depends upon if the facility is using the white wire as a common ground or if they are using the bare copper to a ground post as the common ground.tester https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sperry-GFCI-Outlet-Tester-GFI6302/301961462?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CTHD%7CG%7C0%7CG-VF-PLA-D27E-Electrical%7C&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-MD94ofF2AIV3LjACh2C1gC3EAQYASABEgI_gPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CITfoOiHxdgCFVGSfgodCUIJxw

ScottG wrote:Of course you have an open ground. Your ground isn't supposed to be bonded and none of that matters anyway. A GFCI doesn't trip because of an "open ground".Somewhere, you have a leakage to ground. Could be a wet outside receptacle, bad fridge heater *even if it works fine) or water heater or even a bad microwave (rare). I would unplug the appliances and see if the fault remains.If that was his problem, plugging it at home would pop the breaker.

Open Ground question | Good Sam Community

Tom_Barb
Explorer
Jan 07, 2018
Tom/Barb wrote:
If it works every where but there, I would suspect there.

there is a cheap little tester for GFI circuits get one and test the storage facility.

It depends upon if the facility is using the white wire as a common ground or if they are using the bare copper to a ground post as the common ground.

TESTER
ScottG
Nomad
Jan 07, 2018
Tom/Barb wrote:
ScottG wrote:
Of course you have an open ground. Your ground isn't supposed to be bonded and none of that matters anyway. A GFCI doesn't trip because of an "open ground".
Somewhere, you have a leakage to ground. Could be a wet outside receptacle, bad fridge heater *even if it works fine) or water heater or even a bad microwave (rare). I would unplug the appliances and see if the fault remains.

If that was his problem, plugging it at home would pop the breaker.

No, it would not because a GFCI fault is not an overload.

OP, another thing that can cause it is a failing converter. I would turn off its breaker and see if it still trips the GFCI.
ScottG
Nomad
Jan 07, 2018
Tom/Barb wrote:
If it works every where but there, I would suspect there.

That's not the case. It trips all the GFCI's at the facility but is ok on a standard 30A (no GFCI). See the OP's last post for ref.

The problem is indeed with the OP's rig.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Jan 07, 2018
ScottG wrote:
Of course you have an open ground. Your ground isn't supposed to be bonded and none of that matters anyway. A GFCI doesn't trip because of an "open ground".
Somewhere, you have a leakage to ground. Could be a wet outside receptacle, bad fridge heater *even if it works fine) or water heater or even a bad microwave (rare). I would unplug the appliances and see if the fault remains.

If that was his problem, plugging it at home would pop the breaker.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Jan 07, 2018
If it works every where but there, I would suspect there.

there is a cheap little tester for GFI circuits get one and test the storage facility.

It depends upon if the facility is using the white wire as a common ground or if they are using the bare copper to a ground post as the common ground.

tester

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sperry-GFCI-Outlet-Tester-GFI6302/301961462?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CTHD%7CG%7C0%7CG-VF-PLA-D27E-Electrical%7C&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-MD94ofF2AIV3LjACh2C1gC3EAQYASABEgI_gPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CITfoOiHxdgCFVGSfgodCUIJxw
DBECHEN
Explorer
Jan 07, 2018
I have plugged it into several different outlets on separate circuits at the storage facility and it pops the GFCI’s on all of them. When I plug in at my house it is into a 30 amp outlet not a standard plug. I have tried several adapters taking it from 30 amp to 120 volt outlet and it is the same result.
ScottG
Nomad
Jan 07, 2018
Of course you have an open ground. Your ground isn't supposed to be bonded and none of that matters anyway. A GFCI doesn't trip because of an "open ground".
Somewhere, you have a leakage to ground. Could be a wet outside receptacle, bad fridge heater *even if it works fine) or water heater or even a bad microwave (rare). I would unplug the appliances and see if the fault remains.
Farmboy666
Explorer
Jan 07, 2018
Have you tried plugging anything else into the gfi just to make sure it’s not bad, like a radio or a light? If you never had trouble anywhere else it’s either the gfi or something has changed since last time it was plugged in elsewhere. Be easier if you new exactly what the electrician tested.

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