GFCI Has no power.

[wbmoore]

I am trying to figure out what is wrong with the GFCI receptacle in the bathroom of my flagstaff 27 BESS.

There is no power to any of my 120v recepticles in the RV, although they worked fine the time before last that I took the RV out. This last time, there sinply was no power in any of the recepticles. The GFCI does not have a light on it and when I press any button, nothing happens. The trailer is connected to shore power. I have no tripped breaker. I have reset every breaker just in case. All fuses appear ok.

[myredracer]

wbmoore wrote:
I am trying to figure out what is wrong with the GFCI receptacle in the bathroom of my flagstaff 27 BESS.

Over a week has gone by. Have you figured it out? If so, what was it?

Pending a response, everyone should have a multimeter in the toolkit in their RV for diagnosing things like this.

[Sam_Spade]

jalabuff1 wrote:
The pedestal receptacle u r plugged n 2 is your problem, it is hot on one leg. Speculation, your air works but nothing else. U do not have a GFCI problem!

Since this is a pull-behind TT, it is HIGHLY unlikely that it has 50 amp service......and what you suggest does NOT apply to 30 amp (or less) service.

[jalabuff1]

The pedestal receptacle u r plugged n 2 is your problem, it is hot on one leg. Speculation, your air works but nothing else. U do not have a GFCI problem!

[wa8yxm]

My house was kind of like that. Two outlets in the Bathroom. Both were GFCI but were independent of each other.. one also fed the fan and the light.. My wife rinsed it down with the hand held shower and DARKNESS ENSUED (better the lights go out in the room then the alternative.. Don't know what got into her head rinsing down the outlet.. I used to have a "Weather hood" over it but it got lost in a bathroom upgrade.. Of course it did not used to be GFCI till after the upgrade. I put in the GFCI because the hood vanished)

I pushed the reset and LIGHTS returned.

This old house did not have GFCI in the Kitchen, only the bathroom and I installed them myself.

In an RV there are often only a few outlets and outlets near water (Kitchen, bath, Patio) are required now days to be GFCI protected.. not so in the 40's when my house was nailed together, But true today.. In both Houses and RVs

But in RV's often those are all the outelts there are.. Other than the Microwave's and Fridge's and the Washer/Dryer (If prepped and those are hidden) and possibly one or two beside the bed (optional as well) and these might as well be GFCI, in fact I'd like them to be even if mine are not.

[mkirsch]

BB_TX wrote:
I would not expect one GFCI outlet to knock out power to every outlet in the trailer. Use a volt meter to make sure you actually have 120 vac to your circuit breaker distribution panel.

One GFCI outlet protects ALL the outlets on that same circuit. If it is tripped or bad the entire circuit would go dead.

[Bobbo]

Yes, A GFCI can be wired to protect downstream, or wired to NOT protect downstream. I have examples of both in my S&B house.

The first kitchen outlet protects all of the kitchen outlets.

The first bathroom outlet is wired NOT to protect the other bathroom's outlets. I didn't want to have to walk to a different bathroom if it tripped. The second bathroom has its own GFCI outlet (which, in turn, protects a second outlet in that bathroom).

[Sam_Spade]

drsteve wrote:
A single GFCI outlet protects every other outlet downstream from it. If it trips or dies, no power will flow to any outlet on that circuit.

Of course.....IF it is wired that way.

It is entirely possible to have outlets on the same breaker that are NOT protected by a GFI in that "circuit". Unless the GFI function is in the breaker itself, that is.

[drsteve]

A single GFCI outlet protects every other outlet downstream from it. If it trips or dies, no power will flow to any outlet on that circuit.

[wa8yxm]

On my RV the outlets in the Kitchen, Bathrooms, patio and over the dining room table are on the single GFCI. outlets in the bedroom, are on the Fridge circuit and the one near the floor, in front of the passenger seat is on the TV Circuit.

Oh and there are a few other outlets but I added those myself. save for the Washer Dryer one (And the fridge, microwave and converter) which were factory)

I added a pair of 15/20 amnp duplex outlets, each fed by a dedicated 12ga wire off either a dedicated 15 or 20 amp breaker for space heaters.. A third single 15/20 amp is tied to an air conditioner circuit so it can be feed independent of the rest of the RV. This is for 30 amp sites in teh winter (another heater) and an "installed" extension cord which I will use for multiple things.. Current plan is to use it as a "Mains power" indicator. I'll plug in a very small load and feed it off the 20 amp in the park pedestal, if the power fails it tells me when to switch back to mains after it returns.. has happened a few times already.. We had a servere case of BANG, NO POWER.. (Someone wrote of that a while ago, the Bang was a connection in their plug failing, In my case it was a car v/s a utility pole just outside the park)

[CA_Traveler]

Sam Spade wrote:

Peg Leg wrote:
All of your receptacles should not be on the same circuit.

Should be or not, they often ARE, fed by ONE GFI breaker outlet.

Only 14 of my RV outlets are on the single GFCI. :B

[down_home]

Bobbo wrote:

down home wrote:
If the GFI has a little led on it and it is flashing then it needs resetting, if it is flashing and warm there is a possible problem needing investigating. If no light there is no power to the break and thus the other plug ins.

That is dependent on the maker of the GFI outlet.

I have a GFI outlet that has a light on when it is functional.

My sister has a GFI outlet that has a light that comes on then the GFI trips. (That caused me grief while installing it. I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting power from the outlet since the light was on. I finally broke down and RTFM.)

I have never seen a GFI outlet that has a light that flashes, though I don't doubt it exists.

The one on rear porch is flashing and warm. I've got to get someone that is able to get don on their stomach and replace it and see if it still trips. I don't know the brand.
It controls the other five plug ins along the rear porch.
Fortunately all the GFIs are labeled in the breaker box.
I hope some squirrel hasn't shorted things out as it would be a tough job to get to the wiring.

[Bobbo]

down home wrote:
If the GFI has a little led on it and it is flashing then it needs resetting, if it is flashing and warm there is a possible problem needing investigating. If no light there is no power to the break and thus the other plug ins.

That is dependent on the maker of the GFI outlet.

I have a GFI outlet that has a light on when it is functional.

My sister has a GFI outlet that has a light that comes on then the GFI trips. (That caused me grief while installing it. I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting power from the outlet since the light was on. I finally broke down and RTFM.)

I have never seen a GFI outlet that has a light that flashes, though I don't doubt it exists.

To the OP:

Like everyone else, I will recommend that you get a meter or test light and start at the pedestal checking for power. Go one connection at a time. When you get to the first connection with no power, you know the problem lies in it, or between it and the last connection that had power.

There is no shortcut to this process.

[CA_Traveler]

Sam Spade wrote:

Peg Leg wrote:
All of your receptacles should not be on the same circuit.

Should be or not, they often ARE, fed by ONE GFI breaker outlet.

He did not mention any other AC powered stuff failing; only the outlets.

The logical first thing to do is get behind that GFI outlet with a meter. (3rd person to suggest that).

X2

Also if there is an existing fault the GFCI will not reset until the problem is corrected.

[down_home]

If the GFI has a little led on it and it is flashing then it needs resetting, if it is flashing and warm there is a possible problem needing investigating. If no light there is no power to the break and thus the other plug ins.
Check the breakers and fuses. I say fuses but most RV, fuses are no just for 12 volt except the big fuses if you have any.d
Most new GFI have no light making it somewhat difficult to fin problem sometimes. I have been looking for some with the lights for the home.

RVs have two GFIs; one usually in bath area, and one in kitchen area.
I know you already know it though.