GFCI Circuits

big bird 2 wrote:
Don't tell anyone, but some of the GFCI units from China have been faulty. This is not new, but not general information. Just after I purchased my RV and complained to the dealer I was asked to bring it in and all four of my GFCI units were replaced. This may not be your problem, but it is a place to start!

I think the GFCI is fine, it's not tripping. The breaker is, meaning I'm obviously consuming more than the available amperage for that breaker. Unless a bad GFCI can itself cause a breaker to trip. One thing is it takes a few seconds of running the hair dryer before it trips, and it doesn't do it all the time, only sometimes. I think the times it trips must be when either fridge is running at the same time.

Water-Bug wrote:
Determine the time that the DW is most apt to dry her hair. Put the fridge on a timer that turns it off for a 2 hour period during the hair drying period. The only problem will be that it will be a PITA to reset the timer, every time that you interupt AC power.

EDIT. Powering the outside fridge off of a non-GFCI circuit or extension cord is probably a violation of code. If you don't care about code, just replace the GFCI with a regular plug. Homes with electricity, were built without GFCIs fot for over 60 years.

You can get timers with a battery backup...that's actually a fairly acceptable compromise. That would work for the outside fridge at least.

The receptacle on the pedestal is a GFCI, but I don't know the code on running an extension cord. Either way, I'm not opposed to that, I do it at home with my old fridge out in the garage when I need a little extra fridge space. Doing it at the RV is no different.

smkettner wrote:
How about use the hair drier on something less than maximum heat?

This particular hair dryer's low setting is useless. I know the one she uses at home the blower motor moves the same amount of air regardless of the heat setting, but this one the blower slows down to the point of being useless when on low. Perhaps a new hair dryer with a better low setting would be the best alternative. Problem is, I still have a situtaion where that circuit is being overloadedat times due to the sheer number of outlets they put on it and the other things I have connected.

bigred1cav wrote:
Take her a 10 mile ride and have her stick her head outside the vehicle the air will dry her hair.

This is the obvious answer, but when I suggested it she flatly refused. She then mumbled something about me sleeping outside if I continued with that attitude. Some people have no sense of humor.


My other thought was to see if the receptacle in the bunkhouse opposite the outside kitchen was on the other circuit, and if it is, re-wire the outside kitchen receptacle to that circuit and replace it with a GFCI plug to feed the outside fridge. I also just realized that I have an ice maker plugged in to another outlet in the outside kitchen that's likely on that same circuit protected by that single GFCI in the bathroom.

I think with a little bit of intelligent load management this problem should be solvable.