Running fridge while driving

JBarca wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:
The dealer just changed the power unit. I'll talk to them about it. Maybe they hooked up something wrong. It should not trip anything, but, if I am hooked up to a campsite, my breaker for it should pop.

It might be best to just use propane till I get it checked out.

When you said your dealer just changed the "power unit", do you mean the power converter and or the breaker box that it goes in?

If that is what you mean, there are 2 kinds of white wires in the converter/breaker panel box pending what color your TT manufacture uses.

If they are using white for 12 volt DC negative (common) and they are using white for 120 volt AC neutral, if they accidentally put a white 120 V AC neutral wire on the 12 volt DC negative grounding bus bar, it will then trip the GFCI every time. This is a somewhat common mistake but they should of known better. If this is what they did, they are tying earth ground to AC neutral by accident and that will trip the GFCI. It will not trip a circuit breaker as the AC hot is not involved.

In a camper, the AC neutral and the 12 volt DC negative are to be totally separate and shall not touch each other. And the AC neutral should not be tied to earth ground inside the camper either. Basically your camper is viewed as a real big appliance to the electric code. AC neutral and earth ground are only to be tied common inside the main power panel of your home.

As was said, if the fridge electric element has a leak to earth ground in it, it can trip the GFCI too. In most fridge compartments, there is a 120 volt plug connected to a wall outlet. Just unplug it and see if the GFCI trips. If it does not trip, then you have a fridge electric element issue. If it still trips unplugged, then the element has nothing to do with the GFCI problem

Hope this helps

John

It is a bit confusing, but I'll help clarify things.

Where all the power goes in AC and DC, and what charges the batteries in my trailer is all one unit. It is one of my many "magic boxes".

I am writing this as I sit in my trailer at provincial park. I have this thing lighten up like a Christmas Tree. I have had no issues with it yet.

As I am not overly comfortable messing with electricity, I will contact the dealer when I get home and get them to look at it. Might be the power box. Might be the fridge. Might be something I am doing wrong. Might be something else entirely.

On a side note, they installed a new tank indicator and for some reason, the fresh water tank reads empty and the grey water tank is full, when I know the reverse is true. (in other words - it is going back to them regardless.)

swimmer_spe wrote:
The dealer just changed the power unit. I'll talk to them about it. Maybe they hooked up something wrong. It should not trip anything, but, if I am hooked up to a campsite, my breaker for it should pop.

It might be best to just use propane till I get it checked out.

When you said your dealer just changed the "power unit", do you mean the power converter and or the breaker box that it goes in?

If that is what you mean, there are 2 kinds of white wires in the converter/breaker panel box pending what color your TT manufacture uses.

If they are using white for 12 volt DC negative (common) and they are using white for 120 volt AC neutral, if they accidentally put a white 120 V AC neutral wire on the 12 volt DC negative grounding bus bar, it will then trip the GFCI every time. This is a somewhat common mistake but they should of known better. If this is what they did, they are tying earth ground to AC neutral by accident and that will trip the GFCI. It will not trip a circuit breaker as the AC hot is not involved.

In a camper, the AC neutral and the 12 volt DC negative are to be totally separate and shall not touch each other. And the AC neutral should not be tied to earth ground inside the camper either. Basically your camper is viewed as a real big appliance to the electric code. AC neutral and earth ground are only to be tied common inside the main power panel of your home.

As was said, if the fridge electric element has a leak to earth ground in it, it can trip the GFCI too. In most fridge compartments, there is a 120 volt plug connected to a wall outlet. Just unplug it and see if the GFCI trips. If it does not trip, then you have a fridge electric element issue. If it still trips unplugged, then the element has nothing to do with the GFCI problem

Hope this helps

John

swimmer_spe wrote:
The dealer just changed the power unit. I'll talk to them about it. Maybe they hooked up something wrong. It should not trip anything, but, if I am hooked up to a campsite, my breaker for it should pop.

It might be best to just use propane till I get it checked out.

I run mine on propane most of the time. The parks I go to have older wiring. In the summer when I am running the AC. I leave the fridge on propane to put less load on the AC power.

Plus, some of the time I dry camp. Like this upcoming weekend. The only spot I could find was a place with no power. It's going to be cool and I have my TT set up with 2-6 volt golf cart batteries hooked together to make 12 volts so I have plenty of power for my LED lights, water pump, and the fridge for the weekend.

The dealer just changed the power unit. I'll talk to them about it. Maybe they hooked up something wrong. It should not trip anything, but, if I am hooked up to a campsite, my breaker for it should pop.

It might be best to just use propane till I get it checked out.

swimmer_spe wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Heating element is probably leaking to ground.
Get it fixed.

How can I test for that?

Ohm meter or disconnect the element temporarily and see if the GFCI stops tripping,

time2roll wrote:
Heating element is probably leaking to ground.
Get it fixed.

How can I test for that?

Heating element is probably leaking to ground.
Get it fixed.

OP here...

I had my TT at the dealer for some work.

When I got it home, I checked out the fridge. It is not a 3 way, it is a 2 way. AC or gas. I have the power cable hooked to my outside plug, so I figured I would run it on AC. Every time I tried to get it going, it popped my GFCI. Either it is drawing too much power, or I have a power issue.

So, it is on propane, and will remain on propane till I am on real shore power.

On a side note, I am building a garage, and I have decided that I will wire in a 30A plug to hook the trailer to.

swimmer_spe wrote:
OP here.

I thought it was illegal to use any propane appliance while the trailer is in tow.

I was planning on just 12v, no propane on.

No, No. It is only illegal to run your propane devices when going through tunnels. On the open road it is just fine.

As someone said, there are vehicles going down the road fueled by propane. And, besides, that gasoline powering your vehicle can burn too you know !!

The 12 volt part of these fridges don't work very well. I'm told. I don't know for certain. I've never had one.

Just switch it to propane and go.

If it's just 2 or 3 hour trip, I don't even bother turning it on while travelling. Turn it on 2 or 3 days before, let it get cold, load it with cold/frozen items, and it stays cold for the trip without running on AC, DC, or gas. Get to the camp site, plug in to AC, and turn the fridge back on. Everything is still nice and cold.