Power

Dusty R wrote:
Single phase compressor type of refrigeration units will trip GFIs, because of the way it takes to start the compressor motor.

Dusty

Remotely modern ones (made in the last few decades) should not trip a GFCI if they are operating properly. The current leakage requirements for appliances were tightened in the 1980's, apparently.

Any new house (well, any house that complies with the past couple cycles of the NEC) will have GFCI protection for all garage outlets and all outlets, including one dedicated for a fridge, that are within six feet of the kitchen sink. All outlets in commercial kitchens are also required to be GFCI protected. Many single phase compressor fridges are working fine on GFCI protected circuits at this very moment.

Ok some electrical stuff...
Back many years ago Copper was.. Rationd and even aluminum was costly so the power companies did a "Single wire" delivery system. Basically they ran one wire from the pole to your house (How did that worK? you ask) the other "Wire" was the ground earth ground was the "Return path" Well Some systems to this day work like that. Though most new installs are 2 or 3 wire (Hot/neutral 120 or hot/neutral/hot 120/240 or multi-phase industrial but that you won't likely find in a house)

However the ground as a return path STILL EXISTS both at the pole and at the service entery (near the meter).

So what happens if you plug in say a SKILL hand grainder (like a dermel but industrial size) and there is a Hot to Case Short?

IN my case the thing had a tendency to leave my hands.. VIOLENTLY. but that's because of the nature of my muscle development (more attuned to throwing at that time) most folks are more attuned to lifting and will clutch) and you end up dead.

(Why I bought my first dremel)

The GFCI is designed to cut off current if that happens before you even feel a tingle.

YOu've seen the classic murder mystery where the killer tosses a hair dryer into the bath tub. or a TV.. Well with a GFCI. The victim lives and the killer goes to prison cause NO POWER before the vic can even feel a tingle.

I WOULD NOT REPLACE THE GFCI WITH A STANDARD OUTLET for that is the way to an early celebration of your life called a Funeral.

And when I go to my funeral I hope to be as "late" as I possibly can be (Take that both ways).

Single phase compressor type of refrigeration units will trip GFIs, because of the way it takes to start the compressor motor.

Dusty

I'm going to go along with Doug again. I looked up the connections to the GFCI and they are for wet locations, the bathroom sink and the kitchen sink as well as the exterior outlets. Just like in the S&B.

My Bounder and now the Winnie did not plug into a GFCI controlled outlet. I do not think there is a problem with fridge nor with the electric element in the wh. Maybe elsewhere or as suggested maybe they don't work well with the GFCI.

Happycamper30 wrote:
Thank you everyone for the replies I will look into just replacing the gfi with a regular outlet to see if that may be the answer, thank you for the feedback,
Ron.

This is the most dangerous solution you could pick. Please reconsider. If it is tripping the GFI, you have not found "the answer." You are merely masking the problem, a problem that can get someone shocked, or even electrocuted.

Happycamper30 wrote:
Thank you everyone for the replies I will look into just replacing the gfi with a regular outlet to see if that may be the answer, thank you for the feedback,
Ron.

I would fix the refrigerator.

I would not recommend replacing with non-GFCI.
You could check the wire from the GFCI to the refer tosee if it goes directly to refer outlet. If it does move that wire to the line side of the GFCI. This will provide protection for you with GFCI still functioning but feed the refer with non-GFCI protected power.

Thank you everyone for the replies I will look into just replacing the gfi with a regular outlet to see if that may be the answer, thank you for the feedback,
Ron.

If the fridge is leaking current to ground, the correct solution is to fix the leakage (by replacing the element), not to ignore it and plug it into a non-GFCI outlet. This is a potential electrical hazzard; if you are plugged in somewhere with a bad or broken ground connection, you are creating a hot skin condition on the RV. You'll also have trouble any time you try to plug the RV into a power source protected by a GFCI, such as a standard 15/20A outdoor outlet which per code must be GFCI protected.

I'm a bit surprised at the number of people suggeting you ignore the problem. I don't think the same people would say to ignore a tiny propane or gasoline leak...and while the two aren't entirely the same, there are some similarities between them and a mains voltage leak.

DFord wrote:
The electric heating elements can trip the GFCI. You should try replacing it. I had one that occasionally would trip the GFCI when I first turned the refrigerator on. It would automatically switch to gas at that point and go ahead and cool down. When I'd notice the gas was doing the cooling, I reset the GFCI and it would work fine after that making it hard to find a short in the element with a multimeter. The heating elements aren't that expensive. Just go ahead and change it and see if it fixes your problem.

Bingo. GFCI trip from the imbalance of the White and (Black)HOT. IF the 120 element in the refer is slightly defective that imbalance will trip a GFCI. This will NOT trip a standard 120 breaker. The 120 element will still do the job, but not if connected to a GFCI plug and it trips the GFCI. Just find a non GFCI plug that you can connect the refer too. Doug