GFI Tripping

[BobbyDale]

Just survived our first frigid (16degrees) night here in the panhandle of Florida. Only our second night in our Fuzion. ( really newbies). As I was making coffee the GFI kept tripping. I finally set the frig on LP and was able to finish coffee. Is this the norm? The GFI is a 15 amp breaker! Thanks for all replies!

[kroghville]

We had the same problem, except ours would sometimes trip with nothing plugged in at all.Sometimes with a phone charger plugged in. I finally replaced the GFI outlet and haven't had a problem since. They are quite delicate at times.

[dballentine]

Our TT has the fridge on a separate breaker from the outlets, but all the outlets are on the same GF Breaker. Trying to run the coffee pot at the same time as the space heater (or an electric skillet) will trip the breaker. (Once the brew cycle is finished, you can turn the heater back on.)

[Water-Bug]

The point is that if it is a BREAKER that is tripping, there is nothing wrong with the fridge or anything else. If a GFCI recepticle is tripping, something may have a ground fault. (Not necessarily the fridge.)

[TXiceman]

It all comes down to what else is running on that GFIC. If you have a heater on it and add the coffee pot, it will fraw more than the circuit is rated to carry.

Ken

[Dave2001]

Check out this link "Understanding GFCIs":
http://www.nema.org/Products/Documents/NEMA-GFCI-2012-Field-Representative-Presentation.pdf
A GFCI receptacle does not detect or trip on overloads. It is there to detect ground faults. A GFCI breaker performs both functions, ground fault and over current.

[Water-Bug]

ScottG wrote:
Drawing a lot of current wont trip a GFCI. You have a bad heating element in your fridge (even though it works) and it needs to be replaced.
This is a safety issue and it needs to be fixed right.

Over current may not trip a GFCI plug recepticle, but it will trip a GFCI breaker. The OP called it a GFI breaker.

[ScottG]

Drawing a lot of current wont trip a GFCI. You have a bad heating element in your fridge (even though it works) and it needs to be replaced.
This is a safety issue and it needs to be fixed right.

[BobbyDale]

Yesterday I did not have the heater in the garage on. Thanks fir all the help!! This is all a new experience for my wife and I. We decided to downsize and sell the farm for my wife wouldn't have to go back to work. She survive colon cancer late last year and is having a difficult time getting back on her feet. She's only 55 but the chemo really took its toll on her. So thanks again, I'm sure I'll be back with more questions soon. Bobby

[jnharley]

Many of these RVs have the outlets strung together on one breaker. We checked every powered item to find out what was on each outlet, breaker, and fuse. The manufacturers had given us a list but we were surprised to find it grossly inaccurate. Now we know how all the electric components are run.

[Water-Bug]

BobbyDale wrote:
I did and still do have an eletric heater plugged in the garage. I was assuming it was on a separate breaker. Would I need to unplug the heater while I make coffee?

If the heater in the garage quit working along with the fridge and coffee maker, the answer is yes. If it was still running, the answer is no.

[dan-nickie]

BobbyDale wrote:
I did and still do have an eletric heater plugged in the garage. I was assuming it was on a separate breaker. Would I need to unplug the heater while I make coffee?

Maybe. Did they both stop working when the GFI tripped?

[Coach-man]

Where you able to make coffee and run fridge before cold snap? If so perhaps your problem is excess condensation causing a fround fault. Just a tought?

[BobbyDale]

I did and still do have an eletric heater plugged in the garage. I was assuming it was on a separate breaker. Would I need to unplug the heater while I make coffee?

[C-Bears]

Our kitchen has three separate circuits, all GFI. You would think any newer fiver would have the kitchen circuits split up like that anymore.